IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/orited/v23y2023i2p121-135.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Advising Student-Driven Analytics Projects: A Summary of Experiences and Lessons Learned

Author

Listed:
  • Aaron Babier

    (Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G8, Canada; Vector Institute, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1M1, Canada)

  • Craig Fernandes

    (Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G8, Canada)

  • Ian Yihang Zhu

    (Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G8, Canada)

Abstract

In this paper, we describe a course project in which teams of undergraduate students propose and execute an end-to-end analytics project to solve a real-world problem. The project challenges students to implement machine learning, optimization, simulation, or a combination of these three techniques on real-world data that they collect. A designated project advisor helps each team refine its project and assesses the quality of the resulting work. In our analysis of 58 past projects, we show that students developed solutions for a wide range of topics by employing various methodologies. However, most teams encountered similar challenges that project advisors helped them overcome with tailored feedback. Based on feedback from 106 previous students, the project experience was largely positive and helped them prepare for their future careers. We believe that this type of hands-on project is conducive to the development of important data analytics skills.

Suggested Citation

  • Aaron Babier & Craig Fernandes & Ian Yihang Zhu, 2023. "Advising Student-Driven Analytics Projects: A Summary of Experiences and Lessons Learned," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 23(2), pages 121-135, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orited:v:23:y:2023:i:2:p:121-135
    DOI: 10.1287/ited.2022.0275
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/ited.2022.0275
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/ited.2022.0275?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Matthew J. Drake, 2019. "Teaching OR/MS with Cases: A Review and New Suggestions," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 19(2), pages 57-66, January.
    2. Melissa R. Bowers & Jeffrey D. Camm & Goutam Chakraborty, 2018. "The Evolution of Analytics and Implications for Industry and Academic Programs," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 48(6), pages 487-499, November.
    3. Michael F. Gorman, 2018. "A Survey of Research in Field-Based Education: A Summary of Process, Best Practices, and Lessons Learned," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 18(3), pages 145-161, May.
    4. Coleen R. Wilder & Ceyhun O. Ozgur, 2015. "Business Analytics Curriculum for Undergraduate Majors," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 15(2), pages 180-187, January.
    5. Michael F. Gorman, 2011. "Student Reactions to the Field Consulting Capstone Course in Operations Management at the University of Dayton," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 41(6), pages 564-577, December.
    6. Michael F. Gorman, 2012. "Analytics, Pedagogy and the Pass the Pigs Game," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 13(1), pages 57-64, September.
    7. Michael F. Gorman & Ronald K. Klimberg, 2014. "Benchmarking Academic Programs in Business Analytics," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 44(3), pages 329-341, June.
    8. Sanjay L. Ahire, 2001. "Linking Operations Management Students Directly to the Real World," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 31(5), pages 104-120, October.
    9. Iain Dunning & Vishal Gupta & Angela King & Jerry Kung & Miles Lubin & John Silberholz, 2015. "A Course on Advanced Software Tools for Operations Research and Analytics," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 15(2), pages 169-179, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kala C. Seal & Linda A. Leon & Zbigniew H. Przasnyski & Greg Lontok, 2020. "Delivering Business Analytics Competencies and Skills: A Supply Side Assessment," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 50(4), pages 239-254, July.
    2. Michael F. Gorman, 2023. "Case Article—Louisiana Branch Lines," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 23(3), pages 139-143, May.
    3. Wendy Swenson Roth & Brett P. Matherne, 2023. "Case Article—Using Moneyball to Introduce Students to Data Analytics: Illustrating the Data Analytics Life Cycle," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 24(1), pages 1-5, September.
    4. Paula Carroll, 2023. "Analytics Modules for Business Students," SN Operations Research Forum, Springer, vol. 4(2), pages 1-20, June.
    5. Michael F. Gorman, 2018. "A Survey of Research in Field-Based Education: A Summary of Process, Best Practices, and Lessons Learned," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 18(3), pages 145-161, May.
    6. Robert B. Handfield & Steven A. Edwards & Jeffrey S. Stonebraker, 2011. "NC State's Supply Chain Resource Cooperative Educates in the Real World," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 41(6), pages 548-563, December.
    7. Chun-Miin (Jimmy) Chen, 2020. "Introduction to Probability: Bison Hold’em Poker Game," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 20(3), pages 154-164, May.
    8. Melissa R. Bowers & Kenneth C. Gilbert & Charles E. Noon, 2019. "Innovative Collaboration Between Industry and Academics: Meeting Industry’s Future Talent Requirements," Service Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(6), pages 397-406, November.
    9. Michael F. Gorman, 2016. "Editorial: The 11th Rothkopf Rankings: 28 Years of Tracking Applied Research in Academia," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 46(3), pages 264-276, June.
    10. Karlsson, Niklas & Pettersson, Nicklas, 2020. "Pigs in Space:Is Miss Piggy Going in for Final Landing? A Statistical Analysis of the game Pass the Pigs®," Working Papers 2020:3, Örebro University, School of Business.
    11. Cheri Speier-Pero, 2018. "Leveraging Experiential Field Projects—Discovery Learning in a Masters in Analytics Program," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 18(3), pages 162-173, May.
    12. Dries Goossens & Jeroen Beliën, 2023. "Teaching Integer Programming by Scheduling the Belgian Soccer League," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 23(3), pages 164-172, May.
    13. Matthew J. Drake, 2019. "Teaching OR/MS with Cases: A Review and New Suggestions," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 19(2), pages 57-66, January.
    14. Michael F. Gorman, 2011. "Student Reactions to the Field Consulting Capstone Course in Operations Management at the University of Dayton," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 41(6), pages 564-577, December.
    15. Matthew D. Dean, 2020. "Using the Learning Assistant Model in an Undergraduate Business Analytics Course," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 20(3), pages 125-133, May.
    16. James J. Cochran, 2015. "Extending “Lego ® My Simplex”," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 15(3), pages 224-231, May.
    17. Lee, W. Eric & Perdana, Arif, 2023. "Effects of experiential service learning in improving community engagement perception, sustainability awareness, and data analytics competency," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    18. Michael Francis Gorman, 2023. "Case Article—Blending Statistics, Optimization, and Simulation in a Multiphase Case," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 23(3), pages 173-176, May.
    19. Thomas Schulz & Heiko Gewald & Markus Böhm & Helmut Krcmar, 2023. "Smart Mobility: Contradictions in Value Co-Creation," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 1125-1145, June.
    20. Alice Raffaele & Alessandro Gobbi, 2021. "Teaching Operations Research Before University: A Focus on Grades 9–12," SN Operations Research Forum, Springer, vol. 2(1), pages 1-32, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:inm:orited:v:23:y:2023:i:2:p:121-135. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.