Through an NSF fund and a collaboration with the Smithsonian Latino Center, the Sol y Agua project augments the learning environment of middle school students through the creation of a computer game based on regional issues explored through computational thinking and virtual simulations. The game has a theme of water sustainability and stewardship with an emphasis on information analysis, negotiation, and decision-making. The game immerses students in themes concerning biodiversity, sustainability, and the human impact on the environment. The activities challenge students to make informed decisions regarding water sources, maintenance, environmental factors, and sustainability, among others. The game has an emphasis in promoting minorities in the Southwest United States towards pursuing careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), where they are largely underrepresented.
Currently, the project is supported by an NSF STEM+C grant that aims on building A Research-Practice Partnership (RPP) for Developing Computational Thinking through Linguistically and Culturally Relevant CS Curriculum in Middle School was awarded funding in Fall 2019.
Katherine Mortimer (ksmortimer@utep.edu)
Monika Akbar (makbar@utep.edu)