Shifting From Spreadsheets to Programming in an Introductory Earth Data Analytics Bootcamp

Geography and environmental science programs increasingly require students to work with large datasets using reproducible workflows. This study examines how participation in an introductory Earth Data Analytics (EDA) Bootcamp course is associated with changes in students’ approaches to data analysis. Using a mixed-methods pre/post survey design across four cohorts (2020–2023), we analyzed changes in tool selection, self-reported comfort, and written descriptions of analytic workflows. Results show a significant shift from spreadsheet-based tools toward programming tools, along with more structured, stepwise approaches to analysis. Changes in self-reported comfort were not statistically significant.