Introduction
The Turing’s vision to support skills and capacity building in data science education on a national level has paved the way for our new data science and AI educators programme, now entering its second run. This builds on the ‘train-the-trainer’ framework for training potential instructors and domain experts.
The data science and AI educators programme has the following aims:
- To identify, navigate and overcome barriers to data science and AI training practices to support quality enhancement, both nationally and internationally.
- To foster a community that supports knowledge exchange and sharing of best practices.
- To empower educators with the confidence and knowledge to continually enhance their practice.
- To stimulate the development of open and inclusive curricula.
- To support the uptake of data science and AI training across a range of disciplines.
Taking inspiration from the Carpentries instructor training and the Open Life Science mentoring programme (OLS), the Data Science and AI Educator’s programme aims to teach participants evidence-based practices on how to teach data skills and the pedagogy behind these. The programme will consist of a combination of systematic cohort-based training, cohort calls, and longitudinal mentoring.
This work builds on the ‘Data/AI Educators Programme - Pedagogic ‘train-the-trainer’ for national capacity building in skills’, which was supported by Towards Turing 2.0 under the EPSRC Grant EP/W037211/1 and The Alan Turing Institute.
Who are we looking for?
We welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds, with an interest in training and teaching at university level or equivalent, and a desire to become an educator. We consider an ‘educator’ to encompass many forms, ranging from instructors or trainers to teaching staff.
Applicants may include, though not be limited to, the following:
- Teaching staff (lecturers, readers, professors etc.) and researchers at universities (e.g. postdocs, ECRs) or national labs from diverse disciplines.
- Educators or professionals from within the higher education system e.g. universities, industry, government, informal mentoring or coaching.
Potential applicants should review the call document for full eligibility and assessment criteria before preparing their application. We also recommend reading our FAQs.
Learning objectives: Why should you participate in this training?
Develop your professional skills
Receive customised, example-based and pedagogy-specific training in a supportive, mentor and expert-led environment.
Opportunities to develop skills in one, or all, of the following key areas:
- Curriculum development, drawing from existing resources at the Turing and beyond.
- Adopting and championing existing open-source curricula.
- Pedagogical approaches to technical training in data science and AI.
- Apply skills learned to a wide range of learner groups, including their teams and communities.
- Receive bespoke, peer-based mentoring and expert consultation over several weeks to allow time to reflect and develop skills.
- Opportunity to become a mentor in later rounds of the programme.
- Acquire useful and transferable skills: even non-teaching fields demand skills that can be learned through teaching, especially as part of a team and wider community of practice.
Build your confidence as a data science and AI educator
- Develop confidence to bring training and resources to communities, including colleagues, team members or students.
- Undertake the programme in a safe and supportive environment.
Be part of a nationwide network of AI educators
- Become part of an inclusive and extensive national network of data science and AI educators, where there is opportunity to foster knowledge, share best practice, make connections and partake in collaborations.
Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
We are taking seriously questions of diversity, equity and inclusion as impact and importance to success and excellence in our field, community and mission. We are committed to actively working to embed and ensure our functions and research schemes are accessible, inclusive, and diverse.
The Institute encourages applications from all applicants and welcomes non-standard career paths and breaks spent outside academia. All applications will be considered on their merits and interest in the programme.
When and how can you apply?
The data science and AI educators' programme has been developed under a creative common license. Applications for the programme open on 8 March 2023. Further information, including curriculum content and the application page, can be found here.
Additionally, please join our data science education interest group for further updates and information.
