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Session 6 Study Guide: Data and Fairness

Data Science for Young Minds — Grade 3

Key Topics

TopicDetails
The myth of objective dataThe myth of objective data: every dataset reflects human choices
How collection methods can exclude certaHow collection methods can exclude certain groups
How analysis choices can amplify inequalHow analysis choices can amplify inequality
Real examplesReal examples: biased hiring algorithms, unfair school assessments
Who gets counted and who gets left outWho gets counted and who gets left out
Invisible populationsInvisible populations: people without internet, without addresses, without documentation
How missing representation leads to wronHow missing representation leads to wrong conclusions
ActivityActivity: examine a dataset and identify who might be missing
What an algorithm is in this contextWhat an algorithm is in this context: a set of rules a computer follows to make decisions
How algorithms learn from biased historiHow algorithms learn from biased historical data
Real examplesReal examples: facial recognition errors, biased hiring tools, unfair loan decisions
The human responsibilityThe human responsibility: algorithms do what humans tell them to
The responsibilities of anyone who colleThe responsibilities of anyone who collects or uses data
PrinciplesPrinciples: accuracy, fairness, privacy, transparency, and accountability
The Islamic principle of Amana applied to dataThe Islamic principle of Amana applied to data: information is a trust
ActivityActivity: write your personal Data User's Pledge

Lesson Summaries

Lesson 1: Can Data Be Unfair?

Data seems objective, but the people who collect, analyze, and use it make choices that can introduce unfairness.

Lesson 2: Who Is Missing From the Data?

When certain people are not represented in data, decisions based on that data can harm them.

Lesson 3: When Algorithms Decide

Algorithms make decisions about loans, jobs, schools, and justice. What happens when they are biased?

Lesson 4: Being a Responsible Data User

Create your own principles for using data ethically. What does it mean to use data responsibly?

Review Questions

  1. Is data always objective?
  2. How can data collection be unfair?
  3. Can a computer be biased?
  4. Why does this matter for 5th graders?
  5. Why are some people missing from data?
  6. What happens when groups are missing from data?
  7. How can we include missing voices?
  8. What is the connection to Amana (stewardship)?
  9. How do algorithms become biased?
  10. Is it the algorithm's fault?
  11. Can algorithmic bias be fixed?
  12. Why should 5th graders care about this?
  13. What are the responsibilities of a data user?
  14. How does Amana apply to data?
  15. What should a Data User's Pledge include?
  16. Why is transparency important?