Computing in Statistics: Model Courses and Curricula

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Although computing has become increasingly more powerful and ubiquitous over the past twenty years, the curriculum in statistics has been slow to incorporate it in any significant manner. Good computing skills are essential for good data analysis. Students must be able to express computational instructions and ideas in the same way that they can manipulate mathematics. To accomplish this goal, computing must be infused into the curriculum at a conceptual level and comprehensively as a separate, but integrated, topic.This project is bringing together experts in computational statistics and data technologies to discuss and identify key topics in computing for statistics. The discussion is informing the creation of materials designed to integrate computing topics into the curricula. One outcome is the publication of course syllabi for theoretical and applied computing that vary from numerical algorithms to data technologies, comparative programming systems, and visualization. Another outcome is the development of materials that facilitate other faculty in integrating computing into their statistics programs. A third outcome is a book on data technologies and statistics. Forums are being provided to discuss and disseminate advances in technology and their impact on statistics, and faculty development workshops are teaching faculty about these topics and demonstrating how to teach these topics in undergraduate programs.Intellectual Merit: The curriculum development is being designed to impart knowledge and training in the fundamental topics of probability and statistics combined with modern methodologies and data analysis, focusing on important aspects of computing related to data. The creation of the data technologies text fills a critical void in statistics education that is not covered by texts in statistics or computer science. The investigators have experience working with scientists and engineers in industry and in developing course materials that seamlessly integrate statistical concepts with practice.Broader Impact: The ability of students to compute has a real impact on their ability to understand and explore statistical concepts and to contribute significantly to the study of important scientific problems. This project work is impacting the field of statistics by offering model courses and syllabi for changing the way statistics is taught, assisting in the development of faculty to teach statistics with this approach, and producing a book on data technologies and statistics.