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Zarek Drozda: Every high school student should be data-literate
Manage episode 482856197 series 3665625
What do K-12 students need to thrive in a world increasingly shaped by AI?
Zarek Drozda, executive director of Data Science 4 Everyone (DS4E), believes data literacy must become as fundamental as reading literacy – and he's building a movement to make it happen.
Inspired by a viral Freakonomics podcast that questioned outdated math curricula, DS4E has grown from operating in one state to 29 states in just four years. Their approach isn't about creating an entirely new subject – it's about intelligently integrating data literacy into existing courses in ways that feel relevant and engaging to students. When kids analyze NBA statistics or Spotify trends, abstract math concepts suddenly become tools for understanding real-world phenomena that they care about.
Zarek takes us behind the scenes of building his nonprofit coalition, sharing honest insights about the challenges of education reform and the strategic choices that led to DS4E's rapid expansion. Rather than competing with other educational nonprofits or building curriculum themselves, DS4E have focused on being connectors – bringing together teachers, researchers, policymakers, and curriculum developers to create sustainable change.
You can find out more about Zarek and Data Science 4 Everyone at:
aiEDU: The AI Education Project
Chapters
1. Introduction to Data Science 4 Everyone (DS4E) (00:00:00)
2. Genesis of a movement from Freakonomics (00:14:34)
3. Building a national data science initiative (00:30:18)
4. Why data science matters in education (00:47:57)
5. Future skills in the age of AI (01:05:30)
6. Making data literacy fun and engaging (01:23:50)
7. Collaboration for education reform (01:34:20)
8. Final thoughts and future priorities (01:36:09)
2 episodes
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