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Frequently Asked Questions

>Background

What is data science? What is the relationship between data science and data literacy?

ANSWER In short, if you're drawing insights from data, that's data science. Data science skills are essential to 21st-century living and create data literate individuals who are comfortable visualizing, analyzing, and making decisions based on data. This is already necessary for both work and personal life. While not all data literate individuals become data scientists, they will all become data users and consumers. By designing and paving the way for data science education, we ensure that today's learners can apply those skills in a wide range of contexts. Visit www.datascience4everyone.org for more informational resources.



Is data science just for mathematics or technical disciplines?

ANSWER No. Many believe that data science is a technical skill, only for statisticians or machine learning experts. But the reality is data literacy is a skill for all. Anyone in any role who interprets, visualizes, or communicates data is leveraging data science skills — and the approach goes well beyond math. Data scientists process, analyze, and draw insight from data. Students who are data-literate must be able to read, work with, analyze, and argue with data. They must be competent and comfortable reading, understanding, and synthesizing information displayed in the many forms data may take (graphically, in a data table, written words, etc.). Through our Commitments Campaign we are building a Coalition that calls upon industry leaders, schools and universities, policymakers, funders, and individuals to commit to action so that all students have the opportunity to gain data science skills.



Why now? Is there existing momentum to expand access to data science education?

ANSWER Yes! The DSE Coalition mobilized more than 150 organizations and individuals to call for the incoming Biden Administration to prioritize Data Science education in a letter aimed at spurring executive actions. There are already initiatives underway across the country, including more K-12 schools offering data science classes, institutions of higher education accepting data science as a math prerequisite, states rewriting math standards to include data science as an advanced course, and organizations creating public data sets to make sure all communities and stakeholders have access.



Who is organizing the Data Science for Everyone Commitments Campaign?

ANSWER The organizing team includes members at the University of Chicago Center for RISC, Schmidt Futures, Citadel LLC, the Learning Agency and Concord Consortium. For partnership or press opportunities, contact info@datascience4everyone.org.



 
 
 

>Getting involved

How can I connect with others making commitments?

ANSWER We encourage you to join our DS4E Slack community to connect with others in the coalition. We will continue to share updates, opportunities, and other resources to build this movement. Additionally, check-out our 2021 Commitments Directory to connect with other commitment-makers and find new opportunities.



What is the Data Science for Everyone Commitments Event?

ANSWER On June 28, 2021, we hosted a virtual event to highlight the importance of increasing access and quality of data science in elementary and secondary schools and showcase top commitments from the inaugural Commitments Campaign. We were joined by more than 500 data science advocates and leaders including Eric Schmidt of Schmidt Futures, Chike Aguh the Chief Innovation Officer at the U.S. Department of Labor, and Pamela Northam the First Lady of Virginia, among many other industry leaders and coalition-members.



How can I help or get more involved?

ANSWER Join our DS4E Slack community to connect with others in the coalition! Use #ds4everyone on social media. We host ongoing events and opportunities in addition to the annual Commitments Campaign. You can get updates and stay in touch by subscribing to our mailing list, joining the conversation in our DS4E Slack community, or contacting our team. ​ There are many other ways to get involved and learn more here.



I am interested in discussing press or partnerships with the organizing team. Who should I contact?

ANSWER Please contact info@datascience4everyone.org



>Commitments Process

What is data science? What is the relationship between data science and data literacy?

ANSWER In short, if you're drawing insights from data, that's data science. Data science skills are essential to 21st-century living and create data literate individuals who are comfortable visualizing, analyzing, and making decisions based on data. This is already necessary for both work and personal life. While not all data literate individuals become data scientists, they will all become data users and consumers. By designing and paving the way for data science education, we ensure that today's learners can apply those skills in a wide range of contexts. Visit www.datascience4everyone.org for more informational resources.



Is data science just for mathematics or technical disciplines?

ANSWER No. Many believe that data science is a technical skill, only for statisticians or machine learning experts. But the reality is data literacy is a skill for all. Anyone in any role who interprets, visualizes, or communicates data is leveraging data science skills — and the approach goes well beyond math. Data scientists process, analyze, and draw insight from data. Students who are data-literate must be able to read, work with, analyze, and argue with data. They must be competent and comfortable reading, understanding, and synthesizing information displayed in the many forms data may take (graphically, in a data table, written words, etc.). Through our Commitments Campaign we are building a Coalition that calls upon industry leaders, schools and universities, policymakers, funders, and individuals to commit to action so that all students have the opportunity to gain data science skills.



Why now? Is there existing momentum to expand access to data science education?

ANSWER Yes! The DSE Coalition mobilized more than 150 organizations and individuals to call for the incoming Biden Administration to prioritize Data Science education in a letter aimed at spurring executive actions. There are already initiatives underway across the country, including more K-12 schools offering data science classes, institutions of higher education accepting data science as a math prerequisite, states rewriting math standards to include data science as an advanced course, and organizations creating public data sets to make sure all communities and stakeholders have access.



Who is organizing the Data Science for Everyone Commitments Campaign?

ANSWER The organizing team includes members at the University of Chicago Center for RISC, Schmidt Futures, Citadel LLC, the Learning Agency and Concord Consortium. For partnership or press opportunities, contact info@datascience4everyone.org.