Big data literacy for youth: an intervention agenda

Authors

  • Ana Kubrusly Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences (CICS.NOVA), Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (NOVA FCSH) and Polytechnic Institute of Setubal (IPS), Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6681-7193
  • Lidia Marôpo Polytechnic Institute of Setubal (IPS) and Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences (CICS.NOVA), Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (NOVA FCSH), Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4687-7628
  • Susana Batista Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences (CICS.NOVA), Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (NOVA FCSH), Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2545-4538

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34619/jvda-wgve

Keywords:

big data literacy, datafication, big data, youth

Abstract

Children and young people are growing up in increasingly datafied societies, with rapid developments in related digital technologies. In this context, it becomes essential to promote the necessary skills to identify, understand, and critically interact with (big) data, being able to deal with their impacts on society and daily life. Exploring the emergent field of research on youth’s big data literacy through a thematic analysis of references selected by a scoping literature review, we identify relevant gaps and trends and propose an intervention agenda. Specifically, we aim to propose a larger understanding of young people's big data literacy and reflect on future paths – including central themes and pedagogical strategies – that can be used to enhance it. We identify four main topics for this agenda: 1) the defiance of big data’s mythology and data-driven technologies as neutral and impartial tools; 2) situating the big data phenomenon within the digital economic ecosystem; 3) connecting big data to artificial intelligence’s impact on society and 4) working on potential strategies to overcome youth's stances of apathy and indifference.

Author Biographies

Ana Kubrusly, Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences (CICS.NOVA), Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (NOVA FCSH) and Polytechnic Institute of Setubal (IPS), Portugal

Ana Kubrusly is a PhD-candidate in Communication Sciences at NOVA University of Lisbon. She holds an individual grant funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), hosted at the Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences (CICS.NOVA) and at the Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal. Her research focuses on children’s and adolescents’ relationships with digital environments, namely in terms of their literacy, skills, well-being, and digital cultures. 

Lidia Marôpo, Polytechnic Institute of Setubal (IPS) and Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences (CICS.NOVA), Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (NOVA FCSH), Portugal

Lidia Marôpo is an Associate Professor at the Polytechnic Institute of Setubal, Portugal, and a researcher at the Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences at Nova University of Lisbon, Portugal. Her research mainly addresses the relationship between children, young people, and the media. She has participated in international projects and networks such as COST Action Transforming Audiences and ySKILLS. She has published in journals such as the Journal of Children and Media and Communication & Society and publishers such as Palgrave and Routledge. 

Susana Batista, Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences (CICS.NOVA), Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (NOVA FCSH), Portugal

Susana Batista is an assistant professor at NOVA FCSH, where she coordinates the Master in Education Studies, and a researcher at CICS.NOVA. She has been a member of the Portuguese team of the European network EU Kids Online since 2017 and was a researcher for the ySKILLS Project (2020–2023, H2020). She is also a member of CriA.On, a Portuguese digital platform that provides resources on the digital contexts, skills, and rights of children and adolescents.  

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Published

2024-11-29

How to Cite

Kubrusly, A., Marôpo, L., & Batista, S. (2024). Big data literacy for youth: an intervention agenda. Revista De Comunicação E Linguagens, (60-61), 114–137. https://doi.org/10.34619/jvda-wgve