Open Data for Data Users (Self-Paced)

The “Open Data for Data Users” e-learning course is designed to provide a broad overview of Open Data from a user standpoint, and empower anyone to take full advantage of Open Data. Open Data is a growing movement that attempts to remove most of the technical and legal barriers to use of public data, and realize much greater social and economic benefits of data use. Open Data initiatives have been gaining ground for many years, and over 500 Open Data catalogs are now in operation around the globe. However, users often lack the skills and data literacy necessary to take advantage of Open Data and realize its full benefits. This is often especially true in developing countries, where capacity can be low and access to the latest learning resources is often limited. This course is intended for anyone who wants to make better use of Open Data, including ordinary citizens, and assumes no prior knowledge of Open Data or technical skills. It is particularly intended for users in developing countries. This course provides users with the knowledge and specific skills they need to understand and use Open Data effectively and responsibly, and to participate fully in the Open Data community. Users that complete this course will have acquired the following: A thorough understanding of the definition, significance, benefits, and best practices relating to Open Data. Techniques to search, acquire, evaluate, and select Open Data from a diverse set of sources. Knowledge and application of Open Data licenses. Approaches to scrape, clean, and validate data where necessary. Basic techniques in data analysis and visualization. Best practices for presenting, citing, and sharing data and data insights publicly. Effective approaches for data storytelling. How to get started using Open Data for business.