Project Grant 2434430

The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a three-year, $250,981 Project Grant under the Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CFDA 47.070) program to Arizona State University, Purdue University, and Georgia Institute of Technology. The grant, titled "CUE-T: Hidden Curricula - Addressing Unseen Challenges within Computer Science Education," aims to investigate the "hidden curricula" in computer science (CS) education - the knowledge, skills, and experiences students need to gain outside formal learning environments. The project seeks to understand how these hidden curricula impact the well-being and success of underrepresented and first-generation students, and to develop learner-centered solutions to support their understanding of computing concepts and acquisition of skills. The research will explore factors from hidden curricula that pose risks to students' mental health, study students' interactions with programming environments, and evaluate the impact of makerspaces on students' creativity, exploratory skills, and sense of belonging. The goal is to make CS education more inclusive and accessible, ultimately reducing dropout rates and enabling greater student success.