Introducing Data Analytics Concepts in a CS Course for Non-Majors

We present a curricular model for introducing data analytics concepts into an introductory computer science course for non-majors. This is accomplished through the design and implementation of hands-on laboratories projects using the Python programming language and associated tools. While introducing students to an important research area, we believe the use of these projects improves students' learning experiences, enabling them to apply and relate fundamental computational thinking concepts of algorithmic reasoning, data representation, and computational efficiency to data analytics problems. We present the curricular modules, as well as preliminary experiences using them.