2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Data science careers are projected to grow more than 30\% by 2032, yet data science academics are lacking, and cannot satisfy the growing market demand for qualified data scientists. Additionally, K-12 data literacy rates are on decline, introducing a gap between modern data-driven society and the ability of members of society to understand the data. Early experiences with STEM subjects have been shown to influence and predict students' long-term career outlooks and outcomes. In the context of data science, this means that early introduction at the K-12 level is crucial in order to develop and maintain the data science workforce. Although there are efforts to include data science in K-12 education, this area of research remains understudied. This study aims to shed light on the landscape of K-12 data science education research in the United States. We methodically investigated studies from 2014 to 2024. The papers were analyzed, focusing on pedagogy, assessment methods, and the tools and techniques used to teach data science to the K-12 population. The results of this literature review demonstrate the need for more early childhood data science education research, as well as targeted and accessible data science curricula to ensure students of all ages and backgrounds gain foundational data skills.