I am excited lead a new NSF funded project in collaboration with Rick Hill from University of Detroit-Mercy to support high school CS teachers in Detroit. The project will use a sustainable multi-pronged approach to build the capacity of underserved high schools to offer CS curriculum in the metro-Detroit area. The components of the project include: (a) training of incumbent high school teachers through a unique co-teaching model with university faculty, (b) summer intensive CS experiences for high school teachers, (c) co-design of activities and lessons with teachers that bring issues of social and racial justice into their high school CS courses, and (d) adaptation and dissemination of curriculum that integrates technology, computational thinking, and career exposure into core required academic courses. Using mixed-methods approaches, the project will collect a rich set of data to examine how the project influences teacher learning (such as pedagogical content knowledge and self-efficacy) and student outcomes (such as AP Exam pass rates, attitudes, and post-graduation destinations). Results from this project will help discover how to support high school computer science teachers to offer high-quality computer science instruction that better engages students and improves student learning and impacts student future career paths.
This is a collaborative NSF Award to Michigan State University and University of Detroit-Mercy