Challenges and Opportunities in Data Visualization Education: A Call to Action

Benjamin Bach; Mandy Keck; Fateme Rajabiyazdi; Tatiana Losev; Isabel Meirelles; Jason Dykes; Robert S. Laramee; Mashael AlKadi; Christina Stoiber; Samuel Huron; Charles Perin; Luiz Morais; Wolfgang Aigner; Doris Kosminsky; Magdalena Boucher; Søren Knudsen; Areti Manataki; Jan Aerts; Uta Hinrichs; Jonathan C. Roberts; Sheelagh Carpendale

doi:10.1109/TVCG.2023.3327378

Challenges and Opportunities in Data Visualization Education: A Call to Action

Benjamin Bach
, Mandy Keck
, Fateme Rajabiyazdi
, Tatiana Losev
, Isabel Meirelles
, Jason Dykes
, Robert S. Laramee
, Mashael AlKadi
, Christina Stoiber
, Samuel Huron
, Charles Perin
, Luiz Morais
, Wolfgang Aigner
, Doris Kosminsky
, Magdalena Boucher
, Søren Knudsen
, Areti Manataki
, Jan Aerts
, Uta Hinrichs
, Jonathan C. Roberts

Sheelagh Carpendale

School of Computer Science & Engineering

FH Upper Austria, University of Applied Sciences
Carleton University
Simon Fraser University
University of Edinburgh
University of Victoria
Voxar Labs
Vienna University of Technology
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
University of St. Andrews
Hasselt University
OCAD University
City University of London
University of Nottingham
St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences
Télécom Paris
IT University of Copenhagen

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

112 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This paper is a call to action for research and discussion on data visualization education. As visualization evolves and spreads through our professional and personal lives, we need to understand how to support and empower a broad and diverse community of learners in visualization. Data Visualization is a diverse and dynamic discipline that combines knowledge from different fields, is tailored to suit diverse audiences and contexts, and frequently incorporates tacit knowledge. This complex nature leads to a series of interrelated challenges for data visualization education. Driven by a lack of consolidated knowledge, overview, and orientation for visualization education, the 21 authors of this paper—educators and researchers in data visualization—identify and describe 19 challenges informed by our collective practical experience. We organize these challenges around seven themes People, Goals & Assessment, Environment, Motivation, Methods, Materials, and Change. Across these themes, we formulate 43 research questions to address these challenges. As part of our call to action, we then conclude with 5 cross-cutting opportunities and respective action items: embrace DIVERSITY+INCLUSION, build COMMUNITIES, conduct RESEARCH, act AGILE, and relish RESPONSIBILITY. We aim to inspire researchers, educators and learners to drive visualization education forward and discuss why, how, who and where we educate, as we learn to use visualization to address challenges across many scales and many domains in a rapidly changing world: viseducationchallenges.github.io.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	649-660
Number of pages	12
Journal	IEEE Transactions on visualization and computer graphics
Volume	30
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/TVCG.2023.3327378
Publication status	Published - Jan 2024
Event	IEEE VIS: Visualization & Visual Analytics: IEEE VIS 2023 - Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne, Australia Duration: 22 Oct 2023 → 27 Oct 2023 https://ieeevis.org/year/2023/welcome

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 4 Quality Education
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

Keywords

Data Visualisation
Education
pedagogic research
Challenges
Grand challenges
Information Visualisation
Scientific Visualisation
Diversity
Inclusion
Responsible innovation

Access to Document

10.1109/TVCG.2023.3327378

2308.07703v1Accepted author manuscript, 1.04 MB

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2308.07703.pdf

8 Paper
7 Article
6 Conference contribution
1 Book
More
- 1 Editorial

Critical Design Strategy: a Method for Heuristically Evaluating Visualisation Designs
Roberts, J. C., Alnjar, H., Owen, A. & Ritsos, P. D., 19 Nov 2025, In: IEEE Transactions on visualization and computer graphics. 32, 1, p. 1383-1393 11 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
25 Downloads (Pure)
Data Meets Creativity: Authentic Learning through Data Art Design and Exhibition
Roberts, J. C., 20 May 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Computers and Graphics. 19 p., 104248.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
72 Downloads (Pure)
From Data to Insight: Using Contextual Scenarios to Teach Critical Thinking in Data Visualisation
Roberts, J. C., Butcher, P. & Ritsos, P. D., 3 Nov 2025. 6 p.
Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

Open Access
File

1 Participation in Academic conference
1 Participation in Academic workshop, seminar, course
1 Other

Data Meets Creativity: The Data Art 2025 Exhibition
Roberts, J. (Contributor)
12 May 2025 → 2 Jun 2025
Activity: Other
EduVis : Workshop on Visualization Education, Literacy, and Activities
Keck, M. (Chair), Huron, S. (Chair), Panagiotidou, G. (Chair), Stoiber, C. (Chair), Rajabiyazdi, F. (Chair), Perin, C. (Chair), Roberts, J. (Chair) & Bach, B. (Chair)
22 Oct 2023 → 27 Oct 2023
Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in Academic conference
Dagstuhl Seminar 22261 - Visualization Empowerment: How to Teach and Learn Data Visualization
Roberts, J. (Speaker)
26 Jun 2022 → 1 Jul 2022
Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in Academic workshop, seminar, course

Design Methods for Computing (including Five Design-Sheets)
Roberts, J. (Participant), Ritsos, P. (Participant) & Headleand, C. (Participant)
Impact: Technological
Project Rainbow
Roberts, J. (Participant), Roberts, D. (Participant), Ritsos, P. (Participant), Gray, C. (Participant), Mearman, J. (Participant) & Butcher, P. (Participant)
Impact: Technological, Societal
Research Institute of Visual Computing (RIVIC)
Roberts, J. (Participant), John, N. (Participant), Ritsos, P. (Participant), Ap Cenydd, L. (Participant), Hope, S. (Participant), Hughes, C. (Participant), Lim, I. S. (Participant), Miles, H. (Participant), Pop, S. (Participant), Scanlan, S. (Participant), Vidal, F. (Participant), Mantiuk, R. (Participant), Pavia, Y. (Participant) & Walker, R. (Participant)
Impact: Economic, Technological, Environmental, Societal

Cite this

Bach, B., Keck, M., Rajabiyazdi, F., Losev, T., Meirelles, I., Dykes, J., Laramee, R. S., AlKadi, M., Stoiber, C., Huron, S., Perin, C., Morais, L., Aigner, W., Kosminsky, D., Boucher, M., Knudsen, S., Manataki, A., Aerts, J., Hinrichs, U., ... Carpendale, S. (2024). Challenges and Opportunities in Data Visualization Education: A Call to Action. IEEE Transactions on visualization and computer graphics, 30, 649-660. https://doi.org/10.1109/TVCG.2023.3327378

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abstract = "This paper is a call to action for research and discussion on data visualization education. As visualization evolves and spreads through our professional and personal lives, we need to understand how to support and empower a broad and diverse community of learners in visualization. Data Visualization is a diverse and dynamic discipline that combines knowledge from different fields, is tailored to suit diverse audiences and contexts, and frequently incorporates tacit knowledge. This complex nature leads to a series of interrelated challenges for data visualization education. Driven by a lack of consolidated knowledge, overview, and orientation for visualization education, the 21 authors of this paper{\textemdash}educators and researchers in data visualization{\textemdash}identify and describe 19 challenges informed by our collective practical experience. We organize these challenges around seven themes People, Goals \& Assessment, Environment, Motivation, Methods, Materials, and Change. Across these themes, we formulate 43 research questions to address these challenges. As part of our call to action, we then conclude with 5 cross-cutting opportunities and respective action items: embrace DIVERSITY+INCLUSION, build COMMUNITIES, conduct RESEARCH, act AGILE, and relish RESPONSIBILITY. We aim to inspire researchers, educators and learners to drive visualization education forward and discuss why, how, who and where we educate, as we learn to use visualization to address challenges across many scales and many domains in a rapidly changing world: viseducationchallenges.github.io.",

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year = "2024",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1109/TVCG.2023.3327378",

language = "English",

volume = "30",

pages = "649--660",

journal = "IEEE Transactions on visualization and computer graphics",

issn = "1077-2626",

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note = "IEEE VIS: Visualization \& Visual Analytics : IEEE VIS 2023, IEEE VIS ; Conference date: 22-10-2023 Through 27-10-2023",

url = "https://ieeevis.org/year/2023/welcome",

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Bach, B, Keck, M, Rajabiyazdi, F, Losev, T, Meirelles, I, Dykes, J, Laramee, RS, AlKadi, M, Stoiber, C, Huron, S, Perin, C, Morais, L, Aigner, W, Kosminsky, D, Boucher, M, Knudsen, S, Manataki, A, Aerts, J, Hinrichs, U, Roberts, JC & Carpendale, S 2024, 'Challenges and Opportunities in Data Visualization Education: A Call to Action', IEEE Transactions on visualization and computer graphics, vol. 30, pp. 649-660. https://doi.org/10.1109/TVCG.2023.3327378

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AU - Dykes, Jason

AU - Laramee, Robert S.

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AU - Huron, Samuel

AU - Perin, Charles

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KW - Education

KW - pedagogic research

KW - Challenges

KW - Grand challenges

KW - Information Visualisation

KW - Scientific Visualisation

KW - Diversity

KW - Inclusion

KW - Responsible innovation

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ER -

Challenges and Opportunities in Data Visualization Education: A Call to Action

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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Research output

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Impacts

Cite this