Brainstorming Data Science as a Fluency Course for Non-Majors and as a New Specialization (Abstract Only)

Data Science programs are emerging in many areas and are related to many disciplines. This includes sciences, social sciences, business, journalism, history, and any other area dealing with massive amounts of data. Some institutions are establishing majors or minors in data science while others need to incorporate some level of introduction to relevant topics within the context of other coursework. The BOF will engage SIGCSE participants who have views on the content and role of courses and programs in data science. Two existing NSF sponsored projects will seed the discussion. One of the projects investigates the use of flipped classroom instruction for course material in data science, with significant attention to what can be done with a minimum of prerequisites. The other project produced a workshop to elicit opinions from a number of perspectives on what are the core elements of data science and how the subject is seen by different disciplines. Results from the workshop will be available at SIGCSE. With these as a starting point, participants in the Birds of a Feather session will explore the emerging field of data science and its relationship to computer science education.