The DALI4US project has released promising early findings from Phase 1 of its teacher professional learning activities, following workshops held in Slovenia, Luxembourg, and Ireland earlier this year. The preliminary evaluation highlights strong teacher engagement with the DALI4US data literacy framework, the value of hands-on activities, and key areas for improvement ahead of the next phase of training.
A Multinational Approach to Data Literacy
Teachers in three partner countries took part in interactive workshops designed to build their understanding of the DALI4US Data Literacy Process and trial the Orange data analytics platform. Feedback was gathered through pre- and post-workshop surveys and focus groups to help the DALI4US team to identify both the impact of the training, and the support teachers need to integrate data literacy into their classrooms.
Strong Student Engagement
The participating teachers have already started using the data literacy activities with their students. Activities such as “What Are They Doing?” and the “Gnomes” lesson sparked lively discussion and high levels of participation. They reported that the unplugged activities were particularly effective, and many were surprised by how readily learners engaged in lessons based on real-world data scenarios.
As one Slovenian teacher explained: “The main surprise was the level of engagement of students. They really enjoyed the lessons as the concepts are relevant to their lives.”
From Charts to Critical Thinking
A key finding from the evaluation is the shift in how teachers understand data literacy. Initially viewed as a strand of mathematics focused on graphs and statistics, teachers now see it as a multidisciplinary, critical thinking skillset that can be integrated across the curriculum. A teacher from Ireland remarked: “In the beginning I thought it was creating and interpreting bar charts. Now I know it is more about exploring each step of the data literacy framework.”
Another teacher from Luxembourg remarked, “Before taking part in DALI4US training, I saw data as a strand in Maths… I didn’t really think of how it integrates into critical thinking, exploring and storytelling.”
Recommendations and Next Steps
Based on this feedback, eight key recommendations have been put forward to the DALI4US consortium. These include clarifying the DALI4US data literacy process with visual aids, improving curriculum alignment, simplifying the Orange platform, and extending support between workshops through virtual meetings. Teachers would also like to have more time for hands-on experimentation and greater context for AI and data science concepts. One teacher insightfully concluded: “We are teaching the children skills to do jobs that have yet to be invented—and this resonated with me.”
As DALI4US moves into Phase 2, the team has begun building on this strong foundation so that both unplugged and digital data literacy activities are accessible, relevant, and impactful across European classrooms.
To stay updated with DALI4US developments and access upcoming resources, visit www.dali4us.eu.
