DIScovery SciEnce through

Computational Thinking

(DISSECT)

Enrico Pontelli

What is NSF?

DISSECT – grant from the National Science Foundation

An independent federal agency

created by Congress in 1950

"to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense…”

NSF grants funding to institutions to promote innovation, education and progress

What is GK-12?

NSF Graduate STEM Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12)

Supports fellowships and training for graduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)

Interactions with teachers and students in K-12 schools

Improve communication and teaching skills

Enrich STEM content and instruction for their K-12 partners

What is GK-12?

Create a coherent program

Enable Fellows to expand their research and skills

Target a specific K-12 intervention

Fellowships for Graduate Students

1 or 2 years

$30,000 per year + some support for tuitions and fees

Stipends for Teachers

What is DISSECT?

NMSU’s GK-12 Effort

3 to 5 years program

4 to 9 fellows per year

9 teachers per year

DISSECT = DIScover SciEnce through Computational Thinking

The “Spirit” of DISSECT

Core motivation

Computer Science is a pervasive science“All Science is Computer Science”

Yet

Science is not taught with this perspective

Computer scientists are not trained with this perspective

The “Spirit” of DISSECT

Overarching goals

1. Create a new generation of computer scientists

Nurture a broad view of CS research as instrument for progress in diverse scientific disciplines

Prepare CS researchers to be effective in such a broader area

The “Spirit” of DISSECT

2. Create new strategies to teach a more modern science

• Develop computational skills

• Explore science through computational views

Our Concrete Goals

Fellows goals

Expand their research reach

Computational research: explore integration with other disciplines (within and outside of computing)

Non-computational research: expand enhanced use of computational methods

Enhance communication skills

Training in pedagogical methods

Training and practice in delivery scientific content to a diverse and broad audience

Our Concrete Goals

Instructor goals

Training in computational thinking and computational methods

Assistance and support in introducing computational components in science courses

Development of long-term methods to expand students’ preparation in computational thinking

Your Role: DISSECT Fellow

You are the scientists

Share your research expertise among yourselves

Learn new techniques and technologies, explore collaborations among yourselves

Explore how to apply your collaborative research knowledge to bring computational thinking in K-12 science classes

Create educational modules and materials

Assist in training instructors and students

Learn new things, work as a team, have fun!

More about expectations later on…

Your Role: DISSECT Teacher

You are the educational experts

Share your expertise in K-12 systems, educational methods and practices

Share your expertise in Science education and standards

Learn computational thinking and methods

Collaborate in developing new modules and materials for Science education based on computational methods

Why are we here today?

Preliminary training workshop

Learn about DISSECT

Meet the team members

Start planning the semester activities

The first of a series of meetings