“Oh no, computers have won”… or have they? A case study of developing critical data literacy with undergraduate students at an Irish university

The areas of learning analytics and critical data literacy are growing in focus in higher education, because both society and higher education are becoming increasingly ‘datafied’ (Atenas, Havemann and Timmermann, 2020; Verständig, 2021), particularly through collection of learner data to inform learning analytics. Critical data literacy for individuals has emerged as a way to counter datafication’s effects (Sander, 2020). It is an important part of a person’s wider digital literacies.

With a role of virtual learning environment (VLE) administrator in an Irish university, the author holds a unique perspective on how this particular technology datafies its users. Recognising this, and wider processes of datafication in society, the author sought to respond to calls in the literature for greater critical data literacy education opportunities for students.

An educational intervention for undergraduate students in the Education discipline was developed, drawing upon Pangrazio and Selwyn’s (2018) domains of personal data literacies. It provided a space for students to come together and reflect on their technology use and data practices, through facilitated discussion. Students also explored a personal dashboard of their VLE data, developed by the author as ‘an object to think with’ (Papert, 1980) to prompt further reflection.

Post-intervention interviews were held to analyse the students’ experience and if their critical data literacy had been fostered. Themes of agency, fairness and critical data literacy emerged. Participants had a positive experience of the intervention, and have changed their practice around technology and data as a result. They would welcome further educational opportunities to develop their critical data literacy, including within their undergraduate studies.

This study offers an example of one particular approach to critical data literacy education which shares students’ own data with them. This act of ‘data transparency’ (Prinsloo and Slade, 2015) with students can encourage the university to practice it more widely.