The I-SOMADS instrument has 11 constructs with 65 items total. The constructs, their definitions, and the number of items in each construct are in the table below. For each item, the possible responses are a 7-point Likert scale with
1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Somewhat Disagree, 4 = Neither Agree Nor Disagree, 5 = Somewhat Agree, 6 = Agree, 7 = Strongly Agree
| Construct Name | Definition | Number of Items |
|---|---|---|
| Expectancy | Instructor perception of their ability to teach data science | 9 |
| Perception of Difficulty | How difficult the instructor perceives teaching data science to be | 7 |
| Data Science Self-Concept | An instructor’s concept of who they are in the domain of teaching data science | 6 |
| Goal Orientation - Data Science | What drives an instructor to teach data science | 5 |
| Goal Orientation - General Teaching | What drives an instructor to teach, in general | 5 |
| Attainment Value | How important success in teaching data science is to the instructor’s sense of self | 7 |
| Cost - Data Science | Internal barriers to teaching data science | 6 |
| Cost - General Teaching | Internal barriers to teaching in general | 6 |
| Interest/Enjoyment Value | Whether the instructor values teching data science because it is interesting, enjoyable, or fun | 6 |
| Utility Value - Student | How much the instructor values teaching data science for achieving their students’ goalss | 4 |
| Utility Value - Instructor | How much the instructor values teaching data science for achieving their own goals | 4 |
| VarName | Item |
|---|---|
| id_expectancy_1 | I can teach students how to identify appropriate data science techniques. |
| id_expectancy_2 | I am confident in my ability to help students learn data science. |
| id_expectancy_3 | I can teach students how to explain results that use data. |
| id_expectancy_4 | I struggle when teaching others difficult data science concepts. |
| id_expectancy_5 | I am confident in my ability to teach students to make their code run efficiently. |
| id_expectancy_6 | I am confident in my ability to teach students to create appropriate data visualizations. |
| id_expectancy_7 | I can teach students to transform data into the necessary structure for a specific task. |
| id_expectancy_8 | I struggle to teach students how to read external data from various formats. |
| id_expectancy_9 | Teaching data science ethics is very challenging for me. |
How difficult the instructor perceives teaching data science to be
Scores closer to 7 indicate that the instructor perceives teaching data science to be difficult.
Scores closer to 1 indicate that the instructor perceives teaching data science to be easy.
Possible responses 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Somewhat Disagree, 4 = Neither Agree Nor Disagree, 5 = Somewhat Agree 6 = Agree 7 = Strongly Agree
| VarName | Item |
|---|---|
| id_difficulty_1 | It is challenging to teach data science. |
| id_difficulty_2 | Getting students to develop statistical thinking is difficult. |
| id_difficulty_3 | Teaching data science well takes a lot of hard work. |
| id_difficulty_4 | Teaching data science is hard for a new instructor. |
| id_difficulty_5 | It is easy to teach data science well. |
| id_difficulty_6 | It is easier to teach data science well compared to other courses. |
| id_difficulty_7 | Getting students to develop computational/algorithmic thinking is difficult. |
An instructor’s concept of who they are in the domain of teaching data science
Scores closer to 7 indicate that the instructor perceives a strong data science ability.
Scores closer to 1 indicate that the instructor perceives a weak data science ability.
Possible responses 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Somewhat Disagree, 4 = Neither Agree Nor Disagree, 5 = Somewhat Agree 6 = Agree 7 = Strongly Agree
| VarName | Item |
|---|---|
| id_teachsc_1 | I am good at clearly explaining difficult data science concepts. |
| id_teachsc_2 | When I teach data science, I create an environment where students are encouraged to ask questions. |
| id_teachsc_3 | If I cannot explain a data science concept well, I find different ways and try again. |
| id_teachsc_4 | I create multiple ways to engage students in class. |
| id_teachsc_5 | I am able to modify my data science teaching when the need arises. |
| id_teachsc_6 | Teaching comes naturally to me. |
What drives an instructor to teach data science
Scores closer to 7 indicate stronger reasons XX to be written later.
Scores closer to 1 indicate wearker reasons XX to be written later.
Possible responses 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Somewhat Disagree, 4 = Neither Agree Nor Disagree, 5 = Somewhat Agree 6 = Agree 7 = Strongly Agree
| VarName | Item |
|---|---|
| id_goals_1 | Being a good data science teacher helps me achieve my career goals. |
| id_goals_2 | I am only teaching data science because it is part of my job. |
| id_goals_3 | I want to win an award for teaching data science. |
| id_goals_4 | Teaching data science is very satisfying to me. |
| id_goals_5 | Positive feedback about my teaching is important to me. |
What drives an instructor to teach, in general
Scores closer to 7 indicate stronger reasons XX to be written later.
Scores closer to 1 indicate wearker reasons XX to be written later.
Possible responses 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Somewhat Disagree, 4 = Neither Agree Nor Disagree, 5 = Somewhat Agree 6 = Agree 7 = Strongly Agree
| VarName | Item |
|---|---|
| id_goalsgenteach_1 | I became a teacher because it is fulfilling. |
| id_goalsgenteach_2 | It is important to me to be a good teacher. |
| id_goalsgenteach_3 | Teaching is satisfying. |
| id_goalsgenteach_4 | I feel successful when my students succeed. |
| id_goalsgenteach_5 | I want to teach well so that my students do well. |
How important success in teaching data science is to the instructor’s sense of self
Scores closer to 7 indicate that teaching data science is important to the instructor.
Scores closer to 1 indicate that teaching data science isn’t important to the instructor.
Possible responses 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Somewhat Disagree, 4 = Neither Agree Nor Disagree, 5 = Somewhat Agree 6 = Agree 7 = Strongly Agree
| VarName | Item |
|---|---|
| id_attain_1 | Being a good data science teacher is important to my sense of self. |
| id_attain_2 | I would feel respected if my colleagues came to me for advice about teaching data science. |
| id_attain_3 | Positive feedback about my teaching from students is important to me. |
| id_attain_4 | Positive feedback about my teaching from my colleagues is important to me. |
| id_attain_5 | Teaching data science is a crucial part of my identity. |
| id_attain_6 | Teaching data science is a part of who I am. |
| id_attain_7 | Being an exceptional data science teacher is my aspiration. |
Internal barriers to teaching data science
Scores closer to 7 indicate that the instructor perceives that teaching data science is worth the cost or has benefits.
Scores closer to 1 indicate that the instructor perceives that teaching data science is not worth the costs or benefits.
Possible responses 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Somewhat Disagree, 4 = Neither Agree Nor Disagree, 5 = Somewhat Agree 6 = Agree 7 = Strongly Agree
| VarName | Item |
|---|---|
| id_cost_1 | I get anxious when I think about teaching data science. |
| id_cost_2 | Finding real-world examples/data is too time consuming. |
| id_cost_3 | I prioritize other work tasks over teaching data science. |
| id_cost_4 | Teaching data science is rewarding. |
| id_cost_5 | Teaching data science makes me feel insecure. |
| id_cost_6 | Teaching data science well takes too much time away from personal priorities. |
Internal barriers to teaching in general
Scores closer to 7 indicate that the instructor perceives that teaching is worth the cost or has benefits.
Scores closer to 1 indicate that the instructor perceives that teaching is not worth the costs or benefits.
Possible responses 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Somewhat Disagree, 4 = Neither Agree Nor Disagree, 5 = Somewhat Agree 6 = Agree 7 = Strongly Agree
| VarName | Item |
|---|---|
| id_costgenteach_1 | Teaching can be emotionally draining for me. |
| id_costgenteach_2 | Being a good teacher requires sacrificing other parts of my job. |
| id_costgenteach_3 | Teaching well is too time consuming. |
| id_costgenteach_4 | Teaching well is exhausting. |
| id_costgenteach_5 | It takes too much effort to teach well. |
| id_costgenteach_6 | My personal life suffers from my job as a teacher. |
Whether the instructor values teching data science because it is interesting, enjoyable, or fun
Scores closer to 7 indicate that the instructor perceives teaching data science is interesting and enjoyable.
Scores closer to 1 indicate that the instructor does not perceive teaching data science is interesting and enjoyable. .
Possible responses 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Somewhat Disagree, 4 = Neither Agree Nor Disagree, 5 = Somewhat Agree 6 = Agree 7 = Strongly Agree
| VarName | Item |
|---|---|
| id_intenj_1 | Teaching data science is boring. |
| id_intenj_2 | I find it exciting to be part of a young, growing field. |
| id_intenj_3 | I have minimal interest in teaching data science. |
| id_intenj_4 | There are courses I would much rather teach than data science. |
| id_intenj_5 | Teaching data science is exciting for me. |
| id_intenj_6 | I dread teaching data science. |
How much the instructor values teaching data science for achieving their students’ goalss
Scores closer to 7 indicate that the instructor perceives data science useful for serving and achieving their goals.
Scores closer to 1 indicate that the instructor does not perceive data science useful for serving and achieving their goals. .
Possible responses 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Somewhat Disagree, 4 = Neither Agree Nor Disagree, 5 = Somewhat Agree 6 = Agree 7 = Strongly Agree
| VarName | Item |
|---|---|
| id_utilitystud_1 | I teach data science to help students engage our data-driven world. |
| id_utilitystud_2 | Teaching data science helps students make informed decisions. |
| id_utilitystud_3 | Teaching data science helps students become critical thinkers. |
| id_utilitystud_4 | I teach data science to prepare students for successful careers. |
How much the instructor values teaching data science for achieving their own goals
Scores closer to 7 indicate that the instructor perceives data science useful for serving and achieving their goals.
Scores closer to 1 indicate that the instructor does not perceive data science useful for serving and achieving their goals. .
Possible responses 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Somewhat Disagree, 4 = Neither Agree Nor Disagree, 5 = Somewhat Agree 6 = Agree 7 = Strongly Agree
| VarName | Item |
|---|---|
| id_utilityinstr_1 | Teaching data science is my way of contributing to society. |
| id_utilityinstr_2 | The only reason I teach data science is to make a living. |
| id_utilityinstr_3 | Teaching data science makes me better at doing data science. |
| id_utilityinstr_4 | Teaching data science helps me achieve my goals. |
| Construct Name | Item |
|---|---|
| id_global_1_1 | Teaching data science requires me to constantly learn new skills. |
| Characteristic | Question or Description |
|---|---|
| gender | What gender do you identify with? |
| race_1 | What is your race, ethnicity, or origin? |
| teaching_language | What is your level of fluency for the language in which you typically teach? |
| teach_level | At what level do you teach? |
| rank | Recognizing that titles vary greatly across institution, which of the following best describes your academic rank? |
| teaching_research | Which of the following best describes your job responsibilities? |
| full_time | Is your current position full-time or part-time? |
| tenure | Are you, or have you ever been, tenured? |
| dept_1 | Identify the discipline names that best describe the department in which you have your primary appointment. Select all that apply. (For example if you are in the “Department of Statistics and Data Science”, choose “Statistics” and “Data Science”.) - Statistics / Biostatistics |
| dept_4 | Identify the discipline names that best describe the department in which you have your primary appointment. Select all that apply. (For example if you are in the “Department of Statistics and Data Science”, choose “Statistics” and “Data Science”.) - Computer Science |
| dept_5 | Identify the discipline names that best describe the department in which you have your primary appointment. Select all that apply. (For example if you are in the “Department of Statistics and Data Science”, choose “Statistics” and “Data Science”.) - Data Science |
| dept_12 | Identify the discipline names that best describe the department in which you have your primary appointment. Select all that apply. (For example if you are in the “Department of Statistics and Data Science”, choose “Statistics” and “Data Science”.) - Business Analytics |
| dept_3 | Identify the discipline names that best describe the department in which you have your primary appointment. Select all that apply. (For example if you are in the “Department of Statistics and Data Science”, choose “Statistics” and “Data Science”.) - Mathematics |
| dept_6 | Identify the discipline names that best describe the department in which you have your primary appointment. Select all that apply. (For example if you are in the “Department of Statistics and Data Science”, choose “Statistics” and “Data Science”.) - Psychology |
| dept_7 | Identify the discipline names that best describe the department in which you have your primary appointment. Select all that apply. (For example if you are in the “Department of Statistics and Data Science”, choose “Statistics” and “Data Science”.) - Education |
| dept_8 | Identify the discipline names that best describe the department in which you have your primary appointment. Select all that apply. (For example if you are in the “Department of Statistics and Data Science”, choose “Statistics” and “Data Science”.) - Business (excluding analytics) / Economics / Finance |
| dept_9 | Identify the discipline names that best describe the department in which you have your primary appointment. Select all that apply. (For example if you are in the “Department of Statistics and Data Science”, choose “Statistics” and “Data Science”.) - Health / Life Sciences (including nursing, pre-med, pre-vet, etc.) |
| dept_10 | Identify the discipline names that best describe the department in which you have your primary appointment. Select all that apply. (For example if you are in the “Department of Statistics and Data Science”, choose “Statistics” and “Data Science”.) - Computer Engineering |
| dept_2 | Identify the discipline names that best describe the department in which you have your primary appointment. Select all that apply. (For example if you are in the “Department of Statistics and Data Science”, choose “Statistics” and “Data Science”.) - Other Engineering |
| dept_11 | Identify the discipline names that best describe the department in which you have your primary appointment. Select all that apply. (For example if you are in the “Department of Statistics and Data Science”, choose “Statistics” and “Data Science”.) - Other |
| degree_1 | Indicate the degree(s) which you have earned. |
| bach_field_study_1 | Pick the field of study that best describes your first undergraduate/bachelors degree. - Field of Study Choices |
| bach_field_study_oth | Please specify the field for your first undergraduate/bachelors degree. |
| mast_field_study_1 | Pick the field of study that best describes your first masters degree. - Field of Study Choices |
| mast_field_study_oth | Please specify the field for your first masters degree. |
| doc_field_study_1 | Pick the field that best describes your first doctorate degree. - Field of Study Choices |
| doc_field_study_oth | Please specify the field for your first doctorate degree. |
| add_field_study | Additional degree(s) & field(s) of study not given above. |
| years_teach_1 | Prior to this semester/term, how many years have you been teaching the following at the undergraduate or equivalent level? - Any Subject |
| years_teach_2 | Prior to this semester/term, how many years have you been teaching the following at the undergraduate or equivalent level? - Statistics |
| years_teach_3 | Prior to this semester/term, how many years have you been teaching the following at the undergraduate or equivalent level? - Computer Science |
| years_teach_4 | Prior to this semester/term, how many years have you been teaching the following at the undergraduate or equivalent level? - Data Science |
| ta_1 | How many times have you been a teaching assistant for each of the following undergraduate classes? - Statistics |
| ta_2 | How many times have you been a teaching assistant for each of the following undergraduate classes? - Computer Ccience |
| ta_3 | How many times have you been a teaching assistant for each of the following undergraduate classes? - Data Science |
| beyond_intro_1 | How many courses beyond the introductory level have you taken and completed as a student? - Statistics |
| beyond_intro_2 | How many courses beyond the introductory level have you taken and completed as a student? - Computer Science |
| beyond_intro_3 | How many courses beyond the introductory level have you taken and completed as a student? - Data Science |
| data_scientist_1 | Mark the response that most clearly represents your degree of agreement or disagreement with the statement. - I am a data scientist. |
| data_analysis | Typically, how often do you analyze data outside of courses that you teach (e.g., in your own research, consulting, etc.)? |
| what_ds_analysis_1 | What data science techniques have you used outside of courses that you teach (e.g., in your own research, consulting, etc.)? |
| ds_info_1 | Where do you get information about data science when you are stuck? |
| learn_ds_skills_1 | Since obtaining your highest degree, how have you learned the skills needed to do data science? |
| arti_conf_1 | Over the past five years, in what ways, if any, have you participated in learning about data science education? |
| leadership_1 | In the past five years, in what ways, if any, do you participate in leadership in data science education in your professional community? |
| VarName | Choices |
|---|---|
| gender | Woman |
| gender | Man |
| gender | Non-binary |
| gender | Prefer not to disclose. |
| gender | Prefer to self-describe: |
| gender_5_text | NA |
| VarName | Choices |
|---|---|
| race_1 | White: German, Irish, English, French, etc. |
| race_2 | Black or African-American: African American, Haitian, Nigerian, etc. |
| race_3 | Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin: Mexican, Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Argentinean, Dominican, Salvadoran, Spaniard, etc. |
| race_9 | Middle Eastern or North African: Lebanese, Egyptian, Turkish, Iranian, etc. |
| race_4 | American Indian or Alaskan Native: Navajo, Mayan, Tlingit, etc. |
| race_5 | Asian: Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Hmong, Laotian, Thai, Pakistani, Cambodian, etc. |
| race_6 | Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: Native Hawaiian, Guamanian, Somoan, Fijian, etc. |
| race_7 | Some other race or origin: Provide race(s) or origin(s) below. |
| race_8 | Prefer not to answer |
| race_7_text | Some other race or origin: Provide race(s) or origin(s) below. - Text |
| VarName | Choices |
|---|---|
| teaching_language | I am a native. |
| teaching_language | I am fluent, but not a native. |
| teaching_language | I am proficient. |
| teaching_language | I am conversant at an intermediate level. |
| teaching_language | I have only basic or little knowledge. |
| teaching_language | I have no knowledge. |
| VarName | Choices |
|---|---|
| teach_level | Post-Secondary Level (College/University) |
| teach_level | Secondary Level (High School) |
| teach_level | Both |
| teach_level | Other |
| teach_level_4_text | NA |
| VarName | Choices |
|---|---|
| rank | Graduate student |
| rank | Post-doc |
| rank | First rank (e.g., lecturer, assistant professor, etc.) |
| rank | Second rank (e.g., associate professor, etc.) |
| rank | Third rank (e.g., senior lecturer, full professor, etc.) |
| rank | Retired (Answer the following questions reflecting the position from which you retired.) |
| rank | Adjunct |
| rank | Other |
| rank_8_text | NA |
| VarName | Choices |
|---|---|
| teaching_research | Teaching-focused with no research obligations |
| teaching_research | Teaching-focused with some research obligations |
| teaching_research | A roughly equal balance of teaching and research |
| teaching_research | Research focused with some teaching obligations |
| teaching_research | Research focused with no teaching obligations |
| teaching_research | Other |
| teaching_research_6_text | NA |
| VarName | Choices |
|---|---|
| full_time | Full-time |
| full_time | Part-time |
| full_time | Other |
| full_time_3_text | NA |
| VarName | Choices |
|---|---|
| tenure | Tenured (currently or previously) |
| tenure | Tenure track, but not tenured |
| tenure | Not on the tenure track, and I have never been tenured |
| tenure | Tenure is not available at my institution |
| tenure | Other |
| tenure_5_text | NA |
| VarName | Choices |
|---|---|
| degree_1 | Undergraduate/Bachelors |
| degree_2 | Masters |
| degree_3 | Ph.D. |
| degree_4 | Other |
| degree_4_text | Other - Text |
| Variable Name | Item |
|---|---|
| bach_field_study_1 | Pick the field of study that best describes your first undergraduate/bachelors degree. - Field of Study Choices |
| bach_field_study_oth | Please specify the field for your first undergraduate/bachelors degree. |
| mast_field_study_1 | Pick the field of study that best describes your first masters degree. - Field of Study Choices |
| mast_field_study_oth | Please specify the field for your first masters degree. |
| doc_field_study_1 | Pick the field that best describes your first doctorate degree. - Field of Study Choices |
| doc_field_study_oth | Please specify the field for your first doctorate degree. |
| add_field_study | Additional degree(s) & field(s) of study not given above. |
| Variable Name | item |
|---|---|
| years_teach_1 | Prior to this semester/term, how many years have you been teaching the following at the undergraduate or equivalent level? - Any Subject |
| years_teach_2 | Prior to this semester/term, how many years have you been teaching the following at the undergraduate or equivalent level? - Statistics |
| years_teach_3 | Prior to this semester/term, how many years have you been teaching the following at the undergraduate or equivalent level? - Computer Science |
| years_teach_4 | Prior to this semester/term, how many years have you been teaching the following at the undergraduate or equivalent level? - Data Science |
| Variable Name | item |
|---|---|
| ta_1 | How many times have you been a teaching assistant for each of the following undergraduate classes? - Statistics |
| ta_2 | How many times have you been a teaching assistant for each of the following undergraduate classes? - Computer Ccience |
| ta_3 | How many times have you been a teaching assistant for each of the following undergraduate classes? - Data Science |
| Variable Name | item |
|---|---|
| beyond_intro_1 | How many courses beyond the introductory level have you taken and completed as a student? - Statistics |
| beyond_intro_2 | How many courses beyond the introductory level have you taken and completed as a student? - Computer Science |
| beyond_intro_3 | How many courses beyond the introductory level have you taken and completed as a student? - Data Science |
| Variable Name | item |
|---|---|
| data_scientist_1 | Mark the response that most clearly represents your degree of agreement or disagreement with the statement. - I am a data scientist. |
| Variable Name | Choices |
|---|---|
| data_analysis | Never |
| data_analysis | Not more than once a year |
| data_analysis | A few times per year |
| data_analysis | I always have a data analysis project I am working on. |
| Variable Name | Choices |
|---|---|
| what_ds_analysis_1 | Text mining |
| what_ds_analysis_2 | Decision trees / Random forests |
| what_ds_analysis_3 | Neural networks |
| what_ds_analysis_4 | Deep learning |
| what_ds_analysis_6 | Cluster analysis |
| what_ds_analysis_7 | Classification techniques |
| what_ds_analysis_8 | Regression techniques |
| what_ds_analysis_9 | Natural language processing |
| what_ds_analysis_10 | Data visualization |
| what_ds_analysis_12 | Big data / Cloud computing |
| what_ds_analysis_11 | Other |
| what_ds_analysis_11_text | Other - Text |
| Variable Name | Choices |
|---|---|
| ds_info_1 | Nowhere |
| ds_info_2 | Blogs |
| ds_info_3 | Academic Journal Articles |
| ds_info_4 | Online Search |
| ds_info_5 | Textbook |
| ds_info_6 | Other Faculty |
| ds_info_7 | Other |
| ds_info_7_text | Other - Text |
| Variable Name | Choices |
|---|---|
| learn_ds_skills_1 | I haven’t learned anything new. |
| learn_ds_skills_2 | Formal course or certification (e.g., university course, MOOC, Coursera, etc.) |
| learn_ds_skills_9 | Short course / Workshop / Conference |
| learn_ds_skills_5 | Colleague |
| learn_ds_skills_3 | Formal project / Consulting |
| learn_ds_skills_8 | Informal project / Just for fun |
| learn_ds_skills_4 | Textbook / Internet |
| learn_ds_skills_7 | Other |
| learn_ds_skills_7_text | Other - Text |
| VarName | Choices |
|---|---|
| arti_conf_1 | I read books and/or articles about data science education. |
| arti_conf_2 | I attend conference sessions about data science education. |
| arti_conf_3 | I attend workshops about teaching data science. |
| arti_conf_6 | No, I do not do any of these things. |
| VarName | Choices |
|---|---|
| leadership_1 | I publish or referee articles about data science education. |
| leadership_2 | I organize and/or lead data science education workshops or conference sessions. |
| leadership_3 | I present about data science education at conferences. |
| leadership_4 | I serve on a data science education committee, editorial board, etc. |
| leadership_5 | I produce learning materials used by other data science educators. |
| leadership_6 | I have not participated in leadership in data science education in the last five years. |
| leadership_7 | Other (please explain) |
| leadership_7_text | Other (please explain) - Text |