Data visualization is becoming an integral tool within many of the industries and media that impact us on a daily basis. As more and more of our digital resources turn to data to fuel intelligence and analysis, we are constantly driven by the need to interpret and showcase data in meaningful ways. This is becoming increasingly apparent within the field of education.
As data-driven analysis continues to reshape our perception of education, it is data visualization that will help us decipher and share information with our stakeholders and learners alike. When used properly, data visualization can be a powerful communication tool.
Education is not alone in its use of data visualization. Trailblazing companies are constantly seeking future opportunities for data visualization and are focusing their resources on the development and refinement of data visualization tools. We expect to see tremendous growth within the data visualization market as well the emergence of synergetic relationships with peripheral technologies such as immersive technologies, data analytics, AI and mobile learning.
Opportunity statement:
From showcasing performance, to identifying early intervention opportunities to making informed operational decisions, data visualization will continue to lead the charge when it comes to data analysis within an educational setting. With the growing use of digital resources, online learning and educational technology we expect data visualization to become more readily used throughout all levels of education.
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As Vijaya Jammi said in the original post above, many other technologies will be increasingly overlapping with education in the near future. Many of the other emerging markets such as immersive technologies, AI, mobile learning, cloud learning, game-based learning, and wearable technology are all producing more and more data every year. Some of these may enter the education industry sooner than others, but it is a certainty that they will all be generating data relating to students, teachers, families, and communities in the next few decades. The useful application of this data depends entirely on the ability to communicate conclusions from it. Decisions that affect student success, health, and more will be made. Having the right data visualization resources will provide an opportunity for real-time feedback on student progress, enabling timely interventions and personalized learning strategies.
When it comes to data visualisation I think there is a great opportunity for a form of translation. Many people think that scientific research papers are written in English, or any other language, but it is not true. The English that I speak every day is not the same as the information included in a study. Science is its own language and a lot of the time it does not translate very well. Most humans like to have exact answers that are black and white and straightforward, yet our world has so few experiences which are a definite answer. Scientists can say they are sure about something that if they “ump off this building I won’t be able to fly, but that is not the same as saying they are 100% sure about something. If there was a way to quantify data in a way that would help translate data into more visual ways that our brains could process which could mean that people in various fields would be able to reach an understanding without necessarily being able to “speak” in that specific scientific language.
As a visual learner, who is passionate about the importance of data collection with intentions for applications in every day life, I find it an area where this should be of imminent importance when we are experiencing so much misinformation and distrust, to be able to present information in a way that people can understand, I truly believe this could impact dissemination of information and understanding. These are all very important tools in the education classroom and beyond. As I hope to build an eco-sustainable school, being able to translate education research with ecological research and present it to people who are not necessarily within either realm, I would love to see developments in this field as soon as possible.
Our population is overwhelmed with access to data, yet I also think we are often baffled and misled by it. Using the data we have appropriately, and presenting it in a way that is understandable is essential to its usability, and its persuasiveness. Whether teaching a history class or a science class, data visualization shapes and deepens understanding, and allows the viewer to integrate information into their worldview. But data visualization is more than a method to sharing and interpreting information, it is also a way of assessing, providing feedback, presenting student progress and considering data collectively. Discussing a topic in class is one thing, but visualizing data together can be formative and incredibly helpful.