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 a key training partner, training 60 of our heaviest data users, extending their capstone project, and broadening access to data literacy training. This webinar shares the rationale, execution, early outcomes, lessons learned, and outlines next steps 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 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

AIR Data & Decisions Academy