Postdoctoral Fellows as Leaders in Next-Generation Computer Science Education Research-Practice Partnerships

This post-doctoral training fellowship project addresses two broad issues: (1) K-12 students are not as exposed to computing and the computing industry as to other STEM fields; and (2) computer science (CS) education has yet to find a way to connect and draw from the experience of K-12 students, teachers and systems to design better educational processes and learning experiences within their communities to encourage them to study computer science. CS education is a nascent field compared to other STEM education fields. To better understand the complex issues of introducing CS to K-12 communities, the field needs an intellectually robust set of researchers who are passionate about the topic and can conduct research to identify opportunities for engaging communities in CS education. This project builds capacity in CS education by engaging a new cohort of post-doctoral fellows who are positioned to advance the field of CS education research and ultimately increase the number of computer science graduates bolstering the US economy. The postdoctoral training grant will strengthen the capacity (i.e., knowledge, skills, practices) of recent doctoral graduates to engage in research at the intersection of CS and other STEM disciplines in K-12 environments. Computer science education research projects will be structured around (a) learning of CS, (b) teaching of CS, and (c) CS policy in K-12. The research and training plan is based on a model of co-generative mentorship and provides comprehensive professional development and mentorship opportunities to participating postdoctoral fellows who will be embedded in existing research projects and supported to design and execute their own independent research projects. Situated at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) this organizational postdoctoral fellowship program will be closely aligned with the endowed Hopper-Dean Center of Excellence for K-12 Computer Science Education in the UTEP College of Education and the NSF-funded and UTEP-led Computing Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institutions [CAHSI]. The project has potential to make significant contributions to the field by providing advanced training and professional development opportunities to postdoctoral researchers. The project has further potential to enhance the research skills of postdoctoral researchers and prepare them for successful careers as researchers, policy influencers, and educators in computer science education, especially in K-12 environments. This project is supported by NSF’s STEM Education Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (STEM Ed PRF) Program and the CS for All: Research and RPPs program. The STEM Ed PRF Program aims to enhance the research knowledge, skills, and practices of recent doctorates in STEM, STEM education, education, and related disciplines to advance their preparation to engage in fundamental and applied research that advances knowledge within the field. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.