Investigating Data Literacy for Social Studies

• In Event: 66.057 - Roundtable Session 27
  In Roundtable Session: 66.057-4 - Rethinking Social Studies

Abstract

Data literacy—the ability to read, interpret, and analyze data—has become increasingly important in K-12 education, including within social studies. However, we know little about how prevalent data and statistics are in the resources students typically use to learn social studies, or the challenges students face in making sense of them. This study uses content analysis of social studies textbooks, periodicals and lesson plans to (1) determine the role that data visualizations play in communicating information across social studies texts, (2) identify requisite skills to comprehend, analyze, and interpret typical data visualizations in social studies, and (3) provide insight into the challenges students face in making sense of data visualizations.

Author

• Tamara L. Shreiner, Grand Valley State University