This paper is from Session 7F: Challenges for statistics in the past and in the future
which comes under Topic 7: Statistical literacy in the wider society
Paper 7F1 (Thursday 12th, 11:00-12:30)
Big Data literacy
Presenter
- Karen François (Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Belgium)
Co-author
- Carlos Monteiro (Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil)
Abstract
In the contemporary society a massive amount of data is generated continuously by various means, and they are called Big Data sets. Big Data has potential and limits which need to be understood by statistics consumers, therefore it is a challenge to develop Big Data Literacy to support the needs of constructive, concerned, and reflective citizens. However, the parallel developments of the concepts of statistical and mathematical literacy mirror the current gap between purely technical and socio-political characterizations of Big Data. In this paper, we review the recent history of the concepts of mathematical and statistical literacy and we will highlight the need to integrate the new challenges and critical issues from data-science associated with Big Data, including e.g. ethics, integrity, misconduct, agency, and mathwashing.