In an innovative twist on traditional data science education, Devin Fitzpatrick, a visiting assistant professor at Lewis & Clark College, has introduced a course titled “Data for Good.” Rather than focusing solely on the mathematical and analytical skills often associated with data science, Fitzpatrick emphasizes the ethical implications of data analysis.
Fitzpatrick, who holds a Ph.D. in philosophy, stresses the importance of recognizing bias and stigma in seemingly neutral datasets. He illustrates this with an example of data showing women leaving the workforce, cautioning against interpreting this as evidence of their unreliability as employees, which could lead to discriminatory hiring practices favoring predominantly male candidates.
The course, “Data for Good,” delves into the complexities of ethical data analysis, utilizing raw, real-world datasets that are anonymized but not yet cleaned or analyzed. Fitzpatrick points out that this approach allows students to confront the intricacies of real-world data, in stark contrast to sanitized, theoretical datasets that are often used in academic settings.
The data for this course comes from Growing Gardens, a nonprofit organization based in Oregon dedicated to combating food insecurity through gardening education. Growing Gardens operates three main programs: Home Gardens, which supports low-income individuals by building garden beds, providing seeds, and offering guidance; Youth Grow, which plants vegetable gardens at schools and teaches children about gardening; and Lettuce Grow, which engages with prison facilities to teach gardening and manage gardens that produce food for the inmates.
Given the vast amount of data collected over the years across these programs, Growing Gardens found itself in need of assistance for analysis. When Fitzpatrick reached out to the organization for a partnership, it proved to be a timely and mutually beneficial opportunity.
Dashiell Hock, Growing Gardens’ grants and data coordinator, expressed appreciation for the collaboration, noting that their capacity for internal data analysis is limited. The involvement of Lewis & Clark students has helped tackle what Hock described as an ambitious data project.
In early May, students showcased their findings as part of their final project for the course. Their presentations provided insights and concrete recommendations for Growing Gardens, some of which could be implemented almost immediately. For instance, one team proposed a pre-gardening season survey to complement an existing end-of-year survey, which Hock deemed an excellent idea for inclusion.
Furthermore, the students recommended varying methods of data collection, suggesting that multiple-choice questions might yield more standardized and engaging responses compared to open-ended questions. In an intriguing discovery, one team highlighted how a slight difference in translation between English and Spanish versions of a questionnaire altered the significance of a question, underlining the importance of attention to detail.
Sophomore Roma Taylor, one of the students involved in the project, emphasized the value of hands-on experience with real-world data. She noted that although Lewis & Clark has a robust data science program, practical applications of that knowledge have been relatively scarce.
Taylor not only worked with the data as part of the course but also volunteered with Growing Gardens at a community garden in Portland’s Sellwood neighborhood. Her experience in the garden deepened her connection to the organization, making the data analysis work feel more meaningful and impactful.
Fitzpatrick recognized the powerful effects of this service learning approach on his students’ projects. He remarked on the thoughtful considerations students made regarding survey accessibility, highlighting the distinction between learning in a simulated classroom environment and engaging in real service work that directly affects people’s lives.
The course “Data for Good” serves as a testament to the intersection of data science and social responsibility, promoting an understanding that ethical data analysis requires a human touch to fully comprehend and mitigate potential biases. Through the collaborative efforts of Lewis & Clark students and Growing Gardens, both parties have gained invaluable insights and practical experience that highlight the vital role of ethics in data science.
image source from：https://www.opb.org/article/2025/06/01/lewis-clark-college-data-for-good/
