A glimpse into data science classes

Many schools are offering data science classes, which can be a great way to prepare for college and career.
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Should your child take a data science class?

Across the country, high schools are adding data science classes. But even though these classes are new in the U.S., compared to other countries we are lagging behind. For example, a authored by , a coalition expanding access to data science education for every student, states that in 2019 China revamped their math curriculum to include a semester of learning “big data” and South Korea made national reforms in 2015 to include teaching data literacy in elementary school.

Why all the changes? Data literacy and data science are in-demand skills. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the demand for data scientists will grow by 35 percent between 2022 and 2032, making it the third-fastest growing occupation in the U.S. And at least one , revealed that data literacy was ranked as the number one skill for entry-level candidates.

What are data science classes?

Data science classes can be called Data Science but they are often math classes. They can also be interdisciplinary classes where students work with large data sets, including science, geography, history, or social science class. Here’s what to look for in a data science class:

• Inquiry-based investigation that includes data collection, sampling, and analysis that allows for iteration.
• Integration of technology that includes programming languages and data analysis software for data manipulation and visualization.
• Multivariate datasets that are large and complex enough for students to develop and test their own hypotheses about the relationship between variables.
• Mathematics that involves algebra, statistics, probability, and algorithms for data analysis.
• Ethical communication with data that teaches students to create and critique visualizations and other data stories without misleading their audience.

Since these classes are new, evolving, and interdisciplinary, it’s a good idea to ask your principal about data science classes at your child’s school.

Read more about data science

• Learning data science may help kids learn algebra (and vice versa)

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