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Data Literacy Fundamentals

Practical data literacy for industrial, energy and office roles: data types, populations and samples, descriptive statistics in plain language, correlation versus causation, data quality and the common ways numbers mislead.

55m
Total time
4
Competency levels
12
Lessons

What you'll learn

  • Explain what data literacy is and why every role, technical or not, now depends on it
  • Classify data as categorical or numerical, discrete or continuous, and distinguish a population from a sample
  • Interpret means, medians and measures of spread, and recognise when an average misleads
  • Challenge causal claims made from correlated data using confounders and alternative explanations
  • Assess data against the accuracy, completeness, timeliness and consistency quality dimensions
  • Frame a precise question before requesting data, and handle personal data ethically and lawfully

Curriculum

Progress through each competency level in order.

1

Awareness

  • What Data Literacy Is and Why Every Role Needs It
    Knowledge
    3m
  • Types of Data, Populations and Samples
    Knowledge
    3m
  • Awareness Check: Data Basics
    Assessment
    7m
2

Knowledge

  • Describing Data in Plain Terms
    Knowledge
    3m
  • Correlation Is Not Causation
    Knowledge
    3m
  • Knowledge Check: Summaries and Causal Claims
    Assessment
    8m
3

Skill

  • Asking a Good Question and Checking Data Quality
    Knowledge
    3m
  • Turn a Vague Request into an Answerable Data Question
    Assignment
    3m
  • Skill Check: Questions and Data Quality
    Assessment
    8m
4

Mastery

  • How Data Misleads, and Using It Ethically
    Knowledge
    3m
  • Audit a Decision-Making Report and Brief Its Owner
    Assignment
    3m
  • Mastery Check: Judgement with Data
    Assessment
    8m

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