Nine (9) senior students and six (6) faculty members of the College of Computing Sciences (CCS) of the Ifugao State University (IFSU) – Lamut Campus participated in an informative lecture and workshop on Data Science and Analytics conducted by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) – Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) on November 20-22, 2023. This event aimed to provide awareness, skills training, and competency across all sectors of the Philippine society using DICT-developed and/or acquired courseware.

Allan T. Lao, Head of the Technical Operations Division of DICT – CAR served as the resource speaker for the lecture and workshop. He delved into the fundamentals of Data Science and Analytics, providing participants with a comprehensive understanding of this rapidly evolving field.

A key focus of the lecture was an introduction to R, a free, open-source programming language widely used for data science, statistics, and visualization projects. Mr. Lao discussed the versatility of R, highlighting its ability to handle a wide range of data analysis tasks, from data cleaning and transformation to statistical modeling and visualization.

The workshop provided participants with hands-on experience in utilizing R for data manipulation and analysis. Students and faculty members were guided through various techniques, including data cleaning, transformation, and analysis. They also learned how to leverage different R packages and functions to perform these tasks efficiently.

To solidify understanding of data science concepts and their practical applications, the workshop incorporated real-life examples and hands-on exercises. Participants were tasked with applying their newfound knowledge to solve real-world data analysis problems, reinforcing their understanding of the concepts and their practical value.

Following this event, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be forged between IFSU and DICT to concretize collaboration in the pursuit of providing and accelerating ICT awareness, literacy, and skills development. This MOU will serve as a framework for future partnerships between the two institutions, paving the way for more initiatives aimed at enhancing the ICT proficiency of the Philippine workforce.

//MIS Section with reports from Rechina Beleran