Research

Patricia Morreale is a faculty member in the Department of Computer Science and Technology at Kean University.

DBLP Computer Science Bibliography

Google Scholar

Past projects and others can be found on Multimedia and Network Laboratory web site.

Research is underway to investigate a new approach to teaching software design for all users, utilizing the Inclusivity Magnifier method in computing courses throughout the four-year undergraduate computer science curriculum. The proposed approach, built on earlier work, will be minimally invasive, occupying very little classroom time, and will integrate smoothly into the computer science classroom and the work students are already doing. This project is funded by NSF 2345334 in partnership with Dr. Margaret Burnett and researchers at Oregon State University.

A collaborative research project was conducted to support software design education throughout the four-year computer science and information technology undergraduate curriculum.  Results showed all students benefited. Annual faculty development workshops supported this pedagogical initiative as well. This project is funded by NSF grants 2042341 and 2127407, in partnership with Dr. Margaret Burnett and researchers at Oregon State University. Results have been presented at ICER, SIGCHI, SIGCSE, and published in ACM Transactions on Computing Education.

CRA Article on GenderMag

Research on pathways through computer science and information technology curriculums, leading to improved student academic success, is underway. Funded by NSF grants 1928452 and 2127579, this 5-year grant uses growth mindset faculty development and supplemental instruction to increase student success in CS1 and overall retention in CS and IT major programs.  Results have been presented at FIE, SIGCSE and RESPECT.

Methods and practices for recruitment and retention of students into computing fields, in partnership with the Computing Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institutions, is ongoing.  The Affinity Research Group signature practice, local REUs, and problem-solving methods have been shared widely. This research is funded by NSF grants 1834620 and 2137791, Google and the Sloan Foundation.  Results have been presented at ASEE, FIE and SIGCSE.

CRA article on virtual research experiences.

Research on pedagogical support for undergraduate computer science and IT success, focused on cybersecurity and data science, is supported by a 5-school NSF S-STEM scholarship award. This collaboration included faculty from NJIT, Fairleigh Dickenson University, Middlesex Community College, and Union College.  More than 200 students are expected to be impacted by this 5-year grant.  This work is funded by NSF #2129795.

Pedagogical methods for increasing the number of well-prepared computer science K-12 educators are being developed and implemented, with the outcomes assessed.  This collaboration included faculty from Kean’s College of Education. This 15-month initiative has impacted an estimated 85,000 students.  This work has been funded by Google and the New Jersey State Department of Education, with results presented at SIGCSE and ITiCSE.