Hi, I’m Jessica Pucci and welcome to Study
Hall Data Literacy presented by Arizona State
University and Crash Course.
Data is everywhere. We expect it on our computers
and in science labs, but it’s also in things
like the food we eat, the websites we surf,
and the cars we drive. We use it at work,
school, or even just scrolling through YouTube.
Data is useful; it informs important decisions
like those made about medicines, government
policy, and entertainment.
But data can also be misused, and unfortunately,
we can’t always trust someone else’s interpretation.
The way data is collected, analyzed, and presented
changes the final outcome. We need to be able
to tell the difference between a faithful
interpretation of the numbers and an incomplete
or misleading one.
In these 15 episodes, we’ll strengthen our
data literacy powers together and learn how
to read, analyze, create, and talk about data.
Ultimately we want you to be able to identify
what story the data is telling you and decide
whether or not you can believe that story.
If the thought of combing through a pile of
data makes you reach for your stress ball,
this series will give you tips to befriend
data and help you pay attention to the world
around you.
We can see data, we can touch data, we can
even be data! And if data leaks and misuse
keep you up at night, we’ll provide some
data privacy and security action items to
keep your personal data locked down.
Sound good? I’ll even give you your first
data literacy lesson right now: always investigate
the data source. For instance, why should
you let me be your data literacy guide?
I’m an associate dean and a professor of
digital analytics and engagement at Arizona
State University’s Walter Cronkite School
of Journalism and Mass Communication. I’m
a trained journalist and strategic communicator,
and I’ve helped tell all kinds of stories
from fashion to college basketball to voting
access.
Throughout it all, I’ve used data to help
inform stories, engage with my readers and
viewers, and teach my students. The same qualities
that make me a good journalist are the same
things that make me a good data analyst: curiosity,
a healthy dose of skepticism, and being the
type to ask questions. Like… SO many questions.
I’m excited to dig deeper into data literacy
with you all. It’s important to be responsible
consumers of all the information reaching
us at any given time, not just when we come
across a wild spreadsheet. And if together
we can find concrete approaches to search
for truth and decipher each and every bit,
I’ll consider it a job well done. No ambiguous
number or dubious statistical claim will be
able to get past us!
Thanks for watching; I’ll see you soon!
Thanks for watching Study Hall: Data Literacy,
which is produced by Arizona State University
and the Crash Course team at Complexly. If
you liked this video and want to keep learning
with us here in Study Hall, be sure to subscribe.
You can learn more about ASU and the videos
produced by Crash Course in the links in the
description. See ya next time!
