The Communicative Justice Initiative brings together adult education, public health, and data science.
Adult learners have powerful stories that should be part of the data that informs what we know about the health and well-being of linguistically diverse populations in the U.S. Rarely do they find opportunities to share these interpretations and experiences—with other learners, local communities, and public health professionals.
CJI seeks to change the way we see health data by changing the way we engage adult learners from linguistically diverse communities.
What teachers are saying
“Learning about communicative justice] made me more aware of the data that is everywhere and more intentional about incorporating it into my ongoing work with learners – as well as in my own life and attempts at activism.”
Hilary Estes
“Now I understand the implications and the seriousness, the gravity of consent, and my ethics and responsibilities. I've made that transition from just [being] free-spirited [around talking about data] with my groups of students to ‘let’s consider [the purpose for talking about data]’ before we dive right in.”
Don Curtis
“[Communicative justice gave me] another way to teach listening, speaking, reading, writing. Data literacy [is] also part of those skills. It becomes…another avenue to explore a topic that students are interested in.”
Emily Gable
“...Throughout many years of teaching within the ESL and adult basic education field, there has not been a lot of emphasis [on data literacy]. There needs to be. The students told me that they want to learn this, and it's important to them.”
Shery Ruff
“I think communicative justice [addresses] who gets to tell the story and how, and who decides what is true or what is accepted as the narrative that we're all going to believe and follow along with. That was the thing that interested me most.”
Bonnie Taylor