Innovation Pathways for Data Careers (IPDC)

Challenge

Data is an ever-growing resource that businesses—across diverse industries—use to create, innovate, and improve business practices by better understanding customer bases, creating personalized marketing, tracking conditions, and predicting trends. And, data literacy is a key part of understanding how to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools and gaining AI fluency. How do we give students the strong foundation in data skills they’ll need to pursue data-centric and AI-related workforce opportunities? 

The Innovation Pathways for Data Careers (IPDC) project was a research-practice partnership designed to develop and test a new Innovation Pathway for Massachusetts. IPDC guided Massachusetts high school students in accessing, participating in, and successfully completing data-rich courses that culminate in meaningful postsecondary and workforce credentials. It also provided school leaders with research findings to inform the development of successful new Innovation Pathways. 

Key Activities

The project carried out the following activities: 

  • Developed a research-practice partnership among stakeholders from three school districts to explore what it takes to implement successful Innovation Pathways 
  • Developed a guidebook to help high school teachers work with students to create data-rich civics projects 
  • Developed and piloted courses in data visualization and Python+Data leading to postsecondary data programs 
  • Provided Massachusetts educators from five school districts with professional development focused on data fluency, data visualization, and Python+Data 

Our Impact

The IPDC project:

  • Provided a template for high schools across the country to interest, engage, and help students persist in developing data science skills
  • Identified elements that lead to the successful implementation of the Massachusetts Innovation Pathways model
  • Built the capacity of over 70 Massachusetts educators to integrate data-rich projects into civics curricula and/or to teach data-centric courses

Innovation Pathways for Data Careers (IPDC)

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Our Purpose

We work with partners worldwide to advance every person’s journey to learn, work, and be well.

Learn

Ignite curiosity to explore, question, and unlock innovation

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Work

Develop economic opportunities that drive progress

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Be Well

Build foundations for resilient, thriving communities

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