By building a set of modules to teach data science in STEM courses at Dartmouth, we build a flexible and reusable set of tools and methods for faculty to enrich learning objectives through the hands-on exploration of data collection, analysis, and visualization.
DIFUSE Modules
Our team works with faculty in the sciences and social sciences to build data science learning modules for existing courses. These modules could be for a short assignment or a longer-running exercise with skill-building components. Module teams consist of 2-3 students (graduate and undergrad), one of the DIFUSE grant PI’s. We do the heavy lifting, with input from the faculty member during weekly meetings.
Using Footprint Data to Make Inferences about Historical Societies
In this module students learn and apply the systematic steps that anthropologists may take to make deductible inferences about historical societies given the observations of fossil (foot print) records. Students first collect data on their own footprints using a sandbox built by DIFUSE, then analyze aggregated data from the entire class, and finally use their insights to make inferences about social behavior of historical populations.