Author(s):
This project aims to create a data science certificate as a pathway for non-computing majors to stack micro credentials in technical skills needed for data-driven investigations in their respective disciplines. This is a collaborative project of three HBCUs (NCCU, WSSU, and FSU) and Cynosure Consulting focusing on the following non-computing disciplines: criminal justice, art, nutrition, exercise physiology, and forensic science. The certificate is composed of the five courses: Exploratory Data Analysis, Foundations of Data Science (Python), Machine Learning for All, Responsible Data Science, and Capstone Project (in the student’s major discipline). Students will earn digital badges for each course they complete successfully and a digital badge for the certificate when all 5 courses are completed successfully. This certificate aims to make it accessible to all students both in content and context. To appeal to students from a broad cross section of disciplines, a gentle introduction to programming is adopted using a no-code to low-code to high-code approach. To appeal to students who are historically marginalized in computing, the certificate is situated within a social justice context. The proposed research activities will inform the emerging data science for social justice certificate pathway within courses for non-computing majors, measure the efficacy of the certification innovation and its impacts on participants, and provide a means to produce fundamental, structural change in the computer science training landscape. In this talk we will present our experiences of creating and teaching (Spring 2024) the first course in this certificate and how we addressed the obstacles encountered.
