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Find out what two non-profits are doing with NSF funding
(Contributed)
May 21, 2016 — Watsonville, CA
ETR and Digital NEST received funding from the NSF to strengthen and study the Digital NEST. The goals of this project are to investigate how to engage youth from underrepresented groups in computing education, and to inform efforts to leverage informal computer science (CS) learning opportunities in communities and online.
Watch this video to learn more:
According to Gabriel Medina, Talent Manager AND Cinematic Art + Technology Director at Digital NEST:
This video describes a partnership between two non-profit organizations working to increase the participation of Hispanic/Latino/a youth in technology education and careers. The Digital NEST (Nurturing Entrepreneurial Skills with Technology) is a community-based, high-tech training and collaboration space for young people based in Central California where large numbers of young people, despite their proximity to Silicon Valley, are not being trained or recruited to participate in or lead the next wave of tech innovation. ETR (Education, Training, Research) is a research and development organization that partners with schools and community-based organizations to address diversity and inclusion in IT. Together they received funding from the NSF to strengthen and study the Digital NEST. The goals of this project are to investigate how to engage youth from underrepresented groups in computing education, and to inform efforts to leverage informal computer science (CS) learning opportunities in communities and online. Three research-based strategies are being tested and refined: a mentor component that uses college computing students to support learning; a badge and monitoring system to motivate and measure what students learn; and clearly defined pathways to CS education (that connect to national CS standards) and pathways to employment (that are aligned with national certifications as well as local industry needs).
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Tagged Digital Nest, ETR
