Teaching Data Literacy in a Distrustful Environment: The Role of Critical Data Studies

abstract: American public opinion polls show a sustained and substantial loss of faith in the institutions that were historically trusted to establish and convey knowledge. Institutions produce and disseminate broadly accepted knowledge in many ways, and data is often a critical part of the process. Unsurprisingly, then, the loss of faith in these institutions is also manifesting as a lack of faith in the data that they create and disseminate. In this environment, teaching data literacy using traditional information literacy–based methods, emphasizing criteria such as authority and credibility, is extremely challenging. A vital part of effective education has always been meeting students where they are. In this distrustful moment, how can librarians find an initial point of agreement with students and work from that point toward a productive and literate approach to understanding and using data? This article argues that the recently emerged field of critical data studies provides such a starting point and offers some ideas for integrating concepts from critical data studies into information literacy instruction sessions.