Data to Discovery - Data science for science teachers

Completing Data to Discovery 1 day course will contribute 6 hours of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Delivery and Assessment of NSW Curriculum/EYLF addressing standard descriptors 2.1.2, 2.6.2 and 3.3.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.

The team from SciX@UNSW are offering professional development for science teachers titled ‘DATA TO DISCOVERY- Data Science in the Science Classroom’.

This workshop offers an introduction to data science for all high school science teachers, no matter your prior experience level. This workshop aims particularly at teachers of extension science, aiming to give you enough confidence in data science to support any student who may undertake data-driven research for their independent project. However, the course is suitable for any science teacher who wants to dive into data science, with plenty of links to the new 7-10 syllabus (with a tailored 7-10 course planned for later in the year).

As we move further into the digital age, the ability to understand and use data is becoming a fundamental skill in all fields of science. From biology to physics, researchers are using data science and a wide range of computational tools to drive discoveries and advancements- in fact, many working scientists never enter a laboratory! This means that there is a lot of very authentic science that students can do right from their laptops.

Our workshop provides a friendly and accessible introduction to these concepts, so you can prepare your students for the future of science. By the end of the day, you'll have a foundational understanding of data science and a host of ideas on how to integrate these concepts into your classroom in an engaging way.

In our introductory session, we'll cover the all-important first question of "What is data science?" and hear from leading researchers and technologists about the importance of data and computational techniques for modern research.

Then, across three immersive, hands-on data science labs (that is, hands on the keyboard) you'll discover a variety of tools, from data cleansing to visualisation, and from modelling to machine learning.

Though we can’t teach you how to code in just one day, we can give you a peek inside the data science toolbox give you a working knowledge of what these tools can do and show you just how accessible the basics can be.

Notes:

Participants should bring their own laptops and require access to the free platform Google Colaboratory. Please let us know if you need a laptop provided for you.

Spaces are limited to ensure a small group learning environment. This session will only be delivered if minimum numbers are reached. Full refunds will be offered if the session is cancelled or postponed

Why Data to Discovery?

• Most likely, data science wasn't a big part of the curriculum when you went to uni. Like much of the workforce, science teachers need to up-skill in this essential aspect of modern science.
• Every session of D2D is run by at least two facilitators. One with skills in data science and its application in current research, and the other an experienced science educator who has only recently started learning Python! This combination acts as a bridge between the practice of data science and its application in high school science.
• You'll be working hands-on with authentic scientific data, solving authentic scientific problems.
• You'll learn what Python can do without having to learn how to code!
• This on-site day is fully catered