Proceedings of the International Conference for the Learning Sciences, 2022
Data literacy is important for supporting individuals to incorporate information from research st... more Data literacy is important for supporting individuals to incorporate information from research studies into their own perspectives and decision-making processes. However, it can be challenging for students to read, understand, and relate to data. Students have to be able to traverse the representational forms that data takes on (i.e. numerical, graphical, etc.) and connect it to their understanding of a topic. We explore the implementation of a co-designed data-dance unit in which middle school students created their own embodied metaphors to represent and communicate about graphs through dance. In analyzing dance planning artifacts and post-study interviews with the learners and teachers, we demonstrate how the creation of embodied metaphors in dance led to new ways of exploring the data as learners reflected on different perspectives on topics across numerical values, contexts, and implications.
International Conference for the Learning Sciences, 2020
Visual art offers unique, but underexplored opportunities to engage learners with social issues (... more Visual art offers unique, but underexplored opportunities to engage learners with social issues (e.g., Bhargava et al., 2016). Moreover, integrating art-based perspectives into data science reflects its multidisciplinary nature, and can allow students to approach data in ways that promote their identification with data, and as data scientists. Yet, teachers need support to create effective disciplinary-integrated curriculum. Building on research on co-design (DiSalvo et al., 2017) and interdisciplinary teacher teams (Vangrieken, et al., 2015), we describe our partnerships with 3 pairs of art and math teachers from different diverse urban middle schools, to engage their students with social justice issues (e.g., their neighborhood’s opioid crisis; segregation from specialized school admissions; representation in the music industry) using art as a means for expression and social change. Qualitative analyses of interviews, observations, and artifacts from our co-creation and implementation highlight opportunities and challenges for professional learning of our cross-domain approach. For example, co-design partners must negotiate logistical hurdles (e.g., making art and math activities that are consistent both internally and across one another given that students may not be enrolled in each teacher’s course). They must also negotiate, teach, and learn from one another’s disciplinary values in, and perspectives on data sensemaking. These values and perspectives are furthermore reflected in activity designs (e.g., whether art or math is emphasized, and how one domain serves the other). Findings contribute strategies for co-design practice, and an understanding of the learning affordances of arts-integrated, data science inquiry into social justice issues.
Critical data literacy includes understanding that data are neither neutral nor objective and soc... more Critical data literacy includes understanding that data are neither neutral nor objective and social issues can be investigated through a process of data inquiry using interdisciplinary tools. We co-designed an arts-integrated data literacy unit with two middle school teachers, who implemented it with their 20 students. Building on practices based in documentary photography, the unit engaged students in telling data stories about their neighborhoods. We ask: (1) How might students communicate data stories through photo-essays and (2) engage critically with data in the process? Student stories highlighted the limitations of government data to describe local issues and used photography to make sense of and show the local context behind neighborhood statistics. Findings suggest opportunities to support data literacy through art.
Arts-integration is a promising approach to engaging more students with the humanistic aspects of... more Arts-integration is a promising approach to engaging more students with the humanistic aspects of data science. However, school contexts pose many barriers to realizing the potential of this approach. We conduct a design case study that compares four co-designed, arts-integrated data literacy units, each implemented in a different middle school. Data include student- and teacher-generated artifacts and interviews, and designer reflections. Our findings describe the disciplinary synergies and tensions we observed, and how these arose from contextual factors of their implementations, including representations, culture, and infrastructure. This study contributes to an ecological understanding of the learning opportunities and challenges in arts-integrated data literacy curriculum.
Data‐art inquiry is an arts‐integrated approach to data literacy learning that reflects the multi... more Data‐art inquiry is an arts‐integrated approach to data literacy learning that reflects the multidisciplinary nature of data literacy not often taught in school contexts. By layering critical reflection over conventional data inquiry processes, and by supporting creative expression about data, data‐art inquiry can support students' informal inference‐making by revealing the role of context in shaping the meaning of data, and encouraging consideration of the personal and social relevance of data. Data‐art inquiry additionally creates alternative entry points into data literacy by building on learners' non‐STEM interests. Supported by technology, it can provide accessible tools for students to reflect on and communicate about data in ways that can impact broader audiences. However, data‐art inquiry instruction faces many barriers to classroom implementation, particularly given the tendency for schools to structure learning with disciplinary silos, and to unequally prioritize m...
Data-art inquiry is an arts-integrated approach to data literacy learning that reflects the multi... more Data-art inquiry is an arts-integrated approach to data literacy learning that reflects the multidisciplinary nature of data literacy not often taught in school contexts. By layering critical reflection over conventional data inquiry processes, and by supporting creative expression about data, data-art inquiry can support students' informal inference-making by revealing the role of context in shaping the meaning of data, and encouraging consideration of the personal and social relevance of data. Data-art inquiry additionally creates alternative entry points into data literacy by building on learners' non-STEM interests. Supported by technology, it can provide accessible tools for students to reflect on and communicate about data in ways that can impact broader audiences. However, data-art inquiry instruction faces many barriers to classroom implementation, particularly given the tendency for schools to structure learning with disciplinary silos, and to unequally prioritize mathematics and the arts. To explore the potential of data-art inquiry in classroom contexts, we partnered with arts and mathematics teachers to co-design and implement data-art inquiry units. We implemented the units in four school contexts that differed in terms of the student population served, their curriculum priorities, and their technology infrastructure. We reflect on participant interviews, written reflections, and classroom data, to identify synergies and tensions between data literacy, technology, and the arts. Our findings high-light how contexts of implementation shape the possibilities and limitations for data-art inquiry learning. To take full advantage of the potential for data-art inquiry, curriculum design should account for and build on the opportunities and constraints of classroom contexts.
CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Effective data literacy instruction requires that learners move beyond understanding statistics t... more Effective data literacy instruction requires that learners move beyond understanding statistics to being able to humanize data through a contextual understanding of argumentation and reasoning in the real-world. In this paper, we explore the implementation of a co-designed data comic unit about adolescent friendships. The 7th grade unit involved students analyzing data graphs about adolescent friendships and crafting comic narratives to convey perspectives on that data. Findings from our analysis of 33 student comics, and interviews with two teachers and four students, show that students engaged in various forms of data reasoning and social-emotional reasoning. These findings contribute an understanding of how students make sense of data about personal, everyday experiences; and how an arts-integrated curriculum can be designed to support their mutual engagement in both data and social-emotional reasoning.
Proceedings of the Interaction Design and Children conference, 2022
Memes have become ubiquitous artifacts of contemporary digital culture that integrate visual and ... more Memes have become ubiquitous artifacts of contemporary digital culture that integrate visual and textual components in order to communicate about a topic. They can be used as forms of visual argumentation that draw on cultural references while facilitating critical commentary that typically results in humorous and caustic dialogue. In this paper, we investigate the meme creation tool, DataMeme where middle school students explore graphs then construct GIFs using existing Gyphy GIFs and overlay their own text onto them in order to communicate about the meaning behind the data. We explore the ways the students engaged in data reasoning and their argumentation practices as they communicate through their memes. Findings from our analysis of 56 data memes and the corresponding written explanations from the students, show that data memes allow students to evaluate data claims within their broader societal implications, while also expressing personal beliefs and attitudes about data.
Proceedings of the International Conference for the Learning Sciences, 2022
Data literacy is important for supporting individuals to incorporate information from research st... more Data literacy is important for supporting individuals to incorporate information from research studies into their own perspectives and decision-making processes. However, it can be challenging for students to read, understand, and relate to data. Students have to be able to traverse the representational forms that data takes on (i.e. numerical, graphical, etc.) and connect it to their understanding of a topic. We explore the implementation of a co-designed data-dance unit in which middle school students created their own embodied metaphors to represent and communicate about graphs through dance. In analyzing dance planning artifacts and post-study interviews with the learners and teachers, we demonstrate how the creation of embodied metaphors in dance led to new ways of exploring the data as learners reflected on different perspectives on topics across numerical values, contexts, and implications.
International Conference for the Learning Sciences, 2020
Visual art offers unique, but underexplored opportunities to engage learners with social issues (... more Visual art offers unique, but underexplored opportunities to engage learners with social issues (e.g., Bhargava et al., 2016). Moreover, integrating art-based perspectives into data science reflects its multidisciplinary nature, and can allow students to approach data in ways that promote their identification with data, and as data scientists. Yet, teachers need support to create effective disciplinary-integrated curriculum. Building on research on co-design (DiSalvo et al., 2017) and interdisciplinary teacher teams (Vangrieken, et al., 2015), we describe our partnerships with 3 pairs of art and math teachers from different diverse urban middle schools, to engage their students with social justice issues (e.g., their neighborhood’s opioid crisis; segregation from specialized school admissions; representation in the music industry) using art as a means for expression and social change. Qualitative analyses of interviews, observations, and artifacts from our co-creation and implementation highlight opportunities and challenges for professional learning of our cross-domain approach. For example, co-design partners must negotiate logistical hurdles (e.g., making art and math activities that are consistent both internally and across one another given that students may not be enrolled in each teacher’s course). They must also negotiate, teach, and learn from one another’s disciplinary values in, and perspectives on data sensemaking. These values and perspectives are furthermore reflected in activity designs (e.g., whether art or math is emphasized, and how one domain serves the other). Findings contribute strategies for co-design practice, and an understanding of the learning affordances of arts-integrated, data science inquiry into social justice issues.
Critical data literacy includes understanding that data are neither neutral nor objective and soc... more Critical data literacy includes understanding that data are neither neutral nor objective and social issues can be investigated through a process of data inquiry using interdisciplinary tools. We co-designed an arts-integrated data literacy unit with two middle school teachers, who implemented it with their 20 students. Building on practices based in documentary photography, the unit engaged students in telling data stories about their neighborhoods. We ask: (1) How might students communicate data stories through photo-essays and (2) engage critically with data in the process? Student stories highlighted the limitations of government data to describe local issues and used photography to make sense of and show the local context behind neighborhood statistics. Findings suggest opportunities to support data literacy through art.
Arts-integration is a promising approach to engaging more students with the humanistic aspects of... more Arts-integration is a promising approach to engaging more students with the humanistic aspects of data science. However, school contexts pose many barriers to realizing the potential of this approach. We conduct a design case study that compares four co-designed, arts-integrated data literacy units, each implemented in a different middle school. Data include student- and teacher-generated artifacts and interviews, and designer reflections. Our findings describe the disciplinary synergies and tensions we observed, and how these arose from contextual factors of their implementations, including representations, culture, and infrastructure. This study contributes to an ecological understanding of the learning opportunities and challenges in arts-integrated data literacy curriculum.
Data‐art inquiry is an arts‐integrated approach to data literacy learning that reflects the multi... more Data‐art inquiry is an arts‐integrated approach to data literacy learning that reflects the multidisciplinary nature of data literacy not often taught in school contexts. By layering critical reflection over conventional data inquiry processes, and by supporting creative expression about data, data‐art inquiry can support students' informal inference‐making by revealing the role of context in shaping the meaning of data, and encouraging consideration of the personal and social relevance of data. Data‐art inquiry additionally creates alternative entry points into data literacy by building on learners' non‐STEM interests. Supported by technology, it can provide accessible tools for students to reflect on and communicate about data in ways that can impact broader audiences. However, data‐art inquiry instruction faces many barriers to classroom implementation, particularly given the tendency for schools to structure learning with disciplinary silos, and to unequally prioritize m...
Data-art inquiry is an arts-integrated approach to data literacy learning that reflects the multi... more Data-art inquiry is an arts-integrated approach to data literacy learning that reflects the multidisciplinary nature of data literacy not often taught in school contexts. By layering critical reflection over conventional data inquiry processes, and by supporting creative expression about data, data-art inquiry can support students' informal inference-making by revealing the role of context in shaping the meaning of data, and encouraging consideration of the personal and social relevance of data. Data-art inquiry additionally creates alternative entry points into data literacy by building on learners' non-STEM interests. Supported by technology, it can provide accessible tools for students to reflect on and communicate about data in ways that can impact broader audiences. However, data-art inquiry instruction faces many barriers to classroom implementation, particularly given the tendency for schools to structure learning with disciplinary silos, and to unequally prioritize mathematics and the arts. To explore the potential of data-art inquiry in classroom contexts, we partnered with arts and mathematics teachers to co-design and implement data-art inquiry units. We implemented the units in four school contexts that differed in terms of the student population served, their curriculum priorities, and their technology infrastructure. We reflect on participant interviews, written reflections, and classroom data, to identify synergies and tensions between data literacy, technology, and the arts. Our findings high-light how contexts of implementation shape the possibilities and limitations for data-art inquiry learning. To take full advantage of the potential for data-art inquiry, curriculum design should account for and build on the opportunities and constraints of classroom contexts.
CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Effective data literacy instruction requires that learners move beyond understanding statistics t... more Effective data literacy instruction requires that learners move beyond understanding statistics to being able to humanize data through a contextual understanding of argumentation and reasoning in the real-world. In this paper, we explore the implementation of a co-designed data comic unit about adolescent friendships. The 7th grade unit involved students analyzing data graphs about adolescent friendships and crafting comic narratives to convey perspectives on that data. Findings from our analysis of 33 student comics, and interviews with two teachers and four students, show that students engaged in various forms of data reasoning and social-emotional reasoning. These findings contribute an understanding of how students make sense of data about personal, everyday experiences; and how an arts-integrated curriculum can be designed to support their mutual engagement in both data and social-emotional reasoning.
Proceedings of the Interaction Design and Children conference, 2022
Memes have become ubiquitous artifacts of contemporary digital culture that integrate visual and ... more Memes have become ubiquitous artifacts of contemporary digital culture that integrate visual and textual components in order to communicate about a topic. They can be used as forms of visual argumentation that draw on cultural references while facilitating critical commentary that typically results in humorous and caustic dialogue. In this paper, we investigate the meme creation tool, DataMeme where middle school students explore graphs then construct GIFs using existing Gyphy GIFs and overlay their own text onto them in order to communicate about the meaning behind the data. We explore the ways the students engaged in data reasoning and their argumentation practices as they communicate through their memes. Findings from our analysis of 56 data memes and the corresponding written explanations from the students, show that data memes allow students to evaluate data claims within their broader societal implications, while also expressing personal beliefs and attitudes about data.
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Conference Presentations by Marian Tes
observations, and artifacts from our co-creation and implementation highlight opportunities and challenges for professional learning of our cross-domain approach. For example, co-design partners must negotiate logistical hurdles (e.g., making art and math activities that are consistent both internally and across one another given that students may not be enrolled in each teacher’s course). They must also negotiate, teach, and learn from one another’s disciplinary values in, and perspectives on data sensemaking. These values and perspectives are furthermore reflected in activity designs (e.g., whether art or math is emphasized, and how one domain serves the other). Findings contribute strategies for co-design practice, and an understanding of the learning affordances of arts-integrated, data science inquiry into social justice issues.
Papers by Marian Tes
observations, and artifacts from our co-creation and implementation highlight opportunities and challenges for professional learning of our cross-domain approach. For example, co-design partners must negotiate logistical hurdles (e.g., making art and math activities that are consistent both internally and across one another given that students may not be enrolled in each teacher’s course). They must also negotiate, teach, and learn from one another’s disciplinary values in, and perspectives on data sensemaking. These values and perspectives are furthermore reflected in activity designs (e.g., whether art or math is emphasized, and how one domain serves the other). Findings contribute strategies for co-design practice, and an understanding of the learning affordances of arts-integrated, data science inquiry into social justice issues.