From the Smallest Beginnings : Teaching Data Literacy in the Undergraduate Classroom

Short Session Description: 

Data literacy has joined information literacy as a core area for undergraduate curricula. Many faculty have not had formal training in these skills beyond their own disciplinary context, and may be unsure how to create effective data-related assignments. Librarians at one university collaborated with faculty to envision campus-wide data literacy competencies and develop a teaching toolkit to help faculty integrate data literacy across the curriculum. This hands-on workshop will offer an introduction to data literacy competencies and guide participants through two hands-on data visualization and wrangling activities that can be adapted for a variety of disciplines.

Session Format and Style: 

This hands-on workshop will take place in small groups. After a brief overview of one campus model for data literacy competencies, attendees will use sample datasets to work through two group activities to create a data visualization from a dataset and then wrangle their data to compile a new dataset. The workshop will conclude with a reflection about learning outcomes and how these activities can be adapted for a variety of disciplines and levels. The goal of this workshop is to give librarians concepts and tools to begin leading conversations about integrating data literacy into curricula at their institutions.

Takeaways: 

Participants will leave with model data literacy competencies as well as sample data literacy activities that can be adapted and customized for a variety of disciplinary contexts. They will also gain tools for shaping conversation at their institutions about the information and data literacy skills that are so crucial for undergraduate students to master in preparation for entering today’s workforce.

Organization: We would like to invite at least one additional collaborator who has expertise in data literacy instruction and programming.

Contact Information:

Theresa Burress – tburress@mail.usf.edu

Emily Mann – ezmann@mail.usf.edu