2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Data Science 101 for Faculty: Designing and Assessing a Foundational Workshop

Presented at DSAI-Session 3: Faculty Development and Instructor Support in AI Education

To expand data science education capacity in Arkansas, the HIRED workforce development grant [1] team launched a faculty development initiative aimed at equipping faculty from 2-year colleges and 4-year higher education universities to teach foundational data science. This is particularly important as work and daily life become increasingly dependent on data and more jobs require basic data skills [2]. The first offering in this effort, “Data Science 101 Workshop,” was a 1.5-day in-person workshop held in September 2025. Nine faculty members participated, representing a range of disciplines and institutions across the state, many of which serve working adult learners and place-bound students who seek workforce-relevant credentials.

This workshop was intentionally designed for beginner-level faculty, including those with little or no prior experience in teaching or applying data science. Pre-survey data confirmed this need: most participants reported limited confidence and minimal experience in areas such as applying the data science process, using Python for data analysis, teaching exploratory data techniques, or integrating AI tools. Though nearly all had some experience with spreadsheets, few felt skilled enough to teach data science tools effectively. These gaps limit the capacity of programs to offer data science and analytics experiences that help students and incumbent workers upskill or reskill for data-intensive roles [2].

The workshop agenda included hands-on practice with Python in Google Colab, spreadsheet-based data analysis, an introduction to the data science process, and practical use of AI tools for teaching and research. Content was scaffolded to support entry-level faculty, with opportunities for interaction, troubleshooting, and guided examples.

Post-survey results revealed self-reported gains related to feeling more skilled in the topical areas presented in the workshop and self-reported confidence in teaching those areas. For example, participants who self-reported being somewhat confident or very confident in teaching the data science process rose from 33% to 78%, and the confidence in teaching basic data analysis rose from 44% to 100%. Open-ended feedback highlighted the value of hands-on exercises, shared instructional materials, and instructor insights. Participants expressed a desire for more time to apply the tools and more opportunities to collaborate.

Additionally, the feedback from the participants through open-ended questions in the survey and through live “retrospective” discussions were used to improve the subsequent workshops, with the most significant changes being slowing down the pace at which the materials were covered, adding a section on the use of Generative AI, and including time for the workshop participants to partner, use what they learned, and present it to the instructors and other participants.

Authors

Dr. Karl D. Schubert FIET http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8289-9501 University of Arkansas [biography]

Dr. Karl D. Schubert is a Professor of Practice and Director for the Data Science Program at the University of Arkansas College of Engineering, the Sam M. Walton College of Business, and the Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences and led the team that developed the B.S. Data Science degree.

After earning his Ph.D., Dr. Schubert spent 35 years in industry in various roles with IBM, Dell, Silicon Valley, and other start-ups. He returned to his alma mater to give back by helping develop the next generation of STEM workforce. He has patents in various technology areas and is the author and co-author of several books.

Dr. Schubert is a Senior Member of the IEEE, Senior Member of ACM, and Senior Member of IISE. He is also Vice Chair of the Ozark Section of the IEEE Computer Society and is the ASEE Data Science & Artificial Intelligence (DSAI) Constituent Delegate to the Commission on P-12 Engineering Education (CP12) and the DSAI Delegate to the Interdivisional Town Hall.
Stephen R. Addison http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1196-6030 University of Central Arkansas [biography]

Dr. Stephen R. Addison is a Professor of Physics and Dean of the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Central Arkansas. Dr. Addison joined the faculty of the University of Central Arkansas in 1984, and has previously served as Dean and Associate Dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Interim Chair of the Department of Computer Science, and Interim Director of the Center for Mathematics and Science Education. Dr. Addison was one of the founders of the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium. He has been active in research throughout his career and has been active in innovative educational efforts across Arkansas in computer science, data science, mathematics and physics.

Dr. Addison is a Senior Member of the IEEE, a member of the Arkansas Academy of Computing, a member of Sigma Xi, and is a Life Member and Secretary of the Arkansas Academy of Science. Dr. Addison has previously served as the President of three professional organizations: the Arkansas Academy of Science, the Arkansas Deans' Association, and the Arkansas-Oklahoma-Kansas section of the American Association of Physics Teachers. He is also a member of the Acoustical Society of America, and the American Association of Physics Teachers.
Dr. Carol S Gattis http://orcid.org/0009-0007-6461-7471 University of Arkansas [biography]

Dr. Carol Gattis is Associate Dean Emeritus of the Honors College and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering at the University of Arkansas. With over 30 years of experience in STEM education, she has led major efforts to build innovative programs, expand student pathways, and align academic initiatives with workforce needs. A frequent PI or Co-PI on multi-million-dollar NSF and state grants, Dr. Gattis focuses on student success, transfer pathways, and industry collaboration in engineering and data science.
Jessica Hilton University of Arkansas [biography]

Jessica Hilton is a Data Science Program Coordinator at the University of Arkansas, where she plays a key role in coordinating curriculum, faculty learning workshops, and certificate program development, as well as fostering statewide partnerships and supporting student success initiatives. With over 17 years of experience in adult and postsecondary education, her work centers on expanding equitable access to data science and technical education across Arkansas and strengthening pathways for adult learners to succeed in a rapidly evolving workforce. She holds an M.Ed. in Adult Education and Lifelong Learning from the University of Arkansas.
Devanshu Priyam University of Arkansas [biography]

Devanshu Priyam is a graduate researcher and engineer with both academic and industry experience in the field of computer science. He is pursuing an M.S. in Operations Management (College of Engineering) at the University of Arkansas, where he serves as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Data Science Department under the Arkansas HIRED State Grant. In this role, which he has held for over a year, he supports departmental research and training initiatives aimed at advancing and expanding standardized data science practices in higher education across Arkansas. He also brings over 4.5 years of industry experience as a Senior Software Engineer at a global IT company. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science from Visvesvaraya Technological University, India (2020). His technical expertise spans various programming languages, machine learning, cloud platforms, and enterprise software architecture and solution development.

Recently, Devanshu was awarded the 2026 Graduate Academic Award by the University of Arkansas (UARK), recognizing his sustained academic performance, his research contributions within the College of Engineering, and his collaborative research with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and two additional centers under the UARK Division of Research and Innovation. He remains committed to advancing engineering education through applied research and service to the broader engineering community.

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