The development of digitization and technology has brought new opportunities to produce and access research data. This has generated the need to be able to use and manage data. Data literacy has been listed as one of the great current trends in the library world as a result of new opportunities for spreading and managing data. The purpose of the present thesis has thus been to investigate librarians’ reflection on data literacy. Five librarians at a university library have been interviewed through semi-structured interviews. Interviewees view data literacy as a concept that is closely related to information literacy. Data literacy is said to be about saving, analyzing, citing and reusing data. At the university library, data literacy is viewed through both skills’ development and activities. Since the phenomenon is relatively new, the staff has been given the opportunity to develop skills through workshops in data analysis tools. In addition, the university library has opened two digital labs at two libraries that aim to contribute to creative learning environments for data management and data usage. The library has offered workshops in data analysis programs for users. Data literacy has not been fully implemented in the library’s teaching yet. One of the major challenges in implementing data literacy is to find time to develop skills but at the same time prioritize the library’s core functions. However, informants believe that data literacy will entail new roles for university libraries in the future and that it will affect more than just teaching librarians.

Previous research indicates that pre- and in-service teachers are not receiving adequate training to implement data-informed instructional decision making. This is problematic given the promise this decision making process holds for improving instruction and student learning. At the same time, many educators do not see the value of different types of assessment data (e.g. accountability data), and lack the knowledge, skills, and confidence to use available data to guide instructional decisions. The purpose of this study was to conduct a formative evaluation of an online training designed to improve Iowa pre- and in-service teachers’ perceptions about data, data knowledge, skills and confidence working with data. The training along with a data literacy test was administered online to 29 pre-service teachers from two Iowa universities. A pre-post design was used to assess changes in these data constructs. Results indicated that participants’ perceptions about external accountability data improved significantly after completing the training, as did their confidence working with data. However, most participants’ data performance were relatively stable pre-post training. A content analysis of responses pre-post revealed qualitative changes in some participants’ thinking about data. Participants rated the value, effectiveness and quality of the training and complementary materials. Ratings were mostly positive, with participants signifying the training and materials as valuable and effective for enhancing their understanding of data as well as their confidence working with data. Participants also identified opportunities for improving the training. The author concludes with a discussion of the results, implications for future research, and how the study adds to the existing literature and informs practice.

Data literacy has become one of the most important competencies for a citizen to exercise in their personal and professional lives. It contributes to more informed decision-making in all aspects of life, and is more frequently being utilized in organizations to drive innovation and change. These skills are especially important for communications professionals, as interpreting and communicating data to various publics is the foundation of information sharing in virtually every industry and sector. Data competencies are typically acquired in post-secondary education; however, existing curricula are lacking robustness, adaptability, and transferability of skills needed in the workplace and in our ever-changing world. Through the results collected from both professors and practitioners in the communications field, this study identifies the gaps in existing curricula, and justifies the importance of communications students acquiring data literacy skills to ensure that they will be equipped for their careers and the world at large. This research highlights that improving data and research skills will better prepare citizens for their professional and personal lives.

Idag blir barn exponerade för mer information än någonsin tidigare och för att de ska lära sig att bedöma informationens trovärdighet är det viktigt att de lär sig data literacy från tidig ålder, vilket innebär grundläggande kunskaper om data och hur data kan tolkas. Studien har utgått ifrån en prototyp till ett lärandespel under utveckling, The Rescue of Dataville, som ämnar att lära mellanstadieelever data literacy. Spelprotypen innehåller i dagsläget fem minispel, och den här studien har undersökt de tre första minispelen. Studien har erhållit förslag till svårighetsnivåer som kan implementeras i dessa minispel, samt hur spelet kan bli mer adaptivt, där ett adaptivt spel kan anpassas efter individens förmåga och kunskaper istället för att användaren själv ska bedöma sin egna nivå. Frågeställningarna som studien undersökt är 1. Hur väl anpassade är de implementerade svårighetsnivåerna för mellanstadieelever? 2. Hur kan The Rescue of Dataville bli mer adaptivt? För att besvara frågeställningarna har implementeringsförslag på svårighetsnivåer tagits fram, där en svårare nivå och en lättare nivå har implementerats i minispel 1-3. Orginaluppgifterna från spelprototyopen har behållits och utgör en medelnivå. Svårighetsnivåerna har sedan utvärderats genom användartester. För att implementera adaptivitet har ett introduktionstest beståendes av flervalsfrågor tagits fram för att avgöra användarnas kunskapsnivå och tilldela en svårighetsnivå utifrån resultatet på testet. Testet har liksom svårighetsnivåerna utvärderats genom användartester, där fem deltagare i åldrarna 10-12 år har deltagit. Användartesterna har evaluerats genom en tematisk analys där 12 olika teman konstruerades. Det mest avsevärda som temana visade var att introduktionstestet är för lätt för att fungera i adaptivt syfte, samt att några av svårighetsnivåerna inte skiljer sig tillräckligt från varandra svårighetsmässigt. På grund av studiens få deltagare går det inte att säkerställa att resultaten är generaliserbara på mellanstadieelever utan att göra en storskalig studie. Eftersom studien är en explorativ pilotstudie ämnar den att ligga till grund för fortsatt forskning och utveckling av The Rescue of Dataville.

The Mississippi State University leaderSTATE STEM program provides a variety of experiences for Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) high school cadets across three states: Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana, the majority from underrepresented demographic populations. LeaderSTATE STEM offers 5-day residential summer camps (N=6) for over 300 students annually. The camps utilize a variety of geosciences STEM activities to increase students' awareness of science and opportunities in geoscience careers. To evaluate the effectiveness of student attitudes towards science, the Test of Science Related Attitudes (TOSRA) instrument was used to ascertain changes in attitudes about science and society. Paired pre-post TOSRA survey results from 2014-2017 camp cycles (N= 1141 students) were analyzed for race, gender, and school correlations. Chi square analysis revealed only a scattered statistical improvement throughout the data (p = 0.05). More research is needed to determine whether the 5-day experience is too limited to result in high school students' attitudinal changes towards science, or whether the TOSRA instrument provides an appropriate assessment for the leaderSTATE STEM camps. A secondary assessment instrument was employed pre- and post-camp to ascertain the abilities of the students in their interpretation of graphically displayed data. That instrument assessed changes in the students' abilities in understanding basic data terminology and interpretation of data shown on graphs. Assessment was performed with a pre-camp - post-camp survey and analysis of change determined with a paired t-test with Cohen's d to determine effect size. A significant p value below 0.05 was determined for only one of six camps in 2016, and for three of six camps in 2017. In both years, Cohen's d effect size was small for two of six camps annually, and medium for all other camps. A follow-on weather data project was developed for, and implemented with, the students in the JROTC programs in the seven schools in the Jackson, Mississippi school district. That month-long project was an extension of topics introduced in the leaderSTATE summer camp program. Two schools performed well in both years of the project, two schools performed in the mid-range, and three schools underperformed in both years of the project.

Data literacy is an increasingly important skill to possess due to the large amounts of information available to us. This thesis explores the teaching of data literacy through a learning game. It revolves around the creation of a prototype for a learning game teaching data literacy in the domain of environ- mental issues. The prototype is largely based on a similar game teaching data literacy called Dataville. However, the narrative of the new game is based on another game as well as inspired by a real-world example of green washing. To test the concept of the new prototype, usability testing is conducted. Focus is on the experience of the game. The usability testing showed that it was mostly appreciated among the target group. However, changes to the navigation, font size and buttons need to be made. The prototype also needs more instructions in the form of "pick the right answer". Furthermore, it is also in need of explanations on how to read tables and diagrams for those students who have not yet learnt it or do not remember how to.

<p>  </p> <p>My dissertation seeks ways that data systems can be constructed differently in order to focus on improving outcomes for marginalized and vulnerable populations. The cases I study in my dissertation all represent different stakeholders in and types of engagement with crime, violence, and policing in the United States. The three cases are the FBI's crime data system and especially their newer NIBRS and CDE (National Incident Based Reporting System and Crime Data Explorer, respectively) interfaces, the <em>Washington Post</em>'s Fatal Force police brutality database project, and the Urban Indian Health Institute (UIHI)'s <em>Our Bodies, Our Stories</em> reports on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) crisis. The three cases scaffold onto one another to create a deeply contextual, well-rounded picture of crime data rhetorics. Each case is unique and distinct, but also overlaps onto the other two cases; the UIHI reports, for instance, are an example of community-focused data activism like Fatal Force, but they also co-opt institutional data systems similar to the FBI's database. Similarly, the Fatal Force database explicitly engages issues of social justice and names a gap in institutional reporting; in so doing, Fatal Force includes community reporting and allows private citizens to submit tips, but it also draws on official institutional data as part of its sources. And as a case of institutional data practices that collect crime data from across the country, the FBI's NIBRS case sets up standards that Fatal Force and the UIHI reports look to work both with and against.</p> <p>I describe the methodology I pilot in this study: unblackboxing. I first put unblackboxing in context with current conversations in science and technology studies, information studies, critical data studies, and rhetoric and technical communication. I emphasize the importance of narratives, whether explicit, implicit, or cultural, to unblackboxing, especially when data is the object of study. Then, I enumerate key principles of unblackboxing and offer a heuristic for adapting unblackboxing to studying data systems. This approach helps researchers meet a system on its own terms and work with it rhetorically rather than trying a one-size-fits-all approach. Finally, I describe how I applied unblackboxing in my dissertation research and adapted my preliminary work on unblackboxing in order to study each system fairly and responsibly.</p> <p>Ultimately, I find that each data system is responsive to unique needs and challenges of that system. Strategies that work to make data easier for users to understand in cases like Fatal Force aren’t options in cases like FBI crime data, where the sheer scale of data means relying on automated data visualization that introduces error and uncertainty. But by keeping ethical principles of user-centered design and data justice in mind, I argue, designers and technical communicators can continue to make strides in using data to communicate ethically and effectively.</p>

In many US homes, 15% of the energy that can be saved is hidden beneath complex mathematical calculations. Hidden energy savings can be revealed by converting mathematical calculations to data visualizations, creating a story for residents to see how they are consuming energy. Cloud-based data visualization platforms offer the ability to appropriately communicate complex building energy data to a broad set of stakeholders. Unfortunately, proprietary solutions are too expensive and open-source options lack standardization for cloud-based energy monitoring. This study aims to create a comprehensive energy dashboard display to increase residents' energy awareness of how energy is consumed throughout their homes. But before energy dashboards can be created, a content analysis of current visualization chart types used on utility bills and energy monitoring devices were discovered to see how energy data has been visualized in the energy domain. Next, a literature review was conducted to reveal other visualization chart types outside of the energy domain that could be used to visualize energy data. The content analysis results identified eight visualization chart types that are used on utility bills and energy monitoring devices. In addition, the literature review uncovered eight additional visualization chart types that have the functionality to visualize energy data. Next, the visualization chart types were combined with data modeling design techniques to create prototype energy dashboard displays to communicate energy insights to residents. Soon utility companies will begin to provide data visualizations for the majority of their customers. The insights from this study can help to inform and lead the development of commercially used data visualizations. In addition, this research can provide utility companies with a blueprint on how to share energy consumption data with customers. / Master of Science / For residents to live an energy-efficient lifestyle, they must first begin by learning about one's energy consumption behaviors in the home. Unfortunately, utility bills miss out on communicating energy insights to customers based on how the energy data appears on the utility bill. Graphs on utility bills that display aggregate monthly energy consumption do not provide enough information for residents to comprehend how energy is consumed through their homes or provide information on how to lower energy consumption. There are commercial energy consumption devices on the market such as CURB and eGauge that provide an energy dashboard display, but the visuals are too complex to draw conclusions. This study aims to create an energy dashboard display that allows residents to see how energy is consumed throughout their homes. But before energy dashboards can be created, a content analysis of current visualization chart types used on utility bills and energy monitoring devices were discovered to see how energy data has been visualized in the energy domain. Next, a literature review was conducted to reveal other visualization chart types outside of the energy domain that could be used to visualize energy data. The content analysis results identified eight chart types used of utility bills and energy monitoring devices. In addition, the literature review results uncovered eight additional chart types not used on utility bills and energy monitoring devices that have the potential to visualize energy data. Next, the identified and uncovered chart types were combined with data modeling design techniques to create example energy dashboard displays. Changing the way energy data is displayed to residents, can educate residents on how energy is consumed throughout their home. In addition, the insights from this study can provide utility companies with a model for displaying energy data to increase their customers' energy awareness. Living an energy-efficient lifestyle, first began by understanding how energy is consumed throughout one's home.

The purpose of the study is to highlight perceptions about data literacy among employees at Luleå University professional services and institutions. The purpose is motivated on the report that the University Library in Luleå wrote in 2018, a report that shows a discrepancy between the national vision of open research data and the actual research data management at Luleå University of Technology. The university employees' perceptions about the issue can be seen as a current situation description at Luleå University of Technology, but also as a starting point for future discussions about educating data literacy at Luleå University of Technology. The theoretical foundat-ion of the study is social constructionist and is within the socio-cultural perspective formation in which Roger Säljö's interpretations of literature and learning are in focus. The study shows that there are perceptions that express the need for education in data literacy, but also that there are intra-institutional problems regarding get-ting time and space for the education and that there is a demand for a greater collaboration between libraries and institutions on the issue. This is a two years master’s thesis in Library and Information Science.

Globally, a wealth of educational data has been collected on learner performance in a bid to improve and monitor the quality of education. Unfortunately, the data seem to have had only limited influence on learning and teaching in classrooms. This thesis aimed to bridge this gap between the availability of learner performance data and their use in informing planning and action in schools. A design research approach was used to optimise the feedback system for the South African Monitoring system for Primary schools (SAMP). Design research aims to produce both an intervention to address a complex real-world challenge and to develop design guidelines to support other designers faced with similar challenges in their own context. In this research, the process of developing and improving the feedback system was also used to examine ways of facilitating the use of the feedback. Multiple cycles of design, implementation and evaluation of four different prototypes of the feedback system were conducted, employing evaluations from both experts (e.g. Dutch and South African academics, research and educational psychologists, instrument designers and teacher trainers) as well as school users (teachers, principals and HoDs). Mixed methods were employed throughout the study, with different sub-samples of school users sampled from the population of 22 schools (English, Afrikaans and Sepedi) in the Tshwane region participating in SAMP. The various research cycles incorporated interviews, observations, journals, questionnaires, the Delphi technique and expert evaluations to examine not only data-use, but also aspects such as problem-solving, planning, data-literacy and attitudes towards evidence-based practice in the schools. Data was analysed using Rasch Modelling, descriptive statistics and computer-aided qualitative data analysis. The study showed that an effective feedback system facilitates appropriate use through a gradual process of enlightenment, is flexible and responsive to user inputs, values collaboration and includes instrument, reporting and support components in its design. An optimum feedback system also positively influences school feedback and monitoring culture by providing opportunities for positive experiences with feedback and increasing data-literacy. This improves the chances of feedback being used for planning, decision-making and action in the schools. An effective feedback system must also offer a comprehensive package to accommodate different users, with various levels of data sophistication, functioning in diverse contexts. The research also showed that an effective feedback system mediates thinking about educational instruction and curriculum and can therefore be a potent change agent. Use of clear, simple, intuitive data presentation in the feedback system allows for experiential learning to increase user data-literacy. The design research approach employed in this study offers an appropriate and powerful approach to adapting, developing and optimising a feedback system. User involvement in design research ensures greater contextualisation and familiarity with the system, while engendering trust and a greater sense of ownership, all of which increase the receptiveness and responsiveness of users to feedback. Finally, the research also contributed design guidelines for other developers of feedback systems, an integrated conceptual framework for use of monitoring feedback and a functioning feedback system employed by 22 schools in the Tshwane region. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / unrestricted