NSF INCLUDES Alliance: The Alliance for Interdisciplinary Innovation in Computing Education (AiiCE): A Collective Impact Approach to Broadening Participation in Computing

As computing becomes more ubiquitous and interdisciplinary, it is imperative that the tech workforce better reflect the U.S. workforce, while also avoiding the development of technologies that do not properly work for all users. This requires more integration of social science into computer science curricula that explores the societal impacts of computing.

The Alliance for Interdisciplinary Innovation in Computing Education (AiiCE) aims to increase enrollment, retention, and graduation rates in secondary and postsecondary computing education, creating pathways for students from all backgrounds to succeed. AiiCE’s collective impact approach convenes national leaders in computing education to 1) integrate social science into computing teaching and learning, 2) support educators in creating supportive academic environments for all students, and 3) advance evidence-based education policies that strengthen computing programs.

The Alliance leverages the constellation model for assembling partners to solve complex and pressing problems through a common agenda, shared measurement system, mutually reinforcing activities, continuous communication, and dedicated backbone support. Each Alliance domain (training, curricula & pedagogy, research, and policy) represents a permeable, action-focused working group comprised of various activities at the secondary and postsecondary levels.

This flexible structure supports governance and communication that leverages the strengths of each organization and allows for several ways to join, support, and scale the Alliance at the individual, department, and organization levels. Successful implementation of the Alliance will directly impact a total of 7,000 high-school CS teachers, 2,000 postsecondary CS faculty/staff, 5,000 teaching assistants, and 500 U.S. computing departments.

This will, in turn, impact a total of 525,000 high-school and 35,000 undergraduate CS students nationwide. AiiCE will also directly impact the tech workforce, as more graduates will enter the computing workforce prepared to avoid the development of harmful technologies. This effort will also create new annual data and reports, including a repository of resources and best practices.

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.