Exploring the Interplay Between Higher Educators' Attitudes Toward Data Utilization and Their Digital Teaching Ability: An Analysis of Its Implications on Student Capacity Building in the Educational Context

• In Event: AERA Graduate Student Research-in-Progress Session 3
  In Roundtable Session: ChatGPT: Applications and Implications for Education Policy and Practice (Table 10)

Abstract

In the age of information abundance and Big Data, understanding remains elusive. The COVID-19 upheaval thrust education into a digital revolution, emphasizing the need for post-pandemic educational evolution as students return to traditional classrooms. The rise of AI language models, including ChatGPT, adds urgency to this transformation. This study delves into Mississippi's higher education educators' attitudes on data utilization's impact on student capability building. By exploring connections between educators' attitudes, data management skills, digital teaching competencies, collaboration, and organizational support, we aim to elevate data literacy education in the digital era. Involving the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (I.H.L) system, comprising eight public universities, the study utilizes a self-administered questionnaire. Employing CFA (Confirmation Factor Analysis) and SEM (Structural Equation Modeling), we seek unique insights into the factors shaping students' proficiency in data usage and interpretation during research, empowering them in an ever-evolving educational landscape.

Author

• Kuixi Du, University of Southern Mississippi