{"id":501,"date":"2024-01-25T09:32:20","date_gmt":"2024-01-25T09:32:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.glos.ac.uk\/dataskills\/?page_id=501"},"modified":"2024-11-05T15:30:56","modified_gmt":"2024-11-05T15:30:56","slug":"design","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.glos.ac.uk\/dataskills\/training-programme\/design\/","title":{"rendered":"Training programme design"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Training Programme Design<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The design of the Development Counts Project learning and teaching resources was informed by in-depth interviews with development professionals in Malta, Spain, Turkey and the UK about data skills requirements in the sector. The interviews included questions on data science advances, software choice, and the relative importance of soft skills, as well as questions seeking insights about how data skills are used within their organisation and projections on this for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The research team recognises that conducting this research in project partner countries only gives a perspective on the issues from the Global North. However, within the countries eligible to take part in the ERASMUS+ programme, partner institutions were deliberately chosen to ensure social, economic and cultural diversity and by sharing this research the ambition is that this research will initiate conversations on data training for development sector careers and similarities and differences across world regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Interviews Insights on Data Skills Needs in Global Development<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  • Consistent acknowledgement of the potential of data & that greater use of data \u2018is coming\u2019<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Enthusiasm for the potential of data science but also a clear need for broader data literacy<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Varied views on preferred software, but emphasis on widely available programmes particularly Microsoft Excel and open source programmes such as R<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • High value attached to effective data visualisation & communication to non-specialists<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Data skills are only useful if they are grounded in real world contexts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Opening the Appetite Data Skills for Global Development Training Programme Design<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Based on insights from the interviews, the training programme was designed to co-develop \u2018technical\u2019 skills in data handling with \u2018soft\u2019 skills such as international and intercultural collaboration and digital communication. One of the interviewees encouraged the team to \u2018Open the Appetite\u2019 of future professionals to the possibilities of data for global development \u2013 mastering some basics and developing confidence to deepen and expand their skills in the future as what\u2019s possible to achieve with data evolves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In a rapidly changing data landscape and against a backdrop of a common lack of confidence working with data amongst students, the project team thought this was a great metaphor for what the programme should try to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u2018Opening the Appetite\u2019 became the theme for the programme \u2013 with each area of material covered relating to a stage in preparing a meal. Hopefully the theme also makes the material more entertaining and accessible for learners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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