Data Check-ins: We include a data-inspired check-in to start each of our TRKE virtual sessions. We aim for these check-ins to be useful for our cohort's shared learning, but also hope our framing and the resources we share might be useful to other folks. We encourage you to look through this data-inspired check-in, explore the resources we use, engage with our prompts, and consider whether you'd be able to adapt this progression for your own context. Check out an example, below, to see if it might be for you, and explore our other posts with the “data check-in” tag to see other examples we’ve used.

Facilitator Context: During our February 27th, 2025 Virtual Session we explored how factsheets can make scientific data more accessible and applicable for educators and learners. This discussion focused on using factsheets to present climate and water change data in ways that facilitate meaningful engagement and real-world applications.

Here are links to the two factsheets explored during our Virtual Session:

Framing & Flow:  After opening the factsheets, the facilitators provided a brief overview of the factsheet structure and were given seven minutes to explore them on their own:

"The general structure provides a general question people might be interested in and tries to provide a short answer to that question."

Then participants were given time to individually explore the factsheets while considering the following questions:

    • "What do you see as the main takeaway?"
    • "What feedback do you have on how useful/effective this presentation of information is?"

Following the exploration time, participants were asked to share their observations with the group.

Next, participants were split into breakout rooms to brainstorm how the factsheets and these three WY-Adapt Dashboards: Historical Trends, Future Projections, and Other Perspectives than Mean Changes, could be paired to facilitate learning. Participants considered the following questions while in their groups:

    • "How could we improve the pairing of these two (e.g., how easily can you explore questions sparked from the factsheet with WY-Adapt dashboards?"
    • "What would you want to see on a "WY-Adapt Tutorial?"

A Data Check-in Skeleton: These are the general steps we include in all of our data check-ins.

  1. Identify a shared context and/or puzzling idea.
  2. Analyze/interpret a related dataset to explore trends, gather evidence, and test initial ideas.
  3. Reflect on what can be uncovered in these data and what new questions arise.
  4. Come together to share takeaways and connections to learners' own interests and contexts.

 Reflect on How You Might Connect to these Ideas:

  • How could you incorporate similar data exploration activities in your own context?
  • What tools or ideas could help learners engage with real-world data?
  • How might current research or researchers and interactive datasets enrich your teaching strategies?