Embedding Data Analysis into the Undergraduate Actuarial Science Curriculum
Citation
Source Conference
Faculty
School
Collection
Abstract
The recent initiative by the Actuaries Institute to incorporate a data science/analytics unit at the Honours or Masters level, as well as the changes to the undergraduate curriculum that will start in 2020, means that actuarial science educators need to consider embedding data analysis and analytics throughout the undergraduate curriculum. At Curtin, we have been trialling ways of doing just that in a coherent fashion, from first-year to third-year units, so that students see data analysis as an integral part of becoming a practicing actuary. We were motivated by:
1. The current funding reality, which dictates that units in one degree course serve as units in other courses. At Curtin, for example, we have introduced two new majors: Data Science, and Applied Statistics, both of which have data analytic and computational components, and so many units common to these courses have to do double- and even triple-duty;
2. The fact that many of our actuarial students are finding work as data analysts, and could become even more competitive in the marketplace were they to learn additional skills in computing and data analysis; and
3. The need to modernize the actuarial science curriculum, even before the changes that will take place in 2020.
In this talk, I will outline some of the ways in which we have modified tuition and assessment patterns in several units to incorporate computing, data analysis, notions of reproducible analyses, computer-based assessments, and project work. In addition, I will point out what has worked well, as well as some of the barriers we have faced in integrating components of data analytic and computational thinking and practice throughout the entire actuarial science curriculum.
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Newhouse, Christopher P. (1987)This study used interpretive research techniques to investigate the factors which affect the computer literacy of secondary students. The necessity that students to be prepared for life and work in a computer technology ...
-
Chien, Robyn Kay (2004)This study focuses on curriculum integration for several reasons. Firstly, because there appeared to be no clear definition of integration nor a consensus on what constituted good integration. Secondly, there were few ...
-
Investigating the effectiveness of mathematics games on students' attitudes and learning environmentAfari, Ernest (2012)The primary focus of the present study was an evaluation of the effectiveness of games when used in college-level mathematics classes in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A mixed-method approach involved surveys, interviews, ...