Professional Growth · AIU Connections
Preparing students for a data‑driven future
Educators and students encounter data every day—in news articles, classroom lessons, and workplace dashboards. But exposure to data does not automatically lead to understanding.
Data literacy—the ability to read, question, interpret, and use data to make informed decisions—is increasingly recognized as an essential skill for students. Education leaders say it should be embedded across subject areas rather than limited to math classes.
“Reading a chart doesn’t necessarily mean we understand the data,” said Michele Burgess, math coordinator for the Allegheny Intermediate Unit’s Math & Science Collaborative (MSC). “There are always underlying factors, such as sample size, context, and missing information, that need to be considered before interpreting the information.”
Pennsylvania was selected by Data Science for Everyone, a national coalition dedicated to advancing data science education, as one of three states leading efforts to expand data literacy instruction. Created by the University of Chicago Center for Radical Innovation for Social Change and organized in partnership with The Learning Agency and the Concord Consortium, the coalition aims to ensure all students develop the skills needed to navigate an increasingly data-driven world.
“Data literacy belongs in every classroom. It’s a career skill and a life skill, not just an elective.”— Michele Burgess
Data literacy emphasizes critical thinking when drawing conclusions from data, creating and refining data visualizations, applying statistical reasoning, and analyzing patterns. It challenges students to ask questions about how data is collected, how it is presented, and what information may be missing.
Michael Fierle, director of MSC, said data literacy is a foundational skill across industries, including agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, and business.
“The ability to interpret, analyze, and make decisions based on data is what employers are looking for,” Fierle said. “It’s important for learners to arrive with those skills and have experience using them. Ultimately, it’s about understanding information and using it effectively.”
While specialized data science courses may be introduced in high school or college, educators say data literacy should be developed gradually across grade levels and disciplines. Students need repeated opportunities to analyze visualizations, identify patterns, evaluate evidence, and revise their thinking as new information emerges.
Educators interested in strengthening data literacy instruction can learn more at the Data Literacy Action Summit on Oct. 6 at the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (commonly known as PaTTAN) Central office in Harrisburg. Centered on the theme “Weaving Data Fluency Across Disciplines for Civic Impact,” the summit will explore why data science is essential for all learners, from kindergarten through college. Featured speaker Jeff Remington, STEM outreach liaison with Penn State University’s Center for Science and the Schools, will lead discussions on preparing students to thrive in a data-driven world.
By integrating data literacy across subject areas, educators can engage students with real-world data and help them develop critical thinking skills, recognize patterns, question assumptions, and draw evidence-based conclusions. Whether learners are analyzing graphs, evaluating sources, interpreting survey results, or creating visualizations to communicate findings, these experiences help build the habits of mind needed to make sense of information.
“The ability to interpret, analyze, and make decisions based on data is what employers are looking for.”— Michael Fierle
“Data literacy belongs in every classroom,” Burgess said. “It’s a career skill and a life skill, not just an elective.”
Originally published in AIU Connections · Fall 2026
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