Creating Data Science Learning Pathways Through Project-Based Learning

With data science rapidly growing as a practice and profession, it is necessary to build a model for data science education that can engage, support, and empower students from a variety of programs of study. The NC State Data Science Academy (DSA) has developed and piloted the All-campus Data science through All-Campus Data Science and AI Project-Based Teaching and Learning (ADAPT) model. This instructional model encourages students to participate in data science education through project-based learning with purposeful choices that enhance students’ workforce preparedness. ADAPT courses are taught by instructors who have experience utilizing data science in multiple settings (e.g., government, academia, industry). The project team hypothesizes that offering learning experiences that (a) view students’ unique workforce choices as strengths and (b) empower them to make choices in how they do data science can help students see themselves as data scientists and foster a sense of belonging in data science communities. Guided by a design-based research paradigm, this project will test and refine the ADAPT model while developing instructional resources for broad implementations within and potentially beyond NC State.

The developed instructional resources (e.g., description of the model, exemplar student projects, research results, and resource list of datasets) will offer support for data science educators and programs in implementing the ADAPT model. With guidance from the advisory board, the project team will identify opportunities for future partnerships to expand the implementation of the ADAPT model in a variety of educational and professional contexts.

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