Instructor Insights

Instructor Insights pages are part of the OCW Educator initiative, which seeks to enhance the value of OCW for educators.

Instructor Insights

Image of a man standing in front of a wooden and metal work bench. There are monitors and assorted materials in the background.

Rahul Bhargava in the MIT Media Lab.

Below, Rahul Bhargava describes various aspects of how he teaches CMS.631 Data Storytelling Studio: Climate Change.

 

Student Insights

Making the data ‘alive’ through non-quantitative means makes the concept much more relatable and personable. The audience understands this at an organic level, and they are drawn to learning more. It's much more engaging. Long story short, it is much more memorable. And in many cases, that's the entire point.

— Felipe Lozano-Landinez, Undergraduate

Below, students in the course describe the data storytelling techniques they found particularly compelling, offer advice to future students, and share tips with educators interested in facilitating a similar learning experience.

 

Curriculum Information

Prerequisites

None

The course is open to all technical levels and backgrounds. Students with a strong background in one or more of the following areas are prioritized: journalism, software development, data analysis, documentary, and visual and performing arts.

Requirements Satisfied

GIR

HASS

Offered

Every spring semester

The Classroom

  • Five rows of narrow white tables and black chairs facing the front of the classroom. Sliding chalkboards at the front and side of the classroom.

    Room 1 of 1

    Studio

    Studio sessions were held in a classroom with moveable tables and chairs, sliding chalkboards, and an AV system.

 

Assessment

Grade Breakdown

The students' grades were based on the following activities:

The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by Participation, peer-assistance and paper reviews. 20% Participation, peer-assistance and paper reviews
The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by assignments. 15% Assignments
The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by technique sketches. 45% Technique sketches
The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by final project. 20% Final project

Student Information

22 students took this course when it was taught in Spring 2017.

Breakdown by Year

Both undergraduates and graduate students

Breakdown by Major

Computer science, business, biology, mechanical engineering, writing, and the arts

Enrollment Cap

Enrollment is capped at 30 so that the instructor has adequate time to support each student as they experiment with data storytelling techniques.

 

How Student Time Was Spent

During an average week, students were expected to spend 12 hours on the course, roughly divided as follows:

In Class

3 hours per week
  • Met 2 times per week for 1.5 hours per session; 27 sessions total.
  • Class sessions involved hands-on activities, teamwork, and critique sessions.
 

Out of Class

9 hours per week
  • Students completed assignments and readings, contributed to the class blog, and worked on their final projects outside of class.
 

Semester Breakdown

WEEK M T W Th F
1 No classes throughout MIT. Class meeting scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting scheduled. No session scheduled.
2 No session scheduled. Class meeting scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting scheduled. No session scheduled.
3 No classes throughout MIT. Class meeting scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting scheduled. No session scheduled.
4 No session scheduled. Class meeting scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting scheduled. No session scheduled.
5 No session scheduled. Class meeting scheduled. No session scheduled. Critique session scheduled. No session scheduled.
6 No session scheduled. Class meeting scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting scheduled. No session scheduled.
7 No session scheduled. Class meeting scheduled. No session scheduled. Critique session scheduled. No session scheduled.
8 No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT.
9 No session scheduled. Class meeting scheduled. No session scheduled. Open work time scheduled. No session scheduled.
10 No session scheduled. Critique session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting scheduled. No session scheduled.
11 No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No session scheduled. Class meeting scheduled. No session scheduled.
12 No session scheduled. Critique session scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting scheduled. No session scheduled.
13 No session scheduled. Open work time scheduled. No session scheduled. Critique session scheduled. No session scheduled.
14 No session scheduled. Class meeting scheduled. No session scheduled. Class meeting scheduled. No session scheduled.
15 No session scheduled. Class meeting scheduled. No session scheduled. Student presentations scheduled. No classes throughout MIT.
16 No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT.
Displays the color and pattern used on the preceding table to indicate dates when classes are not held at MIT. No classes throughout MIT
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when class meetings are held. Class meeting
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when student presentations are scheduled. Student presentations
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when no class session is scheduled. No class session scheduled
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when Critique sessions are scheduled. Critique sessions
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when open work time is scheduled. Open work time