1.2.3: Data Literacy
- Page ID
- 268081
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Data vs. Information
"Data" refers to "factual information (such as measurements or statistics) used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or calculation" (Merriam-Webster). Data become information when they are analyzed or interpreted.
Data Literacy
Data literacy is important to making sense of raw data. According to Education Development Center (EDC)'s Oceans of Data Institute, "data literacy" can be defined as follows.
"The data literate individual understands, explains and documents the utility and limitations of data by becoming a critical consumer of data, controlling [their] personal data trail, finding meaning and taking action based on data. [They] can identify, collect, evaluate, analyze, interpret, present and protect data" (EDC, 2016).
Sources
EDC Oceans of Data Institute. (2016). Building global interest in data literacy: A dialogue workshop report.
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Data (noun).
Image: "A very large group of trees that are very colorful" by Maxim Berg is in the Public Domain CC0