NSF Funding Opportunity: Computing Education for the 21st Century

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced a funding opportunity under the (Computing Education for the 21st Century (CE21) program, with $15 million to support 13 to 20 grant awards per year. Community colleges are among the eligible applicants. Full proposals are due March 13, 2013.

Innovation in information technology (IT) not only drives our economic growth, but also underlies scientific advances and ensures our national security. Yet, while IT job growth is very strong, not enough students are majoring in computing. Only about 60 percent of the computing-related degrees that U.S. industry will need over the next decade are being produced by U.S. universities and colleges. This shortfall is further exacerbated by the longstanding underrepresentation of women, persons with disabilities, African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and indigenous peoples in computing, who together make up some 70 percent of our population. Their participation, which would contribute their talents and creativity, is essential to the nation’s ability to fully participate in a competitive world economy

Unlike many of the other STEM disciplines, computing has not developed a rich research base for the teaching and learning of its fundamental concepts and skills. Through the creation of a robust research community, CE21 projects will contribute to our understanding of how diverse student populations are engaged and retained in computing, learn its fundamental concepts, and develop competencies that position them to contribute to an increasingly computationally empowered citizenry.

CE21 will fund proposals on three distinct tracks: Computing Education Research proposals will aim to develop a research base for computing education; CS 10K proposals will aim to develop the knowledge base and partnerships needed to catalyze the CS 10K Project (which seeks to have rigorous academic curricula incorporated into computing courses in 10,000 high schools, taught by 10,000 well-trained teachers); and Broadening Participation proposals will aim to develop and assess novel interventions that contribute to our knowledge base for the effective teaching and learning of computing for students from the underrepresented groups.

CE21 will accept applicants from universities and two- and four-year colleges, including community colleges accredited in and having a campus located in the U.S.; non-profit, non-academic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies, and similar organizations in the U.S. associated with educational or research activities; and state and local governments, state education offices or organizations, and local school districts.

Please access the full program solicitation for more information on the CE21 program and guidelines for eligibility, preparation, proposal submission, and deadlines.