Data Literacy Education Research Articles

Trends in data literacy, 2018-2023: a review of the literature

Introduction. A review of the literature on data literacy from 2018 to mid-2023. Method. A scoping review of the data literacy literature, in order to provide an overview of a topic, clarify key concepts, and identifying knowledge gaps. Analysis. A detailed search strategy was applied to three data bases: SCOPUS, the ACM Digital Library, and the IEEE Xplore, followed by a qualitative analysis using a coding matrix of eight categories. Results. Trends and gaps in the research were identified. The volume of research on data literacy is growing. Most data literacy research is in the context of formal learning environments. The focus of data literacy tends to be on digital data, interactions with big data systems, and the datafication of life. Critical data literacy approaches were identified in one third of the sample papers - a small but emerging stance to data literacy education. Most empirical studies about data literacy occurred in the Global North. Conclusion. This paper contributes to our understanding of how data and data literacy are currently interpreted in the research literature, as well as the types of topics, skills, and data practices explored. It reveals developing trajectories and proposes future steps for building out the field of data literacy.

Teaching data storytelling as data literacy

PurposeData storytelling courses position students as agents in creating stories interpreted from data about a social problem or social justice issue. The purpose of this study is to explore two research questions: What themes characterized students’ iterative development of data story topics? Looking back at six years of iterative feedback, what categories of data literacy pedagogy did instructors engage for these themes?.Design/methodology/approachThis project examines six years of data storytelling final projects using thematic analysis and three years of instructor feedback. Ten themes in final projects align with patterns in feedback. Reflections on pedagogical approaches to students’ topic development suggest extending data literacy pedagogy categories – formal, personal and folk (Pangrazio and Sefton-Green, 2020).FindingsData storytelling can develop students’ abilities to move from being consumers to creators of data and interpretations. The specific topic of personal data exposure or risk has presented some challenges for data literacy instruction (Bowler et al., 2017). What “personal” means in terms of data should be defined more broadly. Extending the data literacy pedagogy categories of formal, personal and folk (Pangrazio and Sefton-Green, 2020) could more effectively center social justice in data literacy instruction.Practical implicationsImplications for practice include positioning students as producers of data interpretation, such as role-playing data analysis or decision-making scenarios.Social implicationsData storytelling has the potential to address current challenges in data literacy pedagogy and in teaching critical data literacy.Originality/valueCourse descriptions provide a template for future data literacy pedagogy involving data storytelling, and findings suggest implications for expanding definitions and applications of personal and folk data literacies.

Perceptions of data literacy and data literacy education

In the era of digital transformation, data literacy has emerged as a critical competency for organisations, driving a demand for skilled professionals. Despite a shortage of data-literate talent, universities struggle to align their curricula with industry needs, prompting a call for improved data literacy education. Recognising the contextual nuances of this skill set, a one-size-fits-all approach falls short. To address this gap, the authors advocate for a comprehensive exploration of perspectives from key stakeholders such as business advisors, students, teachers, and researchers. Understanding diverse needs and expectations of stakeholders is crucial in identifying deficiencies in data literacy education, paving the way for enhancements in university programmes. The reported study is the preliminary phase of a larger ongoing project in which grounded theory methodology is used to explore the question of ‘how can data literacy education be improved?’. The authors report on a small-scale study (eight interviews) aimed at exploring the perspectives on data literacy definition, competencies, and challenges with two representatives of each of four groups of stakeholders in data literacy education: students, business advisors, educators, and researchers. One common challenge identified among participants is the lack of data literacy and critical thinking skills, as well as a lack of awareness of the importance of data analysis. Although participants were aware that different businesses may need different data literacy skills, they were not able to articulate what those differences might be. The study underscores the need for the development of frameworks to help guide and advance data literacy education.

Addressing conspiracy theories through Media and Data Literacy Education. An exploratory case study

Addressing conspiracy theories through Media and Data Literacy Education. An exploratory case study

Analysis of Elements Related to Data Literacy Presented in Achievement Standards of 2022 Revised National Curriculum

With the drastic increase in the amount and types of data due to advancements in information and communication technology, the significance of data literacy has become more prominent. This study examined the elements of data literacy included in the achievement standards of the revised 2022 national curriculum, investigating how data literacy elements are reflected across various subjects such as Korean literature, mathematics, social studies, science, and practical arts. Analyzing 600 achievement standards related to data literacy, the study found that data interpretation and data-based inquiry were the main elements identified, with the application of data varying across subjects. The Korean literature focused on data communication, while mathematics stressed statistical problem-solving. An increasing trend in the ratio of data interpretation and databased inquiry was observed with higher grade levels, although it was challenging to clearly discern the learning hierarchy of data literacy elements. Through this analysis, the study suggests the necessity of systematic guidance on data literacy education in the curriculum and a deeper understanding of how data literacy elements vary by subject. This research provides foundational data on integrating data literacy into the curriculum and offers insights into how students can be supported in developing the ability to extract information from data and utilize it to solve problems.

Context, language, and technology in data literacy

Integrating data literacy into K-12 education in an increasingly data-driven society is imperative. Data literacy is conceptualized as an interdisciplinary competence that extends beyond traditional statistical understanding, encompassing skills in accessing, analyzing, interpreting, and effectively communicating insights derived from data. The paper argues for a paradigm shift in educational approaches, advocating for incorporating contextual, inquiry-based methodologies over the traditional formalisms-first approach. This shift is essential for enhancing students' ability to apply data literacy skills in real-world contexts. The limitations of a formalisms-first pedagogical approach are discussed, highlighting its potential to restrict students' practical application of theoretical knowledge. In contrast, the article advocates for inquiry-driven educational strategies like project-based and problem-based learning to foster deeper engagement and understanding of data literacy. These strategies may be more effective in connecting theoretical concepts with students' lived experiences and real-world applications. Additionally, the paper argues that data literacy should be framed as language. Designers of data literacy learning progressions should draw on examples from mathematics and science domains and research to build students' understanding of the transformation processes from data to evidence and subsequently to models and explanations. Further, the article explores the integration of technology in data literacy education. It underscores the role of digital tools and platforms in facilitating interactive, hands-on experiences with complex data sets, enriching the learning process, and preparing students for the challenges of the digital era. In conclusion, the article calls for a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to data literacy education underpinned by technology-enhanced learning environments. This approach is essential for developing both the technical skills for data manipulation and a critical mindset for data evaluation and interpretation, thereby cultivating a responsible, data-literate citizenry capable of informed decision-making in a data-rich world.

Community-based learning and data literacy: the role of the public library

PurposeBy examining types of literacies taught by public libraries and the modes through which these programs were offered, this study aims to explore how public libraries might integrate data literacy training for the general public into existing library educational programs.Design/methodology/approachThis study examined programs offered in 30 US public libraries during 2019 and 2020 to better understand types of literacy education announced to the public through library website listings and Facebook Events pages.FindingsWhile public libraries offered educational programs in literacy areas ranging from basic reading and writing to technology, vocational skills, health literacy and more, data literacy training was not widely offered. However, this study identified many already-existing programs highly compatible for integrating with data literacy training.Originality/valueThis study offered new insights into both the literacies taught in public library programs as well as ways for public libraries to integrate data literacy training into existing educational programming, in order to better provide data literacy education for the general public.

Neuroscience graduate students deserve comprehensive data-literacy education

Neuroscience graduate students deserve comprehensive data-literacy education

Promoting students’ informal inferential reasoning through arts-integrated data literacy education

PurposeArts-integration is a promising approach to building students’ abilities to create and critique arguments with data, also known as informal inferential reasoning (IIR). However, differences in disciplinary practices and routines, as well as school organization and culture, can pose barriers to subject integration. The purpose of this study is to describe synergies and tensions between data science and the arts, and how these can create or constrain opportunities for learners to engage in IIR.Design/methodology/approachThe authors co-designed and implemented four arts-integrated data literacy units with 10 teachers of arts and mathematics in middle school classrooms from four different schools in the USA. The data include student-generated artwork and their written rationales, and interviews with teachers and students. Through maximum variation sampling, the authors identified examples from the data to illustrate disciplinary synergies and tensions that appeared to support different IIR processes among students.FindingsAspects of artistic representation, including embodiment, narrative and visual image; and aspects of the culture of arts, including an emphasis on personal experience, the acknowledgement of subjectivity and considerations for the audience’s perspective, created synergies and tensions that both offered and hindered opportunities for IIR (i.e. going beyond data, using data as evidence and expressing uncertainty).Originality/valueThis study answers calls for humanistic approaches to data literacy education. It contributes an interdisciplinary perspective on data literacy that complements other context-oriented perspectives on data science. This study also offers recommendations for how designers and educators can capitalize on synergies and mitigate tensions between domains to promote successful IIR in arts-integrated data literacy education.

Exploring alternative discourses about datafication in a speculative youth participatory action research curriculum

PurposeThis paper aims to address the limitations in designing educational approaches that apply critical approaches to data literacy, given the obscure nature of digital platforms, which leave youth unable to develop discourses that challenge dominant narratives about the role of data in their lives. The purpose of this study is to propose and evaluate a critical data literacy approach that empowers youth to engage with data from a sociocultural perspective using a speculative participatory research approach that affords opportunities to develop alternative discourses.Design/methodology/approachThis is a multiple-case study that involves five alternative schools in Uruguay which implemented the Nayah-Irú curriculum over ten weeks leading to the development of six distinct research projects about the materialization of data in youth lives. The curriculum incorporates an alternate reality game (ARG) to engage youth in critical data literacy, based on the principles of Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) epistemology and Speculative Civic Literacies.FindingsThe findings of this study highlight the integration of speculative storytelling and real-life experiences in developing alternative discourses about datafication. The analysis revealed instances of discursive closure among the youth, but through the curriculum's speculative fiction elements, such as the narrative of Nayah-Irú, emotional connections were formed, leading to increased engagement, critical inquiry, and problem framing.Research limitations/implicationsThe study conducted on the Nayah-Irú curriculum shows its effectiveness in engaging youth and educators in critical data literacy by affording opportunities for youth to engage in the analysis of their personal data literacies in an alternative world. Bringing speculative approaches to data literacy can open new avenues for exploring data literacy with youth in ways that center their voices and help them overcome different forms of discursive closure.Originality/valueThis study offers new insights into critical data literacy education blending youth participatory action research epistemologies with a speculative literacies framework to support youth in developing alternative discourses regarding the role of data in their lives.

For whom is data literacy empowering? An awareness-action typology

Building on recent empowerment perspectives on data literacy, we examine how students and working adults talk about their understanding of data and report on their own personal-data-related practices. Through a deductive and inductive analysis of interviews with 19 subjects ranging from middle school to middle age, we find that awareness and action with respect to data consumption and production do not necessarily increase in tandem. For example, being more aware of the data that can be used to track them does not make individuals more likely to take action to manage their personal data. While some feel anxiety about the gap between knowledge and action, others resolve the tension by choosing not to care. These findings are synthesized in a typology of personas in the space of data awareness and action. We investigate the relationship between age and educational attainment with location in this awareness-action space and discuss implications for data literacy education.

Empowering Diverse Learners through Design-Based Data Literacy Education: the Data Design Cycle Framework

Data literacy is a vital life-skill that is becoming increasingly necessary in today's society. As such, public data literacy education must become a substantive component in teaching, requiring an appropriate pedagogical model. This paper aims to present a new definition for data literacy, as well as conceptual framework for public data literacy education, drawing from tenets of design-based education and synthesized principles of data literacy education from literature. The resulting framework is termed the Data Design Cycle, and emphasizes collaboration, communication, and the development of problem-solving skills. The model is highly adaptable to different educational environments and learning styles, making it easily integrable into a variety of educational settings, including traditional classroom-based learning, online learning, and experiential learning programs. Furthermore, by promoting the principles of public teaching of data literacy and a learner-centred approach, the Data Design Cycle ensures that data literacy education is accessible to heterogeneous learners from diverse educational and socioeconomical settings.

Who Communicates Well with Data: Examining Data Literacy among Pre‐service Secondary Teachers

ABSTRACTThe current study developed a data literacy instrument with 20 contextual questions and conducted a multi‐mode survey with 232 pre‐service secondary teachers in a university system. Three‐way ANOVA was used to test whether pre‐service teachers with different characteristics (i.e., field of study, library use, and Internet use) performed differently on data literacy. Pre‐service teachers got a decent overall percentage score. They performed better in “identifying problems” and “analyzing data” than in “transforming data” and “collecting data.” While pre‐service teachers in humanities and social sciences performed better in “identifying problems,” those in sciences performed better in “analyzing data.” Humanities pre‐service teachers with high Internet use scored significantly lower; social science pre‐service teachers with high Internet use and low library use scored significantly lower; science pre‐service teachers with low library use scored higher. Implications for future data literacy education and instrument design are discussed based on the preliminary findings.

Training on Village Website Management for Village Officials in Manimbahoi Village, Parigi District, Gowa Regency as Data Literacy Education

The training was held in the Meeting Room of Manimbahoi Village, Parigi District, Gowa Regency, South Sulawesi Province on August 6, 2023. The participants of the training were Manimbahoi Village officials, with the aim of understanding the importance of data to be published and also as an effort to educate village officials regarding data literacy. This service activity for Manimbahoi Village officials, in an effort to educate data literacy, runs smoothly, as expected. This can be seen from the increase in the ability and knowledge of village officials from not knowing about website management and publishing village news. Using this knowledge, village data can be published on village websites.
 
 Abstrak
 Pelatihan ini dilaksanakan di Ruang Pertemuan Desa Manimbahoi, Kecamatan Parigi, Kabupaten Gowa, Provinsi Sulawesi Selatan pada tanggal 6 Agustus 2023. Peserta dari pelatihan ini adalah aparat Desa Manimbahoi, dengan tujuan agar aparat desa tersebut paham mengenai pentingnya data untuk dipublikasikan dan juga sebagai upaya untuk edukasi aparat desa terkait literasi data. Kegiatan pengabdian untuk aparat Desa Manimbahoi ini sebagai upaya untuk edukasi literasi data berjalan lancer dan sesuai dengan yang diharapkan. Hal ini terlihat terjadinya peningkatan kemampuan dan pengetahuan aparat desa dari tidak tahu menjadi tahu pengelolaan website dan penerbitan berita desa. Dengan adanya pengetahuan ini maka data-data desa dapat dipublikasikan di website desa.

Impacts of the Marine Technology Boom: Ocean Literacy Now Requires Data Literacy

New technologies are continually being placed in the ocean, constantly collecting ocean data in real-time. As a result, Data Literacy is now a necessary learning goal for supporting students' Ocean Literacy. The newest ships in the U.S. Academic Research Fleet, the Regional Class Research Vessels (RCRVs), are being built with the aim of supporting data literacy through outreach and education, with aid from a forthcoming real-time data portal. To understand how the RCRV’s outreach and education initiatives can best support data and ocean literacy, while also facilitating intentional engagement with minoritized populations, a three-phase research strategy was conducted over three years. The objective was to determine promising practices in data literacy education and shipboard outreach that are also culturally responsive. The first phase of the research interviewed experts in the fields of teaching, data literacy, shipboard education, and community engagement in order to generate recommendations. The second phase was an assessment of a three-day data literacy high-school curriculum utilizing research vessel data. The third phase examined the success of potential culturally responsive data literacy curricular frameworks and teaching practices in an afterschool pilot program for Latinx youth. The research determined that in a world where students have never ending access to data, data literacy education must be scaffolded throughout a student's life. Data used in education must be contextual and relatable and the best tools for data literacy learning are designed for teachers and students. As new knowledge is being generated about the ocean through new technologies continually collecting data, ocean literacy can no longer exist without data literacy.

Research on Optimisation Strategies of Data Literacy Education in Higher Education Libraries Shelf of Information Literacy in Chinese Higher Education Libraries

Amidst the epoch of immense data, accompanied by the burgeoning prevalence of investigations into data literacy and the educational aspects thereof, various university libraries have also begun to learn from successful experiences abroad and conduct scientific research on data literacy education. In the realm of information technology, the focal point of research has shifted towards the burgeoning prominence of data literacy education, but the theoretical and practical research on data literacy is relatively weak and insufficient, and more detailed research is needed to address the existing problems. The article reviews the research on data literacy both domestically and internationally, focusing on cultivating readers' data awareness, developing reasonable teaching content, constructing a data literacy teaching system and integrating data literacy resource platforms, and building a professional and efficient data literacy teaching team. The article explores the optimization methods for reader data literacy education.

Basic Geo-Spatial Data Literacy Education for Economic Applications

Geospatial data literacy is of paramount importance in an increasingly digital business world. Especially in economic decision-making processes, the ability to judge the trustworthiness of pertinent data sets is inevitable for reliable decisions. Thus, geospatial competencies need to supplement the university’s teaching syllabus of economic degree programmes. Even if these programmes already have a lot of content, it is worth adding geospatial topics to educate students as skilled young experts, being geospatially literate. This contribution shows an approach on how to sensitise students and teachers with an economics background to understand the origin of geospatial data sets, their specific nature, their quality and how to gain geospatial data sets with a particular focus on sustainable economics applications. It proposes a teaching approach for educating students on geospatial characteristics of data, making them aware of spatial reasoning and spatial thinking. Especially it is vital to give them an impression of the manipulating nature of maps and geospatial visualisations. The aim is to show them the power of geospatial data and map products for research in their specific thematic field. The presented teaching concept originates from an interdisciplinary data literacy course geared to students other than geospatial sciences. It incorporates elements of a flipped classroom and a self-learning tutorial. This paper shows and discusses the results of the implementation of the course. Positive exam results imply that the teaching concept provides a suitable way to impart geospatial competencies to students belonging other than geo-related subjects.

A Meta-Analysis Study on Data Literacy Education For School Administrators and Teachers

This meta-analysis study aimed to examine the effect of data literacy education, which affects data-based decision processes, on data use knowledge and skills of school administrators and teachers. Therefore, theses of data literacy education for school administrators and teachers and relevant studies in peer-reviewed journals were examined through several databases. The study was conducted using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) software, using a total of eight studies published between 2006-2021. The results revealed that the selected studies were heterogeneous. Therefore, a random effects model was applied in the study. The overall effect size value of data literacy education was calculated as 2.16, suggesting that a data literacy education makes a positive high contribution to data use knowledge and skills of school administrators and teachers. The subgroup analyzes conducted to determine the source of heterogeneity in results have shown that data literacy education did not differ by type and country of publications, but varied by type of participants, where studies conducted with mixed participants had high effect values. Based on these results, it can be suggested that data literacy education given to school administrators and teachers should be expanded in all countries and education levels, and a meta-analysis of studies conducted in correlation between data literacy and different variables.

A systematic literature review of data literacy education

Given the lack of data-literate talent in business organizations, there is a need to develop more effective data literacy education at university level. With the aim of informing improvement, a systematic, quantitative literature review of data literacy education was undertaken. The review of 71 articles revealed that data literacy education predominantly relies on existing learning theories and teaching strategies, lacks empirical studies, and lacks agreement about what competencies constitute data literacy. These findings highlight the need for empirical research to establish what needs to be taught and how it can be best taught.

Application of data visualization technology in University library service

This paper introduces the role of data visualization in the development of information service in the library, as well as the role in scientific research and teaching. Through the analysis of the research status at home and abroad, it is concluded that the university library can establish a perfect service system in terms of data visualization service from the aspects of providing basic services of data literacy, enriching data information resources, training data librarians and service teams, participating in the whole process of data service, opening up the physical space of data service and establishing the platform of data visualization knowledge exchange. At last, it gives the strategy of developing the data visualization service in the library, including training the data librarian, reconstructing the information service system, realizing the whole-process service method, establishing the multi-participation service platform and carrying out the data literacy education reform. The aim is to provide a preliminary method for the library to carry out data visualization service and improve the library service efficiency.