ERIC Number: EJ1351973
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
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EISSN: EISSN-2693-9169
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Expanding the Scope of Statistical Computing: Training Statisticians to Be Software Engineers
Reinhart, Alex; Genovese, Christopher R.
Journal of Statistics and Data Science Education, v29 suppl 1 pS7-S15 2021
Traditionally, statistical computing courses have taught the syntax of a particular programming language or specific statistical computation methods. Since Nolan and Temple Lang's seminal paper, we have seen a greater emphasis on data wrangling, reproducible research, and visualization. This shift better prepares students for careers working with complex datasets and producing analyses for multiple audiences. But, we argue, statisticians are now often called upon to develop statistical "software," not just analyses, such as R packages implementing new analysis methods or machine learning systems integrated into commercial products. This demands different skills. We describe a graduate course that we developed to meet this need by focusing on four themes: programming practices, software design, important algorithms and data structures, and essential tools and methods. Through code review and revision, and a semester-long software project, students practice all the skills of software engineering. The course allows students to expand their understanding of computing "as applied to statistical problems" while building expertise in the kind of software development that is increasingly the province of the working statistician. We see this as a model for the future evolution of the computing curriculum in statistics and data science.
Descriptors: Computer Software, Graduate Students, Computer Science Education, Statistics Education, Data Analysis, Course Descriptions, Programming, Student Projects, Engineering Education, Curriculum Development, Futures (of Society), Programming Languages, Teaching Methods, Active Learning, Homework, Grading
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
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Language: English
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