EAGER: Supporting and Sustaining Evidence-Based Computer Science Education

Expanding access to foundational computer science education has become increasingly important as rapid advances in artificial intelligence reshape daily life, work, and civic participation. Many schools, particularly those in rural communities, lack the staffing, resources, and sustained support needed to offer high‑quality introductory computer science courses that prepare students to navigate and contribute to an increasingly digital society. This project expands the capacity of an established statewide partnership, Computer Science for Oregon, to support teachers and school leaders as they integrate newly enhanced artificial intelligence content into a widely adopted foundational computer science course. The project strengthens an existing network of educators across the state, expands access to effective instructional practices, and supports districts in developing sustainable approaches to computer science and artificial intelligence education. By assisting teachers and school leaders during real‑time classroom implementation and building communities of practice, the project promotes the progress of science, advances educational opportunity, and helps ensure that all students can engage meaningfully with emerging technologies that shape the nation’s future. Accordingly, this project contributes to the goals stated in the Dear Colleague Letter NSF 25-035 regarding advancing AI education for the American youth. The project focuses on supporting the implementation of a revised Exploring Computer Science curriculum that now includes artificial intelligence and machine learning, the role of data in artificial intelligence systems, human and computational models of intelligence, natural language processing, algorithmic bias, and the societal impacts of artificial intelligence. Research activities and implementation support center on four components: individualized coaching for teachers during the academic year; statewide virtual professional learning communities that foster collaboration and knowledge sharing; structured guidance for school and district leaders as they integrate artificial intelligence and computer science into staffing, scheduling, and program plans; and the dissemination of teacher‑led action research on classroom practices related to artificial intelligence instruction. Together, these activities expand the reach of an eight‑year statewide effort, strengthen the professional capacity of educators, and generate practitioner‑informed insights into effective artificial intelligence instruction. The project’s integrated model is expected to improve the quality and consistency of artificial intelligence and computer science education across diverse regions, while building long‑term infrastructure to sustain universal engagement in foundational computing opportunities. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. NSF Award ID: 2619219 | Program: 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT | Principal Investigator: Jill Hubbard | Institution: Oregon State University, CORVALLIS, OR | Award Amount: $199,999 View on NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award/?AWD_ID=2619219 View on Research.gov: https://www.research.gov/awardapi-service/v1/awards/2619219.html