New York Times: Playing Smart With Data: Using Sports Analytics to Teach Math
The Learning Network section of "The New York Times" considers the growing importance of data in sports, and offers suggestions for ways that teachers can introduce and involve students with the field. The entry was written by Associate Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science Tim Chartier, who has led many of his own students to get involved in sports analytics.
In the piece, Chartier breaks sports analytics into four stages for students: gathering, analyzing, visualizing and explaining the significance of data. He notes that in many cases the data is subjective rather than objective, so students must be able to explain their analysis and present it in a visually comprehensible fashion. The article concludes with a description of how Chartier's students have helped Davidson's basketball coaches by analyzing aspects of the game, such as the efficiency of lineup combinations and the shooting efficiency of individual players.
