Envisioning the Data Science Discipline: The Undergraduate Perspective

学院的一项研究将为本科阶段的数据科学这一新兴学科提出一个愿景。它将强调核心、基本原则、知识内容和特定于数据科学的教学问题，包括将其与邻近学科区分开来的核心概念。它不会考虑创建材料、课程或项目的实用性。该研究将考虑数据科学的应用和职业发展来发展这一愿景。重点将放在本科阶段，同时在适当的情况下解决初中、高中和社区大学阶段的相关问题，并借鉴创建硕士阶段课程的经验。它将考虑这个新的STEM领域的出现所创造的机会，以吸引代表性不足的学生群体，并考虑减少现有STEM途径中出现的“泄漏”的方法。信息收集将围绕两个研讨会展开，第一个可能侧重于原则和知识内容，第二个可能侧重于初高中和社区大学的教学法和影响。为了迅速将材料记录在案并激发社区反馈，在讨论后将发布一份由报告员撰写的研讨会总结报告，提出数据科学本科教育的愿景。本研究的智力价值在于，它将通过探索该领域跨多个部门的需求，并借鉴迄今为止塑造本科课程的经验，阐明本科阶段数据科学的愿景。这项研究将借鉴研究委员会的专业知识和经验、委员会召开的简报会和研讨会的讨论，以及从有关团体就研究的中期报告收到的意见。研究过程预计将产生对知识内容和教学方法的一致看法。本项目及其报告将通过为那些在高校设计和实施本科生数据科学项目的人提供和分享有价值的信息，并通过促进这些项目的发展和在劳动力中建立数据科学专业知识，产生更广泛的影响。

An Academies study will set forth a vision for the emerging discipline of data science at the undergraduate level. It will emphasize core, underlying principles, intellectual content, and pedagogical issues specific to data science, including core concepts that distinguish it from neighboring disciplines. It will not consider the practicalities of creating materials, courses, or programs.The study will develop this vision considering applications of, and careers in, data science. The focus will be at the undergraduate level, while addressing related issues at the middle school, high school and community college levels, as appropriate, and drawing upon experiences in creating Master's-level programs. It will consider opportunities created by the emergence of this new STEM field to engage underrepresented student populations and consider ways to reduce the "leakage" seen in existing STEM pathways.Information gathering will center around two workshops, the first likely focused on principles and intellectual content, and the second likely focused on pedagogy and implications for middle and high schools and community colleges. To get material on the record quickly and spark community feedback, a rapporteur-authored workshop summary report will be issued following deliberations setting forth a vision for undergraduate education in data science.The intellectual merit of this study is that it will articulate a vision for data science at the undergraduate level by exploring the needs in this area across multiple sectors, and drawing upon experiences to date on fashioning undergraduate programs. The study will draw on the expertise and experience of the study committee, briefings and discussion at workshops convened by the committee, and input received from the relevant communities in response to the study's interim report. The study process is expected to yield a consensus view of intellectual content and pedagogical approaches.This project and its reports will have broader impact by providing and sharing valuable information for those designing and implementing undergraduate data science programs at colleges and universities, and by fostering the development of such programs and building data science expertise in the workforce.