Network founded and website launched

Published by Harald Gapski on 21. February 202021. February 2020

The international and interdisciplinary network of experts on Critical Big Data and Algorithmic Literacy (CBDAL) has been founded. In a first step, the website www.bigdataliteracy.net and a Twitter account (@bigdataliteracy) have now been activated.

The network emerged from a working group that met for the first time in February 2020 at the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS) in Bochum, Germany, aiming to bring together international and interdisciplinary approaches to critical data literacy. The new network continues this work, addressing the educational challenges associated with the progressive datafication and algorithmisation of our society.

The primary goal of the network is to promote a critical-reflective competence for action and decision-making with regard to big data phenomena in the digital society. To this end, the ideas and concepts on education via big data, which have existed independently of each other on an international level so far, are to be brought into relation with each other.
The network currently consists of nine researchers with different national backgrounds (German, British, Canadian, Israeli) who are active in academia as well as in educational practice:

• Dr. Elinor Carmi, “Me and My Big Data” project, University of Liverpool, UK
• Prof. Dr. Valentin Dander, Fachhochschule Clara Hoffbauer, Potsdam, Germany
• Dr. Aristea Fotopoulou, University of Brighton, UK
• Dr. Harald Gapski, Grimme Institute, Marl, Germany
• Prof. Dr. Stephan Packard, University of Cologne, Germany
• Lulu Pinney, The University of Sheffield, UK
• Dr. Joanna Redden, Data Justice Lab & Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
• Ina Sander, Data Justice Lab, Cardiff University, UK
• Jun.-Prof. Dr. Dan Verständig, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany

It is planned to expand the network with scientists and practitioners, to create a database for CBDAL resources that can be used for education about Big Data, to publish joint publications and to apply for external funding.

The project is supported with funds from the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS). It was initiated by Ina Sander (former CAIS fellow) and Dr. Harald Gapski (Grimme Research). The network is further supported by the Grimme Forschungskolleg at the University of Cologne.