Integrating Data Science and R Programming at an Early Stage

The use of data has become an integral part of everyday life. Hence, introducing data science with games would generate an interest and prepare students for the rapidly changing world of technology. This study is especially intended to teach data science (DS) and R programming using games for cognitive learning. Tangible learning with real-life examples were used to teach Data Science. A correlation between the typical toys that are played are tied to concepts of DS. The three variables of social cognitive learning are integrated in this study. The data collected from the workshops are different from other studies because of broadly two reasons. First, the games used to teach data science were measured with the elements of cognitive learning. The other, was that the learning data collected from the students that participated in the study had a modified environment. The data that was collected during the experimental study for thirty hours for about 100 students. Students at the end of each session were able to identify the data science terms with respect to the games. They were able to write a small R program that they self-taught themselves due to the environmental factor of cognitive learning.