Students as Producers of Interactive Data Visualizations—Digitally Skilled to Make Their Voices Heard

Abstract

The study explores students’ production of interactive visualized stories with visual analytics (VA). The aim is to understand emerging interactions in classrooms of grades 7–9 students when visual storytelling methods are playing a part in producing social science content. The dual aspects of visual literacy, information retrievement paired with the creation of interactive visualized stories, are crucial. Video captures of students working in groups and of what happens on their screens are conducted. The results show that students can handle the technical aspects of a VA application, but interpretation of visualized statistics is challenging. The study suggests that VA has potential to strengthen students’ ability to handle huge amounts of data and increase the possibilities for young people to take part in society.(Keywords: digital technology, digital skills, democracy, civic knowledge, social science education, visual analytics, visual storytelling, visual literacy, digital literacy)

Author Notes

Linnea Stenliden has a doctoral degree in educational sciences from the Department of Social and Welfare Studies, Linköping University, Sweden. Her research focuses on media technologies within teaching and learning processes in classroom studies. She has also a longstanding interests in creative research methodologies, where she pays a special attention to post qualitative and post human research practices.

Ulrika Bodén is PhD student at the Department of Social and Welfare Studies. Her research interests are digital media and learning, information visualization, visual literacy in educational practice.

Jörgen Nissen, is associate professor educational practice, at the Department of Social and Welfare Studies, Linköping University, Sweden. His main research focus is on information technologies, education and youth.