Data Literacy as an Essential Component of Constructive Civic Engagement

• In Event: Data Science as a Tool for Engaging in Civic Education

Abstract

Introduction
Mapping Justice is a multidisciplinary project-based-learning course that offers students an opportunity to use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to explore environmental and social justice issues, as well as use data, design, and technology to address those issues with actionable projects. The program is facilitated via a virtual platform during the summer, and students can apply to receive college credit for their participation.

The present study focuses on how student-created GIS data visualizations in Mapping Justice final projects demonstrate the development of students’ constructive citizenship skills. Education for constructive citizenship teaches students how to “contribute to policy formation in a constructively critical way” (Jennings et al., 2021, p. S66).

Data Literacy for Civic Engagement
Bhargava et al. (2015) emphasize that data literacy supports healthy civic engagement. For example, a data literate citizenry can collect and utilize data to document human rights violations. Chen et al. (2025) concur, stating, “K-12 data science education has substantial opportunities to not only advance mathematical, statistical, and computational literacy skills, but also to prepare students for agentive, politically minded civic participation” (p. 5).

Geographic Inquiry and Civic Engagement
Using GIS, multiple layers of data can be added to a map, enabling visual analysis of patterns and trends. Shreiner (2024) demonstrates the interpretation of data visuals is an essential component of education for civic engagement. (2018) propose a problem-based geographic inquiry model organized around civic problems to support learners in reasoning about a societal issue. Related research demonstrates the effectiveness of this model. Kim (2023) found the overall effect of an emotional geography-based spatial story making project on participants’ civic competence to be .71. Clabough & Russel (2025) recommend heightened attention to GIS enhanced geographic thinking in the social studies to “analyze and articulate different data points within a location” (pg. 79). Maddox et al. Yet, teachers do not have a good understanding of how to implement geographic inquiry (Hong & Melville, 2018; Howell & Lamont, 2023). There is a need to understand the specific ways student projects using GIS data support student civic engagement skills.

Framework and Method
In this study, we utilize the tools for critical inquiry in history, social studies, and civic education proposed by Bermudez (2014) as a framework for analyzing the 2022, 2023, and 2024 culminating student projects. We employ both deductive and inductive coding to analyze each project’s use of GIS data visualizations to gain an understanding of how the use of GIS data visualizations supports the development of critical civic inquiry and constructive citizenship.

Findings
Students used GIS data visualizations as all four types of “tools” in their projects, with systemic thinking most prevalent. Using civic inquiry tools, students selected specific data, put it into relation with one another, and proposed solutions that reach beyond existing societal structures, critically engaging with issues and their root problems.

Significance
This project demonstrates the utility of GIS data analysis as a component of civics education and provides a model for teachers who want to implement geographic inquiry as part of civic education for constructive citizenship.

Authors

• Jennifer D. Sayed, Southern Methodist University

• Nick Okafor, trubel&co