Improving Data Literacy at Ball State: Our Approach
Recorded October 6, 2025
Improving data literacy at a large, profession-focused university demands a plan that is deep and scalable. In this presentation, we discuss Ball State University’s journey—identifying AIR as a key partner, training 60 heavy data users through the Data Literacy Institute (DLI), extending their capstone project, and broadening access to data literacy training. This webinar shares the rationale, execution, early outcomes, lessons learned, and outlines steps after the DLI as Ball State rolls out on-demand offerings and research products university-wide.
As a result of this webinar, participants will:
- Understand how a focused power-user cohort can contribute to a sustainable campus-wide data culture shift.
- Learn how BSU scaled a proven data literacy curriculum (DLI) and is scaling it through modular, self-paced courses.
- Take away ideas about how capstone work can evolve into decision-shaping research that directly informs university policy.
Presenters:
- Joseph Finke
- Caleb Grubb
- Cole Heady
