Cross courses pedagogy development in data analytics

Abstract

Data and Analysis of Data (or Data Analytics, or DA) are becoming increasingly important parts of professional practices within IT (Information Technology) and across the larger domains of business and science. Many dedicated data analytics related programs have been developed to train the future data analyst workforce. Still, growing needs of DA skills and knowledge almost as literacy requirement for many job practices outpace what the dedicated DA programs can supply. DA training often goes beyond dedicated DA curricula. Even in IT field, many non-DA IT courses could involve some DA topics. Currently, there is a lack of study on how to coordinate the pedagogical methods in teaching those DA topics embedded in different courses to deliver needed DA training for our non-DA IT graduates. Here, we explore the possibility of developing a pedagogy framework that helps link the teaching and learning of those fragmented DA topics embedded across different non-DA courses in multidisciplinary study areas of IT field together. In doing so, we expect this interdisciplinary effort to provide a complimentary approach to promote DA education and prepare IT graduates with the DA skills needed in a variety of job requirements. Although our current effort is limited to the IT field this experience can inspire and be transferred to other fields where DA is a part of the prevalent job practices for their DA pedagogy development.