The study examined the Advancing Rural Computer Science (ARCS) program, a professional development initiative designed to improve elementary teachers' computer science (CS) content knowledge, pedagogical practices, and self-efficacy, with the goal of enhancing K-5 students' interest in and knowledge of CS. ARCS was funded through USED EIR…

Collaborative dialogue offers rich insights into students' learning and critical thinking. This is essential for adapting pedagogical agents to students' learning and problem-solving skills in STEM+C settings. While large language models (LLMs) facilitate dynamic pedagogical interactions, potential hallucinations can undermine confidence, trust,…

This study evaluated the implementation and impact of the School of Interactive Arts (SIA), a scalable, in-class instructional model designed to introduce high school students to computer science and video game design through a virtual platform called Ghost School. Conducted in New York City Department of Education public high schools, the study…

The EIR-funded Work-Based Learning for Computer Science (WBL4CS) grant implemented a three-course, two-year Computer Science (CS) pathway in 20 Rhode Island High Schools. Evaluators from Education Development Center (EDC) employed a cluster randomized controlled trial to study the impact of integrating a Work-Based Learning course into the first…

This paper systematically explores how Large Language Models (LLMs) generate explanations of code examples of the type used in intro-to-programming courses. As we show, the nature of code explanations generated by LLMs varies considerably based on the wording of the prompt, the target code examples being explained, the programming language, the…

Worked examples, which present an explained code for solving typical programming problems are among the most popular types of learning content in programming classes. Most approaches and tools for presenting these examples to students are based on line-by-line explanations of the example code. However, instructors rarely have time to provide…

The "Coding Our Future" intervention aimed to develop and implement a Computer Science (CS) curriculum, and to train teachers to offer computer science courses in elementary and middle schools. Its goals were to enhance students' competency and self-efficacy in computer science and to boost the enrollment of underrepresented students in…

This study explored the effectiveness of scaffolding in students' reflection writing process. We compared two sections of an introductory computer programming course (N=188). In Section 1, students did not receive any scaffolding while generating reflections, whereas in Section 2, students were scaffolded during the reflection writing process.…

The Innovative STEM--Computer Science and Engineering Design (STEM CSED) project (Award #: U411C190169), funded by an Early-Phase Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant, sought to strengthen math achievement and foster positive attitudes toward STEM and computer science among students in Waukegan Community Unit School District #60, a large,…

In 2019, the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE), in partnership with the University of Rhode Island (URI), launched the Work-Based Learning for Computer Science (WBL4CS) project through an Education Innovation Research (EIR) grant. The initiative aimed to expand access to computer science (CS) education for high school students,…

The Green River Regional Educational Cooperative (GRREC) and its partners administered the STEM-CS intervention to support the professional learning of middle and high school STEM teachers in rural southcentral Kentucky counties. The goals of the STEM-CS intervention were to improve teacher STEM-CS knowledge, practice, implementation, and…

METRICS was a 5-year grant program funded by the U.S. Department of Education designed to immerse elementary school students in computer science. METRICS components included 1) creation and implementation of rigorous computer science curriculum units and assessments to support STEM coursework connected across all subjects through problem-based…

Self-efficacy, or the belief in one's ability to accomplish a task or achieve a goal, can significantly influence the effectiveness of various instructional methods to induce learning gains. The importance of self-efficacy is particularly pronounced in complex subjects like Computer Science, where students with high self-efficacy are more likely…

An intelligent tutoring system (ITS, henceforth) is currently defined as a computer system that delivers personalized instruction to students by using computational techniques to evaluate the learner in a variety of ways, including (but not limited to) their prior knowledge, competency/skill levels, motivation, and affective states. ITSs are…

Research in discourse processing has provided us with a strong foundation for understanding the characteristics of text and discourse, as well as their influence on our processing and representation of texts. However, recent advances in computational techniques have allowed researchers to examine discourse processes in new ways. The purpose of the…