Promoting interest and skills in statistical and multivariable thinking with social justice data investigations

The Strengthening Data Literacy across the Curriculum (SDLC) project has been developing and researching curriculum modules to build interest and skills in data science among U.S. high school students from historically marginalized groups. SDLC modules are centered on investigations of social justice questions using large-scale social science data and the Common Online Data Analysis Platform (CODAP). This paper examines the extent to which students show increased interest in statistics and data analysis, and stronger understanding of core statistical concepts and multivariable thinking, after completing a three-week SDLC module. This paper also discusses ways in which a social justice focus may contribute to students’ interests in and understanding of data analysis.