Instructor Guide 5C: Forming Connections

Overview

  • The goal of this activity is for students to understand how to identify misleading graphical displays in the media.
  • Students will use their knowledge of complex graphical displays and apply principles of graphical design to critique a set of graphical displays.
  • Connects back to data interrogation and quantitative/categorical variable graphical displays in Module 2 and prepares students for multiple linear regression [optional, DC Lesson 17].
  • S2, 4, C2, C3, C4, V1, V2, V3, V4, O1, O2, O3, O4, B4  ← Link to EBTP descriptions 

Prerequisite assumptions

Students should be able to do each of the following after completing the What to Know assignment.

  • Define the criteria for effective visualization.
  • Identify misleading components in a graphical display.

Intended goals for this activity

After completing this activity, students should understand that complex graphical displays seen in the media are not all accurately and correctly created and/or interpreted. They should be able to demonstrate how to use a rating scale to critique a complex graphical display.

Synchronous Delivery and Activity Flow

The sample activity delivery below assumes a face-to-face class meeting but can be adapted to a fully online or hybrid delivery by using break-out rooms for pairs and small groups.

Frame the activity (5 minutes)

  • Gallery Walk — Preparation prior to class O1, V3, V1, C2, S4
    • This activity requires students to complete a gallery walk. Take five minutes before class to set up the gallery walk stations. If you are teaching online, you can use breakout rooms and rotate groups of students through them in turn.
    • To prepare for the gallery walk, set up the four different graphical displays (attached) in the four corners of the classroom. A minimum of two of the graphical displays will need to be displayed via a computer because they are interactive.
    • All of the graphical displays are complex, and two of the graphical displays are misleading graphs (Graphical Displays 2 and 3).
    • Place a large poster size paper next to each graphical display, and provide markers/pens for students to make comments about the graphical displays.
    • During the gallery walk, students will need the best practices criteria and rating scale to evaluate the graphical displays.
      • [insert a pdf of the best practices criteria and rating scale from the DC instructor page (it is located at the end)
      • During class, display or distribute copies of the criteria and rating scale.
  • Gallery Walk — Graphical Displays
  • Question 1 — Think-Pair-Share S2, C4, V1, V4, O3
  • Transition to the activity by briefly discussing the Objectives for the activity.

Activity Flow (18 minutes)

  • Distribute the ranking criteria and rating scale for students to use to critique the graphical displays in the gallery walk.
  • Whole class discussion O4
    • Walk students through critiquing the practice display in the Example Box in the text. https://viz.wtf/post/185134001896/a-bad-chart-that-could-be-fixed-by-removing-the
    • Questions to pose to the class as you are evaluating the practice graphical display:
      • “Is this graph clear in communicating patterns/trends?”
      • “What are we supposed to be comparing in this graph?”
      • “What do the different colors represent?”
      • “What is the scale for the bar chart?”
    • Explain the purpose of the gallery walk: to allow the students to individually evaluate each graphical display and then make comments about the graphs without talking to the other students.
      • Students should only reflect and interact with other students via the comments on the poster paper rather than by talking.
  • Gallery Walk C3, V1, V2,
    • To facilitate a smooth gallery walk, group the students into four groups and have each group start at a different graphical display.
    • Encourage students to take notes in their notebooks.
    • Give students a few minutes at each graphical display and then tell them to move to the next graphical display. Repeat until students have seen all four graphical displays.
    • As you circulate, encourage students to write their ideas on the posters and/or respond to comments made by other students.
  • Whole class discussion S4, C3, V1, O1, B2, B4
    • Once all groups have visited the four stations, bring the class together and ask a few student volunteers to summarize the comments made on each poster.
    • Have the students discuss the ratings for each of the graphical displays. Possible questions to ask are:
      • “Based on your rating scales, which graphical displays could be labeled as misleading? Why?”
      • “What did you notice about the rating scales for Graphical Displays 1 and 4? How did they compare to the Graphical Displays for 2 and 3?”
  • Question 4 — Individual reflection C4
    • Give students time to reflect individually by answering Question 4.

Wrap-up/transition (2 minutes)

    • Wrap up the activity by discussing the importance of having a critical perspective when interpreting complex visual displays.
    • Ask, “what are some possible reasons that a graphical display may be misleading?”
  • Have students refer back to the Objectives for the activity and identify ones they recognized completing. S2, C4, O2
  • Assign the homework or Practice and any What to Know pages for the Forming Connections activities you plan to complete in the next class meeting. C2