Project Grant 2216121

This $246,900 National Science Foundation project grant supports the development of reflection exercises and vignettes to promote professional dispositions among undergraduate computing students. Awarded under the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education program (CFDA 47.076), the grant involves faculty from four institutions collaborating over two years to design and study exercises asking students to explain how they have demonstrated behaviors like persistence and adaptability in coursework or seen them applied in real-world scenarios. In addition to continuing work from a prior study, the project will target five additional dispositions, incorporate continuous improvement, and study effects on underrepresented groups. The mixed-methods research will administer surveys and reflections online each semester to evaluate the approach across institutional and programmatic contexts. Results, materials, and implementation guidelines will be disseminated to computing educators and researchers to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students, as supported by the program.