The DALI4US project, which stands for “Data Literacy for Upper Primary Schools,” is an Erasmus+ funded project aimed at equipping primary school students and educators with essential data literacy skills. The project is using the OrangeEDU platform, along with curated teaching and learning materials and a professional training programme to equip primary school teachers with the essential confidence, knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to effectively teach data literacy. As part of this, DALI4US is developing and implementing a data literacy framework that integrates into the primary education curriculum across several European countries including Slovenia, Luxembourg, and Ireland.

The DALI4US project aims to develop an evidence-based data literacy framework specifically designed for upper primary education. This framework will include tools and resources to help students critically engage with data. The project is creating a digital data mining ecosystem called OrangeEDU to support the teaching and learning of data literacy concepts in an age-appropriate manner. DALI4US is also developing professional training programmes for teachers to enhance their competence in teaching data literacy. Through a series of school-based implementation pilots, the project will evaluate the effectiveness of these solutions through iterative testing and refinement, ensuring the sustainability and scalability of the outcomes.

The DALI4US project is a collaborative effort involving several esteemed partners from different European countries. These partners include the Service de Coordination de la Recherche et de l’Innovation Pédagogiques et Technologiques (SCRIPT) from Luxembourg, the University of Ljubljana from Slovenia, the Institut de Formation de l’Education Nationale (IFEN) from Luxembourg, Revelo from Slovenia, H2 Learning from Ireland, the Ministry of Education from Slovenia, and the Oide Teacher Support Service from Ireland. Each partner brings unique expertise and experience to the project, contributing to the development and implementation of the data literacy framework and related resources.

This consortium has come together to address the growing need for data literacy in primary education. The partners aim to create a robust, scalable, and transferable data literacy framework that can be implemented across various educational contexts. Our collaborative approach brings together diverse perspectives and best practices from three different European countries, and the aspiration is that this will lead to more effective and innovative solutions. By integrating data literacy into the curriculum, the project aims to prepare pupils for a data-rich world and foster their ability to use data responsibly and effectively.

OrangeEDU is a customised version of the Orange Data Mining software and is adapted specifically for primary education. Orange Data Mining, developed at the University of Ljubljana is a comprehensive data analysis tool used in universities and industry for teaching and research purposes. OrangeEDU simplifies this tool to make it accessible and engaging for younger students. It incorporates elements of gamification so that primary school students can effectively engage with data literacy concepts. Through the DALI4US project, OrangeEDU is being customised further along with interactive visualisations and hands-on activities to help students learn to access, understand, analyse, and use data responsibly. This tool simplifies complex data mining processes to make them accessible and engaging for primary school students. Through interactive and age-appropriate activities, students learn how to collect, analyse, and interpret data. This hands-on approach helps demystify data and allows pupils to develop critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of data-driven decision-making processes.

For more information go to https://orangedatamining.com/

The DALI4US project is closely aligned with several key EU policy agendas, particularly the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027 and the updated European Digital Competence Framework (DigComp 2.2). These policies emphasise the importance of digital and data literacy as essential skills for personal fulfilment, employability, and active citizenship in a digital society. DALI4US supports the EU’s goal of enhancing digital competences across all levels of education and fostering stronger cooperation at the European level. This will be achieved through the development of a comprehensive data literacy framework and along with the necessary tools and teacher professional learning to enable teachers to address data literacy in primary schools.

Teachers and school leaders play a pivotal role in the DALI4US project. They are involved in the development and implementation of the data literacy framework and provide valuable insights and feedback throughout the process. Teachers from Slovenia, Luxembourg and Ireland participated in the first data literacy workshop held in Lasko, Slovenia in March 2024. Throughout the three years of the project, a range of professional training programmes will be designed to enhance teachers’ competence in teaching data literacy, so that they can effectively integrate these concepts into their classrooms.

DALI4US will also engage with primary schools in the participating countries during years 2 and 3 to pilot the programme and evaluate its effectiveness. School leaders or teachers interested in participating in these pilots should contact us through the Contact page.