In this project, investigators from UNC Charlotte are building a software infrastructure named ``BRIDGES" (Bridging Real-world Infrastructure Designed to Goal-align, Engage and Stimulate) to transform student experiences in computing education. The primary goal of the project is to improve retention of CS majors, especially at the sophomore level. BRIDGES facilitates a hands-on experience for solving traditional problems in computer science using real-world information systems, such as Facebook, Twitter, Google Maps, etc. BRIDGES is being integrated into two computer science required courses, the senior capstone course and the sophomore level data structures and algorithms course, enabling a senior-sophomore bridge. Sophomore and senior students in these courses will partner in joint lab sessions to utilize and create new extensions to the BRIDGES infrastructure to support data structures programming assignments. Sophomores will act as customers for the new tools and data sets created by seniors and use them in their course programming assignments. In this manner, BRIDGES will create a more connected student body by partnering sophomores and seniors, which should lead to improved student retention and engagement. BRIDGES is being built using open source and web technologies, promoting easy dissemination. Two workshops on the BRIDGES system will be held, involving educators from regional colleges and high schools, including minority and underrepresented institutions. An additional workshop will be held associated with a major education conference. Students from the STARS Alliance (an NSF funded Broadening Participation in Computing consortium) will be given access to the learning materials and infrastructure to incorporate into their outreach and teaching activities.
