Data Days Workshop Day

The Data Days CLE Planning Committee

Learn from area experts in these hands-on workshops from various organizations.  Lunch Provided.

Cleveland Public Library-Louis Stokes Wing

There are two, two-hour workshop time slots, listed below. Each time slot has two concurrent workshop sessions. Attendees will be able to attend up to two workshops of the four that are offered.MORNING SESSIONS: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM(A) Embedding Equity in Data for Decision Making(B) How to Access Data Using Public APIsLUNCH: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PMAFTERNOON SESSIONS: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM(C) Non-numerical Data Counts 2 (D) From Numbers to Narratives: Working with Ohio's Campaign Finance Data

Agenda

This session offers a practical, equity-informed approach towards data analysis, interpretation, and application, essential for project evaluation and decision-making. Alternating between instruction and reflection, communities will develop a data plan that considers data sources, collection processes, long-term planning, equity, and integrating data practices with existing work. Using a trauma informed lens, we will consider how to address biased and problematic data. We will review quantitative and qualitative data practices and their overlap, combining theory, and hands-on exercises. Ultimately, participants will leave with mini data plans relevant to their practice. Workshop attendees are encouraged to bring ongoing projects or data projects.

This workshop is designed for those without data knowledge and is intentional about presenting data in a way that is not overwhelming. Those with established data practice are also encouraged to attend and ask questions. 

Embedding Equity in Data for Decision Making

A lot of public data is accessible using a defined Application Programming Interface (API). Using these APIs an individual or organization can leverage the full value of this data with the options to A) create a unique and powerful visualization or B) to add computer analysis based on AI. In this workshop you will learn how to use JavaScript or R to directly access public data. Topics will include styles of APIs and how to handle the security and metadata challenges.

Participants should bring a laptop that can be used for building APIs in JavaScript or R. Some programming experience would be helpful but this workshop will be suitable for people new to programming.

How to Access Data Using Public APIs

LUNCH

In this interactive workshop, participants will identify additional data sources beyond traditional, quantitative data sets and will learn how to leverage them to strengthen their measurement, learning, and communication. Participants will leave the workshop knowing how to capture information from non-numerical data sources such as surveys, focus groups, interviews, notes, and observation, and how to pair current numerical data with qualitative data. Participants will use guiding worksheets to map out the key areas they are looking to understand, will build measurement systems to capture qualitative data, and will work in pairs to review and refine approaches. This session will also touch on how to ensure equity in qualitative data collection. Participants will observe multiple qualitative data collection strategies of their own during the workshop's pre-and post-surveys and formative assessments measuring the experience of the workshop. 

Non-numerical Data Counts 2

For good or for bad, political contributions have been deemed an expression of free speech protected by the First Amendment. But do you know how to find this information? Do you know what it is that you’d even want to know or ask? 

Participants will dive into the “sexy” world of campaign finance, which really means countless data that exists in a countless amount of different formats. We will walk participants through an overview of Ohio’s campaign finance laws, how access and use  federal, state, and county-level data, and identify ways in which this core piece of American politics could be easier to access for the public.

Attendees will need to bring a laptop and have access to the internet to participate in the workshop; it is possible to use a tablet but not preferred. Attendees will need to have a basic skill of using the internet and using a spreadsheet program on their computer (e.g. Excel, Google Sheets).
