Course Category: Introductory

CAPSTONE: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Welcome to the Capstone Course “Critical Thinking and Problem Solving”. This is the final course in the program Caribbean School of Data (CSOD) INTRODUCTORY program that seeks to empower youth with the practical skills for today’s Digital economy. The courses delivered throughout this Program were designed to address specific skills profiles considered relevant to the global online job market. This Capstone course provides an opportunity for students to reinforce and apply the knowledge and skills gained from the previous four courses to real-word business scenarios, based on the requirements of prevalent online job prospects.

Digital Literacy goes beyond the skills and ability to utilize and manipulate digital tools, and includes transversal skills such as critical thinking and problem solving and understanding how to apply a digital skill-set and tools to real-world business scenarios. This Capstone course provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate the knowledge and skills gained from the previous four courses to real-word business scenarios, based on the requirements of prevalent online job prospects. Students also learn to use effective communication and collaborative techniques in tackling assigned business challenges.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:

  1. Assess a problem situation and business needs and to identify, evaluate and select appropriate digital tools and possible technological responses to solve them.
  2. Demonstrate the effective application and use of digital tools to a given business scenario
  3. Use digital tools and technologies for collaborative processes and to share data, information and digital content with others
  4. Create and edit digital content in different formats, in order to share and communicate applied solutions.

This course was developed for the participants in the CSOD INTRODUCTORY program and is designed for Youth between the ages of 16 and 25 who may (or may not) have prior knowledge or skills in using the Internet and other digital tools.

The course will provide a virtual community to work in, that includes other participants like yourself, your course facilitator, and potential mentors that will be an invaluable source of information, knowledge sharing, and creative ideas. We encourage you to participate in the discussions and activities which will be one of the most valuable things this course has to offer.

Students should have successfully completed all modules and assessment quizzes in the previous courses:

  • Foundations of Being Digital
  • Productivity Tools For Digital Workers
  • Social Media & Web Applications
  • Data Fundamentals

This self-directed course will take approximately 4 – 6 hours per module to complete, and you should be able to complete the overall course within 2 weeks. You should expect to spend approximately 7 – 10 hours per week for best results.

This course is made up of four (4) modules:

Module 1 – Business Scenario: SEO Clerk + Online Ads Monitor: uses a fictional scenario to reinforce skills, techniques, tools and procedures associated with the online job role of “SEO Clerk + Online Ad Monitor

Module 2 – Business Scenario: Mobile / Web App Tester: uses a fictional scenario to reinforce skills, techniques, tools and procedures associated with the online job role of “Mobile/Web App Tester”

Module 3 – Business Scenario: Data Processor / Market Researcher: uses a fictional scenario to reinforce skills, techniques, tools and procedures associated with the online job role of “Data Processor / Market Researcher”.

Module 4 – Content Creators: Build Your Own Blog Website (Optional): Building Your Own Website is about learning how to be content creators, and not just mere consumers. A personal blog website using WordPress is a great way to share and tell their story

You may do the modules in any order that you choose, however you must complete at least three of the four modules  and the related assessments in order to successfully complete this course..

Data Fundamentals

Introduction

Welcome to the Course “Data Fundamentals”. This is the 4th course in the Caribbean School of Data (CSOD) INTRODUCTORY program that seeks to empower youth with the practical skills for today’s Digital economy. These courses are designed to address competency profiles in Digital literacy and Data skills that have become essential for the job markets of today and the future. Participants in this course “Data Fundamentals”, will acquire the essential practical skills that will equip them with foundational data competencies such as Data Collection, Organisation, Management, Evaluation and Application to various business scenarios and activities.

In the Digital economy, Data has become a critical and valuable business resource. Data literacy and the ability to collect, organise, manage, evaluate and apply Data to various business scenarios and activities is rapidly becoming an essential 21st century skill.

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of data and information, and basic toolkits (including spreadsheets) for collecting, organizing and applying data effectively. Practical techniques are learned to process, manipulate and visualize data using spreadsheets. Students also learn about important data issues such as data quality, security, privacy and are introduced to good practices for working with Data.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:

  • Explain the concepts of data and Information
  • Differentiate between various types of structured and unstructured data
  • Demonstrate how to use the smartphone as a tool for data collection
  • Use basic spreadsheet functions for common data formatting and organization activities
  • Demonstrate techniques to reduce data errors by cleaning
  • Explain critical data issues such as security and privacy and the role they play in data management
  • Demonstrate how to interpret data using visualization tools

This course was developed for the participants in the CSOD INTRODUCTORY program and is designed for Youth between the ages of 16 and 25 who may (or may not) have prior knowledge or skills in using the Internet and other digital tools.

The course will provide a virtual community to work in, that includes other participants like yourself, your course facilitator, and potential mentors that will be an invaluable source of information, knowledge sharing, and creative ideas. We encourage you to participate in the discussions and activities which will be one of the most valuable things this course has to offer.

Students should have successfully completed all modules and assessment quizzes in the previous courses in this program:

  • Foundations of Being Digital
  • Productivity Tools For Digital Workers

The overall CSOD INTRODUCTORY program is organized over 12 weeks and five courses. The courses are self-contained but together, they create a learning journey focused on getting you ready for the Digital workplace. We’ve designed the courses to be as interactive as possible. Each self-directed course will take approximately 1.5 – 3 hours per module to complete, and you should be able to complete each course within 2 weeks.

You can study the course at your own pace and we’ve designed each course to be flexible so it fits with your schedule, and you can move ahead if you have time or catch up when you need to. You should expect to spend approximately 5 – 8 hours per week for best results.

The four modules in this course “Data Fundamentals” are illustrated below:

Module 1 – Introduction to Data and Information – introduces the concepts of Data and Information and seeks to provide an increased awareness of the importance of data in the Digital economy

Module 2 – Working with Data – introduces the concept of the Data pipeline as a methodology for the processing of Data and provides a practical hands-on introduction to tools and techniques for working with data.

Module 3 – Evaluating and Visualizing Data – introduces the principles of data analysis and presentation using Pivot Tables and Data Visualization.

Module 4 – Issues to Consider when Applying Data – highlights the need for general awareness of the related legal, cultural and ethical issues to consider when working with data 

You will complete the modules in sequence as you work through the course. Please note that all modules are locked, until the previous one is completed, so you have to completely finish each module and the related assessments in order to progress through the course.

Social Media and Web Applications

Welcome to the Course “Social Media & Web Applications”. This is the 3rd course in the Caribbean School of Data (CSOD) INTRODUCTORY program that seeks to empower youth with the practical skills for today’s Digital economy. These courses are designed to address competency profiles in Digital literacy and Data skills that have become essential for the job markets of today and the future. Participants in this course “Social Media & Web Applications”, will acquire the essential practical competencies and skills that will equip them to effectively use social media and the world-wide-web for personal and professional activities.

Social media is one of the core services of the modern Internet, and understanding how to find, differentiate, and publish content using social media is an essential 21st century skill. This course introduces students to today’s primary social media platforms, and ways in which to use these tools effectively, while safeguarding individual safety and privacy.

Practical techniques are learned to install, configure and use the primary social media platforms. Students also learn about the benefits and disadvantages of social media, and are introduced to practical tips for gaining employment through social media.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:

  1. Explain the concept of social media and understand the benefits and risks associated with using social media tools effectively
  2. Install, configure and use today’s primary social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
  3. Effectively use Search Engines and understand principles and techniques for Search Engine Optimization
  4. Interact, share and engage in digital citizenship through web and social media technologies
  5. Understand guidelines and take practical steps for protecting your privacy on social media

Who is this course for?

This course was developed for the participants in the CSOD INTRODUCTORY program and is designed for Youth between the ages of 16 and 29 who may (or may not) have prior knowledge or skills in using the Internet and other digital tools.

The course will provide a virtual community to work in, that includes other participants like yourself, your course facilitator, and potential mentors that will be an invaluable source of information, knowledge sharing, and creative ideas. We encourage you to participate in the discussions and activities which will be one of the most valuable things this course has to offer.

Students should have successfully completed all modules and assessment quizzes in the previous courses:

  • Foundations of Being Digital
  • Productivity Tools For Digital Workers

The overall CSOD INTRODUCTORY program is organized over 12 weeks and five courses. The courses are self-contained but together, they create a learning journey focused on getting you ready for the Digital workplace. We’ve designed the courses to be as interactive as possible. Each self-directed course will take approximately 1.5 – 3 hours per module to complete, and you should be able to complete each course within 2 weeks.

You can study the course at your own pace and we’ve designed each course to be flexible so it fits with your schedule, and you can move ahead if you have time or catch up when you need to. You should expect to spend approximately 5 – 8 hours per week for best results.

The four modules in this course “Social Media & Web Applications” are illustrated below:

  • Module 1 – Nuts and Bolts of Social Media: provides a brief introduction into the world of social media and some of it’s more common platforms, advantages and some of the risks in its use.
     
  • Module 2 – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: From Likes to Tweets – provides a practical hands-on tutorial for installing and using the three most popular social media applications.
     
  • Module 3 – SEO Web Applications: introduces students to the concepts, business applications and practices of Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
     
  • Module 4 – Social Networking Issues: Netiquette, Copyright & Licenses – addresses core principles of good behaviour in online communities, and highlights the characteristics of being a good digital citizen.

You will complete the modules in sequence as you work through the course. Please note that all modules are locked, until the previous one is completed, so you have to completely finish each module and the related assessments in order to progress through the course.

Productivity Tools for Digital Workers

Welcome to the Course “Productivity Tools For Digital Workers”. This is the 2nd course in the in the Caribbean School of Data (CSOD) INTRODUCTORY program that seeks to empower youth with the practical skills for today’s Digital economy.. These courses are designed to address competency profiles in Digital literacy and Data skills that have become essential for the job markets of today and the future.

Participants in this course “Productivity Tools For Digital Workers”, will acquire practical knowledge and skills for an essential set of digital productivity tools that equip them to function effectively in the online digital workplace.

This practical course is designed to equip students with the basic knowledge and skills for an essential set of digital productivity tools that equip them to function effectively in the online digital workplace. Techniques learned range from “touch-typing” skills to basic wordprocessing and spreadsheet use for creating structured and formatted business content. Students also learn to the use of digital communication and collaboration tools for given business activities such as time and task management

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:

  1. Use the standard QWERTY keyboard proficiently with basic “Touch Typing” skills
  2. Demonstrate basic wordprocessing skills for creating structured and formatted documents as well as being able to create, store and share document outputs.
  3. Demonstrate basic spreadsheet skills for creating and modifying workbooks, setting up and making use of basic formulas, and organising and presenting data visually
  4. Creatively use wordprocessors and spreadsheets to produce digital contents in multiple formats, including multimedia
  5. Select and explain how to use various digital communication and collaboration tools for a given business context, with specific attention paid to Email, WhatsApp and Google Calendar

This course was developed for the participants in the CSOD INTRODUCTORY program and is designed for Youth between the ages of 16 and 25 who may (or may not) have prior knowledge or skills in using the Internet and other digital tools.

The course will provide a virtual community to work in, that includes other participants like yourself, your course facilitator, and potential mentors that will be an invaluable source of information, knowledge sharing, and creative ideas. We encourage you to participate in the discussions and activities which will be one of the most valuable things this course has to offer.

No prior knowledge is required of any of the digital tools to be covered. However participants in this course should have successfully completed the 1st course “Foundations of Being Digital”.

The overall CSOD INTRODUCTORY program is organized over 12 weeks and 5 courses. The courses are self-contained, but together they create a learning journey focused on getting you ready for the Digital economy. We’ve designed the courses to be as interactive as possible. Each self-directed course will take approximately 1.5 – 3 hours per module to complete, and you should be able to complete each course within 2 weeks.

You can study the course at your own pace and we’ve designed each course to be flexible so it fits with your schedule, and you can move ahead if you have time or catch up when you need to. You should expect to spend approximately 5 – 8 hours per week for best results.

The four modules in this course “Productivity Tools For Digital Workers” are illustrated below::

Module 1 – Learning To Type Professionally – teaches the essential skill of typing professionally for both the physical and online digital workplaces.

Module 2 – Effective Business Reporting Using Wordprocessing – provides students with a practical working knowledge of wordprocessing, one of the most common tools for digital content creation,using Google Docs..

Module 3 – Content Creation with Spreadsheets and Wordprocessors – develops the student’s ability to work with Wordprocessors and Spreadsheets, two of the most common tools for digital content creation, and a skill that is in demand in the modern digital workplace

Module 4 – Digital Communication and Workflow Management – students learn and practice to identify, select and use appropriate digital productivity tools that will enhance effectiveness at business communications and collaboration in the digital workplace.

You will complete the modules in sequence as you work through the course. Please note that all modules are locked, until the previous one is completed, so you have to completely finish each module and the related assessments in order to progress through the course.

Progressing through the course

Each module is presented as a combination of topics and lessons, and the main method of progressing through the module is to click to move to the next piece to information.

Once you have covered all lessons (i.e. all the information and completed all activities) within a topic, you will be presented with a “Mark Complete” button. This will trigger your advancement to the next topic. When you activate the “Mark Complete” button on the final topic within a module, you will be taken to the “Final Quiz” for that module.

  • Next (>) will take you to the next topic/lesson in the course
  • Prev (<) will take you back to the previous topic/lesson
  • Home takes you back to the main course menu.

Assessments / Questions

Each module in the course has an Assessment section at the end with a series of questions that enable you to test and validate your learning on the topics covered.

Foundations of Being Digital

Welcome to the Course “Foundations of Being Digital”. This is the first course in the CSOD INTRODUCTORY program that seeks to empower youth with the practical skills for today’s Digital economy. These courses are designed to address competency profiles in Digital literacy and  Data skills that have become essential for the job markets of today and the future.

Participants in this course “Foundations of Being Digital”, will acquire the essential baseline competencies for a skills profile referred to as “Digital Learner” that will equip them to effectively use the internet, as well as navigate the remainder of the courses in this program.

This foundational course is designed to equip students with the basic essential Digital Literacy – knowledge, skill and awareness – to enable them to understand and appreciate the Internet, it’s various components and services, and the benefits that can derive from using it effectively. Techniques are learned to use the Internet for browsing, searching and filtering data, information and digital content, as well as evaluating data and information for specific purposes. Students also learn to communicate, collaborate and share information through the Internet using mobile devices, while exercising safe, ethical practices.

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

  1. Describe the Internet and distinguish between key Internet services such as the World-wide-web, Social Media and Electronic Mail
  2. Understand the benefits and risks associated with using the Internet effectively and various means and devices of connecting to it.
  3. Effectively use the Internet for browsing, searching and filtering data, information and digital content, as well as evaluating data and information for specific purposes
  4. Effectively communicate, collaborate and share information through the Internet using mobile devices (Tablets and phones)

This course was developed for the participants in the CSOD INTRODUCTORY program and is designed for Youth between the ages of 16 and 25 who may (or may not) have prior knowledge or skills in using the Internet and other digital tools.

The course will provide a virtual community to work in, that includes other participants like yourself, your course facilitator, and potential mentors that will be an invaluable source of information, knowledge sharing, and creative ideas. We encourage you to participate in the discussions and activities which will be one of the most valuable things this course has to offer.

As this is the foundational course, no prior knowledge is required. However participants in the program are expected to have at least a high school education.

All students should also have completed the digital skills profile survey to establish their baseline digital skills.

The overall CSOD INTRODUCTORY program is organized over 12 weeks and 5 courses. The courses are self-contained, but together they create a learning journey focused on getting you ready for the Digital economy. We’ve designed the courses to be as interactive as possible. Each self-directed course will take approximately 1.5 – 3 hours per module to complete, and you should be able to complete each course within 2 weeks.

You can study the course at your own pace and we’ve designed each course to be flexible so it fits with your schedule, and you can move ahead if you have time or catch up when you need to. You should expect to spend approximately 5 – 8 hours per week for best results.

The four modules in this course “Foundations of Being Digital” are illustrated below:

Module 1: Learning About the Internet – introduces the The Internet is one of the most transformational technological innovations in human history and helps you with being able to use it effectively as an essential part of everyday life

Module 2: Using the World-Wide Web Securely – focusses on browsing, navigating, searching and filtering data and information on the world-wide-web, as well as retrieving and evaluating digital content as an essential digital competency.

Module 3: The Mobile Internet – introduces the ability to accesses the internet by using a portable or mobile device, and how it enhances your professional and personal effectiveness through functions such as communicating, staying informed and networking.

Module 4: Personal Safety and Security in Cyberspace – highlights a variety of threats that you are exposed to when online, and identifies some basic common-sense things that you can do to protect yourself while online.

You will complete the modules in sequence as you work through the course. Please note that all modules are locked, until the previous one is completed, so you have to completely finish each module and the related assessments in order to progress through the course.

Progressing through the course

Each module is presented as a combination of topics and lessons, and the main method of progressing through the module is to click to move to the next piece to information.

Once you have covered all lessons (i.e. all the information and completed all activities) within a topic, you will be presented with a “Mark Complete” button. This will trigger your advancement to the next topic. When you activate the “Mark Complete” button on the final topic within a module, you will be taken to the “Final Quiz” for that module.

  • Next (>) will take you to the next topic/lesson in the course
  • Prev (<) will take you back to the previous topic/lesson
  • Home takes you back to the main course menu.

Assessments / Questions

Each module in the course has an Assessment section at the end with a series of questions that enable you to test and validate your learning on the topics covered.

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