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An Analysis of Data Analytics Curriculum Development through an NSF Research Experience for Teachers (RET) Program in Arkansas

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Conference

2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Baltimore , Maryland

Publication Date

June 25, 2023

Start Date

June 25, 2023

End Date

June 28, 2023

Conference Session

Industrial Engineering Division (IND) Technical Session 4

Tagged Division

Industrial Engineering Division (IND)

Tagged Topic

Diversity

Page Count

12

DOI

10.18260/1-2--42601

Permanent URL

https://strategy.asee.org/42601

Download Count

147

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Paper Authors

biography

Eric Specking University of Arkansas Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0002-0308-0902

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Dr. Eric A. Specking serves as the Assistant Dean for Enrollment Management and Retention for the College of Engineering at the University of Arkansas. Specking received a B.S. in Computer Engineering, a M.S. in Industrial Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Engineering from the University of Arkansas. His research interest includes decision quality, resilient design, set-based design, engineering and project management, and engineering education. During his time at the University of Arkansas, Eric has served as Principal Investigator, Co-Principal Investigator, or Senior Personnel on over 40 research projects totaling over $6.6 Million, which produced over 50 publications (journal articles, book chapters, conference proceedings, newsletters, and technical reports). He is an active member of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) where he has served in various leadership positions.

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biography

Shengfan Zhang University of Arkansas

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Shengfan Zhang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Arkansas. She received her Ph.D. and M.S. in Industrial Engineering from North Carolina State University. Zhang’s current research focuses on developing methodologies and solution approaches in medical decision making, especially advancing predictive and prescriptive analytics for disease prevention and treatment. Zhang teaches courses on probability and statistics, predictive analytics, stochastic processes, quality engineering and management, simulation, etc.

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Abstract

The Arkansas Data Analytics Teacher Alliance (AR-DATA) Program, a Research Experience for Teachers (RET) Site, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in its second year, has been promoting research-driven high school data analytics curriculum to reach underserved students in Arkansas. Twenty high school teachers in Arkansas have participated in a six-week summer program learning about data analytics, cutting-edge research in this field, and various engineering applications employing data analytics. They have also developed data analytics related modules for mathematics, computer science, and pre-engineering classes. In this paper, we first analyze the participating teachers’ needs for module development and improvement, using information collected during the application process. We also summarize how data analytics related modules are incorporated in their current teaching materials. Through the analysis, we seek to explore how high school education in Arkansas is preparing students for next-generation workforce needs in analytics. In addition, we perform a descriptive statistics analysis of the learning modules created by the participating teachers through the AR-DATA program. We summarize the standards the teachers have used for their modules as well as the common ideas and topics of the learning modules. Through connecting the modules in different subject areas, we also analyze the possibilities of collaborative lesson plans that teachers in different fields can coordinate and teach together. Finally, we examine related topics in the post-secondary curriculum and propose how college professors and high school teachers can work together to strengthen education in data analytics to better prepare students for the workforce needs.

Specking, E., & Zhang, S. (2023, June), An Analysis of Data Analytics Curriculum Development through an NSF Research Experience for Teachers (RET) Program in Arkansas Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--42601

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