Data Activism
WHAT IS DATA ACTIVISM?
Data Activism surfaced from existing activism and advocacy movements (e.g., Open source) as a social practice that utilizes technology and data to draw attention to political causes and to critically resist big data collection that violates users. It calls for collecting, analyzing, and sharing data to illuminate problems in society in ways that lead to better decision making. Data Activism speaks to organizations and governments using the same language they use to promote justice through data and data science.
To understand data activism in computer science, it is important to know the connections between data science and computer science. Data science is known as an interdisciplinary field inclusive of statistics and computer science. Niru Mallavarupu, founder of MobileArq, says “data science is an advanced discipline that teaches students how to analyze and find patterns in large amounts of data”. Data activism includes the use, mobilization or creation of datasets for social causes, as well as the development and employment of technologies that frustrate massive data collection (Kazansky, 2010; 2015).
Facilitator of Data Activism
Nicol R. Howard, PhD
Nicol R. Howard, PhD is an Associate Professor in the School of Education’s Department of Teaching and Learning at the University of Redlands. Dr. Howard is also the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Co-Director of the Race in Education Analytics Learning Lab (REAL Lab) where she engages students in quantitative and mixed methods research projects that allow them to critically examine systems, policies, and practices as they seek change within their various professional contexts. Dr. Howard’s research foci are digital equity, STEM/CS education and identity, and family involvement. Recently she has been examining the racialized experiences of Black girls and families in digital learning spaces, as well as mathematics and computer science classrooms, through quantitative and mixed methods studies. Dr. Howard is a member of the 2021 National Science Foundation QCM Scholars Cohort in the Institute in Critical Quantitative, Computational, and Mixed-Methodology (ICQCM).
In addition to her journal publications, Dr. Howard has co-authored books such as:
Closing the Gap: Digital Equity Strategies for Teacher Prep Programs, Closing the Gap: Digital Equity Strategies for the K-12 Classroom, and Coding+Math: Strengthen K-5 Math Skills with Computer Science.
She is also co-editor for the Journal of Computer Science Integration and an associate editor for the American Educational Research Association’s (AERA) Review in Educational Research journal. She is the current Communications Chair for AERA’s Research in Mathematics Education SIG and also co-chairs the California Council on Teacher Education’s Technology and Teacher Education SIG, Policy Committee, and their Spring Policy Action Network.
Resources
This film follows computer scientist Joy Buolamwini, data scientists, mathematicians, and activist as they seek to expose the discrimination in facial recognition algorithms.
This reading addresses the following question: What kind of power do data scientists wield and what are the ethical implications? It also provides examples of data activist and computer scientist who tackle these types of questions, such as Joy Buolamwini and Timnit Gebru.
This website houses information to support enhancing the use of digital data in secondary schools, including examples of projects and organizations dedicated to supporting educators.
This research article explores re-active and pro-active data activism in an effort to fully understand future civic engagement.
This article discusses diverse experiences and methods of data-activist research as a way to expand traditional research methods and to build collaboration between activist communities and academia.
The connections between computer science and data science are outlined in this article.
A CS Educator’s perspective on what is needed to support the integration of data science in schools.
A conversation between Nikuyah Walker (former Charlottesville City Mayor) and Renee Cummings (Data Activist in Residence). The two engage each other in an exploration of activism as a tool for justice in a data-saturated world.
