Be knowledgeable in what data disaggregation is. Students will be able to explain what data disaggregation is and provide examples of why it is important and the challenges AAPIs face due to the lack of data disaggregation.
Be knowledgeable in what data disaggregation is. Students will be able to explain what data disaggregation is and provide examples of why it is important and the challenges AAPIs face due to the lack of data disaggregation.
Data about Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders are often portrayed as one whole group instead of breaking down subgroups that paint different experiences. Data is often used to create a specific image that fits the Model Minority model of Asian-Americans in the United States, especially to show financial success to minimize the socioeconomic struggles of other marginalized communities. However, by showing the Asian-American community as a monolith, they are grouping multiple communities together with drastically different socioeconomic backgrounds. This lesson is to show how data disaggregation is needed and how the lack of it is harmful.
Introduction – Quick Class Discussion/Icebreakers
How is data helpful? When can it be unhelpful?
When do we collect data? What can we learn from it?
How important is data in our day-to-day life? What does it impact? Sports? Politics?
Option 1: Direct Instruction
Go through the presentation Unpacking Asian American Data. Students can take their own notes or they can
fill this worksheet out.
Option 2: Direct Instruction
Go through the presentation Unpacking Asian American Data. Have students pick a topic from aapidata.com
and provide a brief report to the class about it.
Closure – Exit-Ticket Question
How can we avoid making misconceptions about groups of people over data that do not give the full context? Depending on time, students can share some answers with the class before leaving or simply hand the teachers their thoughts on the question as they exit the class.
“The Case for Requiring Disaggregation of Asian American and Pacific Islander Data,” by Molly Lao in the California Law Review (March 2021)
Students can reference resources from AAPI Data at: https://aapidata.com/
Publications to reference from the Pew Research Center: