Bringing DLI to the Classroom

Bringing DLI to the Classroom A. Michelle Edwards, Ph.D. DRC, University of Guelph Ontario DLI Training April 6, 2004

Data Liberation Initiative “DLI provides Canadian academic institutions access to Statistics Canada data files and databases for teaching and research.” Source: DLI description

Data Liberation Initiative “There is … growing evidence that the Initiative is making important contributions to Canadian teaching and research. Courses are being reconfigured to encourage students to use the data ….” Excerpt from “What is the Data Liberation Initiative” – Benefits section

Research vs. Teaching Data has been primarily used in Research But is Data being used in the Classroom?

Is Data in the Classroom? Elementary schools • Math programs • Social Studies

Is Data in the Classroom? Secondary schools • Math programs • Social Studies • Geography

Are Schools NurturingData Aware Students? Are we seeing more “data aware” students at the elementary level? Will there be higher expectations of available resources?

Are Universities Behind the 8 Ball? Generation of students that are “data aware” moving up through the system Environment where data resources are not being exploited

Is Data in the University Classroom? • DLI data has been primarily used in research • Data Resources may be unknown to faculty on campuses • Faculties – data is being used as a teaching tool

Where and How can Data be Used? Social Sciences • bring real world issues and data to the course • Why rely on textbook data or faculty research data only?

Where and How can Data be Used? Math and Statistics • DLI data vs. prefabricated examples • DLI data has variation which may be tough to “recreate” in examples • Create “real” problems students will inevitably have to work with

Where and How can Data be Used? Agricultural Sciences • industry background & comparisons • How do we compare on the International market?

Data Aware Faculty? We have DLI resources at our fingertips Not all faculty on our campuses are aware of this RICH resource

Bridge the Gap? How do we make our Faculty aware of this resource? How do we encourage and/or assist Faculty to use this resource?

Lessons Learned and Collaboration? How have you encouraged DLI data use in the classroom? Successes and Failures?

Written Contact Introductory Letters at the beginning of the Academic year Success very limited

New Faculty Orientation Introduction and tour of data resources included in new Faculty Orientation package Issues – lot of info for faculty BUT good way of introducing resources

Department Contact Academic Liaison Librarians • Relationship • Contact departmental heads • Conduct seminars at Faculty meetings and / or Dept Seminars

Department Contact Introduction to data holdings and services Geared towards the department Geared towards Faculty and Graduate Students

Department Contact-Faculty Interested Faculty members seek services Intro session on Data Holdings in subject area presented in Class

Department Contact-Faculty Courses touched by this route are primarily • Research Method courses • Graduate Student courses • 4th Year Undergraduate courses

Department Contact Very successful in: • Ag Econ and Business • Economics • Marketing and Consumer Studies

In Class Sessions Faculty who have used Data in Research try to incorporate data in the class Introductory sessions / tutorials

In Class Sessions Computer lab situation Tour the students through the data holdings – highlight pertinent data to their coursework

In Class Sessions Work through examples • Excel data • B2020 data • Web retrieval

In Class Sessions Goals are: • Familiarize students with data holdings • Familiarize students with codebooks and accompanying documentation • Familiarize students with formats data are available

Class Assignments Goal of assignments • To get students working with real data • To seek and find exercise • Put students into real work-like situations

Class Assignments Planned and known assignments • Collaborate with other reference staff • Point the students in the same and right direction

Class Assignments Unplanned and Unknown assignments • Students who have weak understanding of the assignment • Leads to a number of sources of data

Class Assignments Goal is to work with faculty in development of data assignments Encourage more faculty and/or course instructors to incorporate data in their assignments

Faculty to Faculty Word of mouth Inside departments Data advocates

Workshops Human Resources Training Graduate Student Training

Human Resources Training Intro to Data Resources session Advanced Excel Open to faculty and staff

Graduate Student Workshops Intro to Data Resources Intro to Statistical software

Workshops -> Classroom Intro to SPSS workshop led to complete session in Rural Planning and Development AND Rural Extension Studies Intro to Data Resources – retrieve data - SPSS

Where do we go from here? Need to get message out – data is available! Not only for research! How should we initiate contact? Which method is best? Where are we successful? How far do we go?

Where do we go from here? Need to help faculty and course instructors incorporate data into the course via assignments or projects Need to bring data into “unconventional” data courses

Your turn…. How do you introduce community members to data resources available? Do you contact faculty? Or do faculty contact you?

Your turn…. How is data brought into classrooms on your campus? Do you work with faculty / instructors in creating assignments or projects?

Bringing DLI to the Classroom