The CHAMPS project is a collaboration among The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), middle schools and school district administration. Its main objectives are: a) to train GK-12 Fellows in the art of effective communication and teaching while performing state-of-the-art research, and b) to develop in students an interest for computer science and information technology. In the long term, CHAMPS will play a part in alleviating the future shortage of skilled computing professionals in the US.
CHAMPS exposes students to high-level algorithms and applications, which highlight the intellectual reward of computer science. In addition, students are motivated by the societal benefits of these applications (e.g., medical imaging). This is in contrast to the dullness of the typical first exposure of students to computing: learning the syntax of a programming language. CHAMPS provides students with an appreciation of the intellectual challenges faced in computer science, along with hands-on experiments, and an exposure to the latest research in the field and its societal benefits.
By acquiring an interest for computing, mathematics, and problem solving, students become better prepared regardless of their future field of study. Middle-school teachers are exposed to research performed by UTD Fellows and faculty, empowering them to accurately depict the diverse array of career choices available to students in this area, and more importantly, to foster a desire in students to pursue computing in their future career. Fellows improve their communication skills under the supervision of university and middle-school faculty, and learn how to present advanced concepts to a wider audience.
