Project Grant 2434428

This National Science Foundation (NSF) Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Federal Grant Award (CFDA 47.070) in the amount of $496,886 provides funding to the Georgia Tech Research Corporation (Georgia Tech) to conduct a three-year collaborative research project titled "CUE-T: Hidden Curricula - Addressing Unseen Challenges within Computer Science Education." The project aims to explore the "hidden curricula" in computer science (CS) education, referring to the knowledge, skills, and experiences students need to gain outside formal learning environments. The research will investigate how these hidden factors impact the mental well-being and success of underrepresented and first-generation CS students, with the goal of developing learner-centered solutions to support their understanding of computing concepts and skill development. The project combines qualitative ethnographic methods, participatory design, and quantitative experimental approaches across three primary research strands: (1) identifying hidden curriculum factors that pose risks to student mental health, (2) characterizing effective scaffolding strategies to address technical challenges in programming environments, and (3) evaluating the impact of makerspaces on students' creativity, exploratory skills, and sense of belonging. This project is expected to provide valuable insights and guidelines to improve the inclusivity and accessibility of CS education, ultimately reducing dropout rates and enabling student success.