From Data Abundance to Informed Citizenship: The Empowering Potential of the Dali Life Game for Data Literacy

In a modern society characterised by an exponential proliferation of data, the concept of data literacy has risen as an essential construct for becoming an active citizen. This development has been catalysed by the concerted efforts of scholars, policymakers, and technological visionaries aimed at equipping individuals with the essential skills to navigate the complexities and opportunities embedded within the data overflow. This paper presents and evaluates the Dali Life game as a multimodal digital tool designed to empower citizens in comprehending, mitigating, and evaluating the spectrum of risks and challenges accompanying their daily data interactions. Employing a mixed methods approach involving a cohort of adult citizens (n = 37), this study aims to understand how the game is used and what data literacy aspects are important to be nurtured for becoming a data literate citizen. Two overarching categories were prevalent: (1) understanding data literacy and (2) engaging through data. Both dimensions reinvigorate the procedural rhetoric of data literacy via encouraging players to create their own cognitive structures and skills as means to foster critical practice for tackling real world problems. The research findings offer insights to technology experts and data literacy advocates guiding the formulation of data literacy interventions with targeted focus on connecting data literacy to concepts such as games and play, citizenship, empowerment, and social innovation thus accentuating its role as a pragmatic tool for effectively resolving everyday challenges.