Dustin Purdy Blog

Every day, our students encounter data. They see statistics in social media posts, sports highlights, advertisements, news stories, weather forecasts, health claims, and infographics. They are constantly presented with graphs, percentages, averages, rankings, and claims about what the numbers supposedly tell us. But being surrounded by data does not automatically make someone data literate. As mathematics educators, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to help students think more critically about the data they encounter in their daily lives by asking deeper questions about the meaning behind it. Questions like: Where did these data come from and who is the source? How were they collected? What does this graph show—and what might it hide? Whose perspectives are represented? Whose are not represented? What patterns or variability do we notice? Is there potential bias? And perhaps most importantly: What conclusions can we reasonably make from the evidence? These questions are at th...

AI-Resistant Authentic Learning Experiences: Creating Meaningful Learning Experiences in the Age of AI What if the best way to make learning AI-resistant isn’t to ban AI—but to make learning worth doing? I’m excited to share an article I co-authored with my fellow AMLE Teacher Leader, Marri Bayor, AI-Resistant Authentic Learning Experiences: Creating Meaningful Learning in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. As educators, we’re navigating a new reality. Students have unprecedented access to artificial intelligence, and it’s easy to focus our energy on restrictions, detection, and preventing misuse.  But what if we asked a different question? How can we design learning experiences that AI can’t replace? In our article, Marri and I explore why we believe the answer starts with authentic learning. When students are solving meaningful problems, collaborating, defending their thinking, creating something that matters, and connecting learning to their own lives, AI becomes a tool—not a s...

I recently joined Nicole Hamilton and Lucas Owen as a panelist in a webinar titled “An AI-Resistant Approach to Teaching Statistics,” which explored how statistics instruction must evolve in a world where generative AI can quickly perform calculations and produce answers. Rather than focusing on limiting AI, the conversation centered on designing learning experiences that emphasize human reasoning, curiosity, and authentic data exploration.One key takeaway is that statistics instruction should move beyond procedural calculations and instead focus on sense-making with real data. When students investigate authentic datasets, pose their own questions, and interpret patterns, the learning becomes far more meaningful—and much harder for AI to replace. We also discussed how student engagement plays a critical role: when students are working with data that is meaningful and relevant to them, they are far less likely to rely on AI because they are genuinely invested in exploring and understand...

At the beginning of 2024, Data Science 4 Everyone organized 11 focus groups made up of K-12 educators, students, higher education leaders, industry professionals, and policymakers, working alongside national educator associations such as NCTM (math), NSTA (science), NCSS (social studies), and CSTA (computer science). The goal was to discuss, identify, and rank priority learning outcomes for data education that students should learn by high school graduation. As a member of the NCTM group, I was instrumental in helping lay the ground work for the first ever national K-12 framework for data science. Check out this webinar where I and other educators shared our experiences of the process.

Update: This Webinar has ended. Watch Webinar recording here . I am excited to announce that I will be part of an AI webinar which will be presented by the AMLE Teacher Leaders Committee. Webinar Description: Are you curious about using AI in your classroom but unsure how to begin? Or are you already using AI and looking to discuss your experience with others? Whether you consider yourself a novice or an expert on AI, this webinar led by the AMLE Teacher Leaders committee is for you. Join us for a lively discussion about ways to use AI tools to save time as teachers and promote deep learning with students. We will also explore some ethical and practical considerations to keep in mind while using AI. The webinar will include an open question and answer session as well as some time for us to connect in small groups and share our experiences using AI in our districts. Hope to see you there! Date & Time: Tuesday, April 23, 2024 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM [icon name=”calendar-days” prefix=”fas...