Delphi Study to validate the survey exploring academic awareness and engagement with data-driven practices.

While data literacy (encompassing a critical, open and networked vision of data) is becoming a central component in lifelong learning and civic education, it seems that there is a dearth of first-hand conceptual and empirical research on faculty development. This might be due to the fact that the problems related to data are diversified, given that academics operate in the two complex fields of research and teaching, as explained above. In relation to research, data is connected with the discourses of open science and open data in research. In relation to teaching, data comes from pedagogical practices and teachers’ and students’ activities and interactions in online and blended learning. These are two different universes with different research specificities. But data-driven practices imply forms of awareness that are potentially transversal and connected to DS, in a context of HE modernization and with digital and derived data-driven practices at the core.

How should the professional development of academic staff be designed and developed so as to introduce transformative and critical use of digitalized data and ensure a positive impact on DS as an essential component in HE modernization?

This research question is addressed within this project by analysing, designing, developing, deploying and testing a professional learning ecology supporting data literacy among academics and relating it to short-term impacts. The chosen methodological approach encompasses mixed methods research developed in three phases: an initial desk research phase and two phases of design-based research. In the desk research phase, the constructs are defined. Moreover, a survey will collect the necessary information to elaborate the scenarios and framework of competences for data literacy among academics.

We present here:

a) the document with the results of the Delphi study carried out to validate the instrument used in the survey study.

b) the questionnaires in English defined as a result of the Dephi. Note: While the two areas of research and teaching will be taken into account, the instruments are diversified and will provide the opportunity to select one or other as the main area of activity. This is particularly important considering that many professional roles at the beginning of a career in academia exclusively cover either research or teaching.