Chapter 1 What is Data Science Education?
Cheers to the start of your data science in education journey! Please watch this video for an overview of what data science even is and why it’s so important.
Welcome to your journey into data science education! You might be thinking, “Data science sounds complicated and technical—what does this have to do with my classroom?”
Here’s the thing: data science education isn’t about turning your students into statisticians or computer programmers. It’s about giving them the tools to think critically about the information-rich world they live in—and it’s happening in your classroom already, whether you realize it or not.
When your students count votes in a class election, graph the weather for a week, or survey their classmates about favorite books—that’s data science. When they question whether a commercial’s claim is true or notice patterns in their learning—that’s data thinking.
This resource will help you recognize these moments and intentionally build on them, no matter what subject you teach or what grade level you work with. In this short video below, you’ll hear Professor Hollylynne Lee of North Calolina State University discuss exactly how students are inundated with data everyday and why it’s critical we take our roles in shaping those interactions seriously.
Watch this 2-minute video from Professor Hollylynne Lee as she explains how students are surrounded by data every day and often use it to inform their decisions without fully understanding where it came from or how it was compiled, which is a major reason why data science education is so important.
