As computer science education continues to advance in New York City Public Schools and around the nation, the Research Alliance is pleased to announce several new projects that complement and build on our ongoing study of NYC’s CS4All initiative: 

• Power On! In NYC Classrooms: Power On! is a graphic novel that “follows a diverse group of teenage friends as they discover that computing can be fun, creative, and empowering.”  In collaboration with UCLA’s CS Equity Project, we are working to understand the use and outcomes of Power On! in NYC public schools. 
• Examining and Addressing Barriers that Hinder Schools’ Progress Toward CS for All: With support from the Google Computer Science Education Research program, the Research Alliance is conducting a study aimed at understanding and addressing the challenges faced by schools that are “lagging behind” in the effort to offer CS to all students.
• Beyond Access and Participation in CS for All: Made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation (award # 2219389), this study is developing and testing measures of culturally responsive-sustaining education (CR-SE) in computer science—providing vital tools and evidence to inform the growing CS education field.
• Computational Thinking (CT) Readiness for All: The Research Alliance is collaborating with EDC’s Center for Children and Technology and professional development provider Kelly Powers to field-test a self-assessment tool designed to help elementary schools create CT integration plans that support equitable access to CT education for students from traditionally underrepresented groups. This project is also funded by the National Science Foundation (award # 2219314).

We are excited about the insights that have already begun to emerge from this growing body of work and the potential these projects have to inform more effective and equitable CS education in NYC schools. Learn more about our ongoing study of the CS4All initiative.