The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $595,375 Project Grant under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to the University of Florida (UF) Division of Sponsored Research. The 4-year grant, awarded on August 15, 2024, will develop and study approaches to equip 4th and 5th grade general and special education teachers with effective instructional strategies to teach computer science (CS) to a broad range of learners with disabilities through professional development.
The project, titled "COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: TEACHING ALL CS THROUGH INCLUSION AND COLLABORATION WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION (TACTICS)", will involve cycles of learning and teaching with two partner school districts in Arizona. Teacher teams will first learn about effective CS instructional practices and then implement these practices within their classrooms, engaging in collaborative planning, lesson feedback cycles, and technical support. The project aims to investigate the impact of the professional development on teachers' instruction and its influence on student learning, ability beliefs, and attitudes about CS, particularly for students with disabilities. A sub-award was made to CAST Inc., a nonprofit organization that will provide project leadership on UDL implementation, instructional design, and evaluation.
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