Instructor’s Note
Consider the following potential activities and discussion questions for this reading.
Defining Concepts
In small groups, try to come up with a working definition of the following concepts from in your own words:
- Counterdata
- “The Pitfalls of Proof”
- Data Ethics vs. Data Justice
As a whole class, share each group’s working definition. The instructor should write these definitions on the board. Other groups should add to these definitions or ask for clarifications as needed.
Applying Concepts
- Look around the classroom. Brainstorm as many ideas as you can for kinds of data you might try and collect about what you see. Ex. “We could count the number of people wearing glasses.”
- In small groups: choose one of your ideas and try to apply at least one of the three concepts (Counterdata, “The Perils of Proof,” and Data Ethics vs. Data Justice) you defined from “Collect, Analyze, Imagine, Teach” to that idea:
- Negative: How would you irresponsibly collect your chosen data? How might that data get misused?
- Positive: How would you collect this data in a way that follows one or more of the three concepts defined above?
Additional Questions
- Do you think the distinction between “data ethics” vs. “data justice” is a useful one?
- Can you think of other examples of “counterdata” that weren’t mentioned in this chapter?