BSOS Instructor Guide

Use the repository like a classroom workflow, not a flat file cabinet.

This page is separate from the about section and is built for teaching decisions. It explains how to move from a course goal, to a dataset shortlist, to metadata review, to methodology fit, to a classroom-ready package of files, previews, and links.

Browse datasets Open dashboard Back to about
Teaching themes Metadata and documentation Method tags Live previews and quality signals
Interactive workflow

Follow the instructor journey from question to classroom use

Click any move in the sequence below. The active panel explains what you should do and what the repository is doing in the background.

Animated path

Teaching workflow

Let the guide auto-rotate or lock onto a stage by clicking it.

Dataset page anatomy

Understand the surfaces you should inspect before assigning a dataset

The visual map below mirrors the main teaching-facing areas of a dataset page: teaching context, metrics, preview, documentation, and provenance.

Visual explainer

Dataset page map

Each block opens a focused explanation.

dataset page
Metadata and methodology

Read the record, then match the method to the assignment

These explainers separate metadata quality from methodological fit so you can decide both whether a dataset is usable and what kind of class work it supports.

Metadata explorer

What to inspect in the record

Focus on the fields that reduce prep time and ambiguity.

Method fit

How to use method signals

Choose a method family to see what it is good for and what to verify.

Use cases

Three ways to turn the same repository into course material

These are common teaching paths: a quick live demo, a methods lab, or a longer project sequence.

Fast path

Quick lecture demo

Choose one dataset with a strong preview table and a clear note block, then use the page itself as the live handout.

  • Use dataset browse to narrow by theme or method.
  • Open the preview and read the Teaching Context out loud.
  • Give students the dataset URL instead of a detached file.
Open a preview-friendly example
Methods lab

Guided methods assignment

Use metadata, method tags, and the Instructor Snapshot to decide whether the dataset is strong enough for a specific analytic technique.

  • Compare two candidate datasets in the dashboard first.
  • Check row counts, column types, support docs, and provenance.
  • Download the data plus the codebook as a single teaching bundle.
Compare records in the dashboard
Longer arc

Project-based sequence

Give students a repeatable discovery process: browse, inspect, compare, document, and justify their dataset choice before analysis begins.

  • Start from theme and method filters rather than assigning a file immediately.
  • Require students to defend their choice with metadata and preview evidence.
  • Use dashboard context to support comparison and reflection.
Start from dataset browse