  Physics can be seen as a conceptual approach to scientific problems, a method
for discovery, but teaching this aspect of our discipline can be a challenge.
We report on a first-time remote teaching experience for a computational
physics third-year physics laboratory class taught in the first part of the
2020 COVID-19 pandemic (March-May 2020). To convey a ``physics of data''
approach to data analysis and data-driven physical modeling we used
interdisciplinary data sources, with a ``COVID-19 data challenge'' theme as the
core of the course. COVID-19 epidemiological data provided an ideal setting for
the students to practice dealing with complex problems, where there is no
unique or preconceived solution. By breaking the students' expectations of
unidirectionality, remote teaching provided unexpected opportunities to promote
this sort of active work, and resulted in an active learning experience for the
students.
