Data literacy means that, wherever possible, decisions should be based on data not hunches or guesses. Data isn’t just for ‘geeks’, non-specialists must understand its importance
Let's join the open ecosystem and learn how to engage with data leveraging open source tools and gaining an appreciation of open standards.
- Defining data
- Basing decisions on data and evidence
- Building systems that collect the right data
- Communicating data effectively
What is the basic definition of data and how does it differ from information
Before we can explore data literacy, it is important to set a common definition for data and to differentiate data from information.
Decisions should be based on data and evidence rather assumptions
Understanding the importance of facts and challenging opinions or positions not based on data and evidence. Understanding key issues about the security of data and individual privacy.
Using data to manage services is just as important for the public sector as the private sector
Understanding that data is no longer something that is just collected at a particular point in time – instead data is being (or has the potential to be) constantly created throughout any interaction between a user and a service.
A strong relationship between data specialists and non-specialists can lead to the right data being used at the right time to make the right decision.
Identifying existing data specialists working in your topic area: understanding what data and information they collect; and, what it can and cannot tell you.
Being able to effectively with non-specialists about data and the results of analysis is just important as collecting and analysing the data
Understanding that some people aren’t as naturally comfortable with numbers and data as others. Communicating key themes from results and simple “need-to-knows” about methodology and limitations.
- Discussion of open source software, open data open government
- Exploring data & introduction to GitHub
- https://www.edx.org/course/data-analytics-learning-utarlingtonx-link5-10x
- https://www.coursera.org/learn/data-management
- https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/media-data
- Civic Tech Ottawa has a group looking at spending within the Government of Canada. This is partly a experiment in data science, but also an exercise in public accountability. So far they have scraped data from 32 federal departments and can import that into a MySQL file for easy access. this has already been useful in finding a more acurate account of spending on the IBM PHoenix Pay System. More information is available from. https://github.com/GoC-Spending