The Essentials of Data Literacy Online Course from edX

Learn data literacy online using R programming

What is data literacy and why is it important? In this data literacy course, you will learn how to become data literate. This will be accomplished by performing data analysis, data visualization, and communicating with data, using real datasets and examples that are relevant to a variety of audiences and academic disciplines. Data is part of every field, but not everyone has had the opportunity to gain the skills necessary to find the data they need and use it in ways that add to their work. Whether you are in public health, healthcare, banking, law, education, graduate school, or a variety of other fields, there is a way to understand and make use of related data.

Earn your data literacy certificate online

This free four-week course will give you the opportunity to build and leverage your data skills for upward mobility at any stage in your career. It will take you through the six steps of the data lifecycle, using different case studies and contexts, and teach you how to analyze, manage, and communicate data, working in R to achieve basic R programming competencies. R is a statistical programming language that is a great resource to analyze data, manage data, and visualize data.

No experience is required to learn this in-demand skill. By the end of this data literacy training course, you will be able to identify key principles of data analysis, use critical thinking skills, and become proficient in building powerful visuals. If you are interested in building a career in data analytics, first learning these foundational lessons is vital.

Photo by NASA on Unsplash

What's inside

Learning objectives

The six steps of the data lifecycle
Develop your data analytics skills
Use r to perform probability functions, statistical analysis, data management, and more

Learn how to be a critical consumer and producer of data visualizations
Gain a deeper understanding of your company’s data needs
Discover how to market your data skills to employers

The six steps of the data lifecycle
Develop your data analytics skills
Use r to perform probability functions, statistical analysis, data management, and more
Learn how to be a critical consumer and producer of data visualizations
Gain a deeper understanding of your company’s data needs
Discover how to market your data skills to employers

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Matches core skills for data analysts

Taught by recognized expert(s) in field

Provides solid foundational knowledge

Uses a mix of media for a better learning experience

Teaches tools and skills relevant in industry

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in The Essentials of Data Literacy Online Course with these activities:

Practice basic R programming on HackerRank

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Develop fluency with R programming syntax and techniques through repetitive practice.

Browse courses on R Programming

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Create an account on HackerRank.
Solve the 'Basic R Programming' problems.
Check your solutions and learn from the provided feedback.

Follow a Codecademy course on Data Analysis with R

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Gain practical experience in performing data analysis tasks using R.

Browse courses on Data Analysis

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Create an account on Codecademy.
Enroll in the 'Data Analysis with R' course.
Complete the interactive lessons and coding challenges.

Create data visualizations using R

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Develop skills in communicating insights from data through effective visualizations.

Browse courses on Data Visualization

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Install the 'ggplot2' package in R.
Create a dataset for visualization.
Use ggplot functions to create different types of visualizations (e.g., line charts, bar charts, histograms).

Three other activities

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Participate in a DataCamp competition

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Challenge yourself and apply your data literacy skills in a competitive environment.

Browse courses on Data Analysis

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Create an account on DataCamp.
Join a competition that aligns with your interests.
Use the provided resources and your R skills to solve the competition tasks.

Volunteer as a mentor or tutor in R or data analytics

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Reinforce your understanding by teaching others and contribute to the community.

Browse courses on Mentoring

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Identify opportunities for volunteering as a mentor.
Prepare materials and resources to support your mentees.
Provide regular guidance and feedback to help them develop their skills.

Organize and review your notes and course materials

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Enhance your retention and understanding by organizing and revisiting key concepts.

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Gather all notes, assignments, quizzes, and exams.
Create a logical filing system for easy retrieval.
Periodically review your materials to refresh your memory and reinforce learning.

Career center

Learners who complete The Essentials of Data Literacy Online Course will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Statistician

A Statistician collects, analyzes, and interprets data to provide insights and recommendations to organizations. This course may be useful for aspiring Statisticians, as it provides a foundation in data analysis and data visualization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Statistician

Data Scientist

A Data Scientist uses their knowledge of mathematics, statistics, and computer science to extract insights from data to solve business problems. This course may be helpful for aspiring Data Scientists, as it provides a foundation in data analysis, data management, and data visualization using R programming.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Operations Research Analyst

An Operations Research Analyst uses mathematical and analytical techniques to solve business problems. This course may be useful for aspiring Operations Research Analysts, as it provides a foundation in data analysis and data visualization, which are essential skills for understanding and communicating operational data.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Research Analyst

Data Analyst

A Data Analyst collects, analyzes, and interprets data to provide insights and recommendations to organizations. This course may be useful for aspiring Data Analysts, as it provides a foundation in data analysis, data management, and data visualization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Database Administrator

A Database Administrator manages and maintains databases to ensure that data is available and secure. This course may be useful for aspiring Database Administrators, as it provides a foundation in data management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator

Financial Analyst

A Financial Analyst analyzes financial data to make investment recommendations. This course may be useful for aspiring Financial Analysts, as it provides a foundation in data analysis and data visualization, which are essential skills for understanding and communicating financial data.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Analyst

Data Engineer

A Data Engineer designs, builds, and maintains data pipelines to ensure that data is available for analysis. This course may be useful for aspiring Data Engineers, as it provides a foundation in data management and data visualization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Engineer

Quantitative Analyst

A Quantitative Analyst uses mathematical and statistical techniques to analyze financial data. This course may be useful for aspiring Quantitative Analysts, as it provides a foundation in data analysis and data visualization, which are essential skills for understanding and communicating financial data.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quantitative Analyst

Actuary

An Actuary uses mathematical and statistical techniques to assess risk and uncertainty. This course may be useful for aspiring Actuaries, as it provides a foundation in data analysis and data visualization, which are essential skills for understanding and communicating risk and uncertainty.

See salaries and explore the career path for Actuary

Epidemiologist

An Epidemiologist investigates the causes and spread of disease. This course may be useful for aspiring Epidemiologists, as it provides a foundation in data analysis and data visualization, which are essential skills for understanding and communicating epidemiological data.

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Biostatistician

A Biostatistician applies statistical methods to solve problems in the field of biology. This course may be useful for aspiring Biostatisticians, as it provides a foundation in data analysis and data visualization.

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Market Researcher

A Market Researcher conducts research to gather information about target markets, their needs, and their preferences. This course may be useful for aspiring Market Researchers, as it provides a foundation in data analysis and data visualization, which are essential skills for understanding and communicating market research data.

See salaries and explore the career path for Market Researcher

Public Health Analyst

A Public Health Analyst uses data to improve public health outcomes. This course may be useful for aspiring Public Health Analysts, as it provides a foundation in data analysis and data visualization, which are essential skills for understanding and communicating public health data.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public Health Analyst

Health Informatics Specialist

A Health Informatics Specialist uses data to improve healthcare delivery. This course may be useful for aspiring Health Informatics Specialists, as it provides a foundation in data analysis and data visualization, which are essential skills for understanding and communicating healthcare data.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Informatics Specialist

Business Analyst

A Business Analyst identifies and analyzes business requirements, and then develops solutions to improve business operations. This course may be useful for aspiring Business Analysts, as it provides a foundation in data analysis and data visualization, which are essential skills for understanding and communicating business needs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst