Learning Data Through Embodiment of Real World Sports Movement

• In Event: How Data Science Education Can Enable Exploration of Real World Phenomena

Abstract

Objectives
This project aims to broaden participation in data science by developing curricular materials that integrate sports and data to show how data concepts can be applied to real world contexts within personal data interactions. We investigate how learner’s perceptions shifted regarding their bidirectional learning about sports and data, views of data agency, and applications of data practices.

Theoretical framework
Designing data science learning opportunities for a wide range of learners requires the integration of authentic and real world data in context (Ravi et al., 2024). By grounding the content, applications, and implications in the real world and learner’s interests, data concepts are more accessible and meaningful for learners (Israel-Fishelson & Weintrop, 2025). One context and interest for young learners is sports and physical play, which is increasingly embedded with data to track player’s performance, teamwork, and competition (Jones et al., 2020; Clegg et al., 2020). For youth, the combination of data and sports can support their bidirectional learning of content. As authors of their datasets, learners navigate the impact of their actions on the data process (Lee et al., 2021), and they can better understand the implications of their data analysis as it relates to their physical movement (Enyedy & Mukhopadhyay, 2007).

Methods
In an eight week sports and data unit, we partnered with a school district to implement the lessons across 32 fifth grade classrooms. Each lesson involved youth data collection of their physical movement and was connected to a sport. Learners completed pre and post surveys on their perceptions of the content, their data agency, and understanding of data in the everyday. We matched 245 pre and post survey responses with students from 13 different schools in the same district. Through statistical analysis, we calculate shifts between paired responses.

Results
Of the 245 paired responses, there were statistically significant differences for views on content: Sports can help me learn about data (t(244)=4.84, p<0.001, M=0.32, SD=1.053) and Data can help me learn about sports (t(244)=2.73, p<0.01, M=0.20, SD=1.145). There was one significant difference for youth’s data agency: My actions impact my data (t(244)=2.245, p<0.05, M=0.142, SD= 0.99). There were not significant differences for understanding data everyday in survey responses (i.e., I view data as relating to all subjects, not just math and science). The gains in bidirectional learning between sports and data highlight the importance of context for learning about phenomena with real world data. The interplay of the domains could be supported by the youth’s agency over their interaction with data as authors of their own information.

Significance
Through the combination of sports and data science curriculum, we can build learning opportunities for youth to engage with real world data about their movement, which can further their understanding of personal data literacies and comfort with data as they encounter it in their daily lives.

Authors

• Ashley Serine Quiterio, Northwestern University

• Marcelo A.B. Worsley, Northwestern University