Is Data Science For All the New Computer Science For All?

UC Berkeley's fastest-growing class is their introduction to data science. (The Wall Street Journal calls it a combination of computer science and statistics 'to mine the growing troves of data on everything from traffic patterns to the habits of social-media users.') But that's only the beginning. UC Berkeley plans to create a new Division of Data Science -- one of their biggest reorganizations in decades -- and this fall they even began offering a major in data science. 'The division will enable students and researchers to tackle not just the scientific challenges opened up by pervasive data, but the societal, economic and environmental impacts as well.'
'We need to consider the ethical implications of these technologies as they are being developed,' says Data 8 instructor David Wagner -- 'what does the world look like when decisions are made by algorithms rather than people, and how do we ensure that when we analyze data our decisions reflect not just numbers but the humans behind them?'

Slashdot reader theodp writes:
With a reported 1,295 students enrolled this semester, Berkeley's Data 8: The Foundations of Data Science boasts even bigger numbers than Harvard's most popular course, the more traditionally CS-focused CS50, which saw 724 students enroll this Fall....
Berkeley's embrace of Data Science coincidentally comes as Code.org is giving kudos to partners Microsoft, Facebook, Google, and Amazon for helping it convince lawmakers and tens of thousands of educators that more traditional computer science is what's needed for the K-12 masses, including the adoption of a new AP Computer Science program for high school students (an AP CS version of CS50 was funded by Microsoft). So, is Data Science for All the new Computer Science for All? And, if so, will U.S. schools be looking at a major case of buyer's remorse?

Read more of this story at Slashdot.