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
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 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.
What do I need to Know?
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
How long is this course?
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 Structure of the Course
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.
