We are learning about the Data Literacy Eco-System

 in Current / Projects (updated 2540 days ago)

‘Data is a Team Sport’ is a School of Data open research project.

We aim to learn how data literacy practitioners are adapting and shifting methodologies to create a society where data is not just taken at face value, but data-consumers seek deeper understanding of the role of data itself.

Specifically the questions we are exploring:

  • How are methodologies for achieving Data Literacy changing? How has this evolved as society have grappled with concepts such as ‘Big Data,’ ‘Data-Driven Confusion’ and ‘Post-fact’?
  • What comprises the Data Literacy Eco-system? What are the different roles needed to create a cognisant/critical data literate society? Where are the current gaps in the Data Literacy Eco-system?

We seek to capture learings that can be a foundation for practitioners to be able to adapt their methodologies in the constantly evolving world of data use. We will be making the raw materials for this research available as we progress (see below). Over the next two to three months we will be holding a series of online conversations where we will interview data literacy practitioners that have a focus in an area of the data literacy. After every conversation we will be publishing the interviews via youtube and podcast, along with blog posts that contain notes about what we have learned from each conversation.

We’d invite you to participate in the project.  How would you answer the questions above? Do you have a story that exemplifies what we are exploring? Do you know of a data literacy effort that has or is attempting to tackle these issues? Please get in touch via info (at) fabriders (dot) net. 

Our inaugural conversation will take place online with Rahul Bhargava and Lucy Chambers on May 25th at 15:00 UK. To RSVP and also receive updates.  

Background

‘Data literacy’ can be defined in terms of skills – ‘the ability to use and analyse data’ and in School of Data’s context, applying those skills to create social change. Thanks to the efforts of governments, organizations and agencies to make their information more transparent, the amount of data entering the public domain has increased dramatically in recent years. Information about issues that directly impact people’s lives is increasingly accessible. It has become easier to access data to back up and prove points.  We are now post-big data, where there is so much information available it is difficult for citizens to analyse and make judgements for themselves.

There is an even greater risk of data being used to manipulate and distort, rather than illuminate hidden truths.  It’s become increasingly important that people are able to look at data critically, understand the subjectiveness, it’s sources and it’s validity.

Raw Materials