(August 1, 2006)--The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently awarded funding to College of Computing Professor Mark Guzdial for his proposal titled, "Using Media Computation to Attract and Retain Students in Computing." Guzdial is a learning sciences and technology professor within the College's Interactive & Intelligent Computing (IIC) division, as well as the director for undergraduate programs.

Guzdial will receive more than $400,000 over the next three years from the NSF Division of Undergraduate Education in the Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement Program. The proposal supports his efforts to expand and disseminate the innovative Media Computation undergraduate curriculum that Guzdial developed at the College of Computing in 2003, and has since become the benchmark for computer science programs across the country.

“Using Media Computation to Attract and Retain Students in Computing” explicitly funds: workshops for faculty at other institutions to teach Guzdial’s approach; support of the developing community of users (e.g., supporting improvement of the software environment, disseminating curriculum ideas, etc.); and improving evaluation by supporting other institutions in adopting College of Computing evaluation techniques and instruments; and then creating a Web repository of results so that schools considering Media Computation can find reports on use at comparable schools.

The NSF award is effective August 1, 2006 through July 31, 2009. For additional information about Mark Guzdial’s Computational Media curriculum, click here.