Teaching and learning R in the cloud with RStudio Cloud

Much has been written in the statistics and data science education literature about pedagogical tools and approaches to provide a practical computational foundation for students. However a common friction point for getting students (and faculty) started with computing is installation and setup. Circumventing the installation and setup steps early in the course by having students access R and RStudio in the cloud can minimize frustration and improve buy in. RStudio Cloud is a lightweight and easy to set up / use solution to this problem. In this talk we will discuss pedagogical reasons for teaching computing with R on the cloud as well as share best practices and tips for setting up your learners for success on RStudio Cloud. We will also provide an opportunity for the audience to experience computing in RStudio Cloud first hand, demo its newest features, and highlight a suite of ready to use resources for teaching R to new learners.