Who am I:

-Data Scientist (R and Python)

-Author(Practical Data Analysis with Python)

-Teacher and mentor

-Data Open Space(collaborative data community)

-Chicago Mozilla Science study group organizer

Goals of Data Open Space:

-create a community for learning, sharing and collaboration on data projects in a friendly and encouraging environment

-maximize learning and sharing for all participants

Evolution of how we structure the events:

-first meeting: unstructured, get feedback of what participants want, open hack on your projects similar to a code and coffee

-by second meeting: intro to a topic then work on a group project

Challenges and opportunities:

-beginner to advanced - make it productive and useful for everyone

-there is a core group of enthusiastic learners plus new people

– provided resources for new people to get onboard quickly

– collective knowledge of study groups comes in useful(see resources)

Solutions:

-rolling team projects

-encouraging member participation

-next idea: implement flipped classroom and blended learning methods

Flipped classroom and Blended learning:

-flipped classroom inverts traditional educational methods where teaching happens online outside of class while 'homework' or activities are done in class

-seems to organically fit with what we are doing

-use most of the time in study group to work on projects along with topic discussion

-related topics: cooperative learning methods, Jigsaw, learning by teaching (see resources)

Goals:

-we went from being drop-in informal coding to a more structured learning model

-implementing blended and inverted educational methods is happening organically

-the goal of this evolution is to increase understanding and retention of concepts as well as make it collaborative and interesting for learners of all levels

Resources for flipped classroom and blended learning:
https://sites.google.com/site/hms8thgradescience/flippedclassroom
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2014/0420/Blended-learning-revolution-Tech-meets-tradition-in-the-classroom
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jigsaw_(teaching_technique)
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/strategy/strategy036.shtml
https://www2.ed.gov/pubs/OR/ConsumerGuides/cooplear.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooperative_learning

Thanks!

Any questions?

@inspiredata