Discipline: Computer Sciences and Information Management
Subcategory: Education
Ananya Kadir - College of Saint Elizabeth
Co-Author(s): Laquera Motley, Kaylynn Wilson, Katharina Valero and Raphael D. Isokpehi
Hypothesis: Big Data is defined as data that challenge existing methods due to size, complexity, or rate of availability. Students and professionals can excel in understanding, analyzing and handling of Big Data if they participate in learning experiences that equip them to work effectively with data. Methods: Our research project is to design and develop an integrated academic and career development program with a goal to provide participants from pre-college to professionals with learning experiences that enable them to work with data. A first step was to develop a website with resources to facilitate learning experiences on curriculum for transdisciplinary, cognitive expertise, data challenges and leadership. Learning transactions of participants are collected to allow for community learning, discovery and innovation. Results: The Transdisciplinary Data Scholars Development Program website is available at https://goo.gl/oLWTiX. The resource contains resources for performing metacognitive reflections on curriculum topics as well as a series of self-paced learning accomplished through cognitive tutors at the Open Learning Initiative of Carnegie Mellon University (www.oli.cmu.edu). Participants also have opportunities to participate in internship and research experience that incorporate working with Big Data. We are assessing the impacts of participation in academic and career development as well as interest in research. Conclusions: The community of data scholars can help rapidly increase the number of individuals who are equipped with knowledge to work effectively with Big Data.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): Targeted Infusion Project: Developing Quantitative Expertise in the Undergraduate Biology Curriculum (QEUBiC). National Science Foundation (EHR 1435186).
Faculty Advisor: Raphael Isokpehi, isokpehir@cookman.edu
Role: Developed Professional Development Modules on Data Science; involved in organization of a Transdisciplinary Data Scholars Development Program at the university; responsible for creating a website using Google sites and gathering and developing various primary resources for the program's foundation.