Computing Education and Transfer: Computer Science

A goal of the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) is to promote greater STEM content knowledge and appreciation for STEM in the supporting communities. The key mission is to increase the STEM instructional capacity within eligible institutions. However, this mission can be catalyzed by direct interaction with the communities’ educational workforce, by engaging those educators in enhanced STEM instruction as it develops. This project directly serves that goal, and moreover, as a pilot effort, can serve as a model for other TCUs that seek to increase precollege content knowledge as they increase the undergraduate STEM curriculum. Salish Kootenai College (SKC) is modifying its computer science instruction to more seamlessly incorporate mathematics into the coursework, while also expanding its capacity to infuse AI instruction into the program of study. Simultaneously, it will engage local K-12 STEM educators to expand their understanding of AI, better utilize mathematics in computer science instruction, and foster greater content infusion into their classrooms. The four-year project pursues three interconnected strategies: a teacher professional development network preparing STEM teachers in grades 7–12 to deliver computer science instruction and dual enrollment courses; a formalized 2+3 CS transfer pathway aligning SKC coursework with partnering universities; and applied undergraduate research connecting machine learning methods to natural resource and community-relevant datasets. An AI literacy module embedded in SKC's required first-year seminar, developed through a partnership between the American Indian College Fund and Code.org in collaboration with a tribal college network, ensures all incoming students develop foundational understanding of artificial intelligence, responsible technology use, and computational thinking. Together these components establish a coherent, sustained pathway from high school into postsecondary computer science programs. 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.