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API CAN CODE �Data in Learners’ Lives

Lesson 1: Introduction to Data

This work was made possible through generous support from the National Science Foundation (Award # 2141655).

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Introduction

What do you think of when you hear the word “data”?

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Definition of Data

Data is a collection of facts and statistics presented in various formats such as numbers, text, images, etc., that are used for reference, analysis, reasoning, or calculations.�

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Definition of Data

  • Data is…
    • The total number of students in different classes
    • The temperatures recorded for each day of the week�

What examples of data can you think of?

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This symbol means you should open today’s worksheet and respond to a question or prompt there!

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Types of Data

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Qualitative�

Quantitative�

Vs. �

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Types of Data

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Quantitative� Data

Numerical data that can be counted or measured with numbers

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e.g., age, height, weight, test scores

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Qualitative Data

Non-numerical �data that describes qualities, attributes, or categories

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e.g., social media posts, notes, video

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Types of Data

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Quantitative� Data

Numerical data that can be counted or measured with numbers

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e.g., age, height, weight, test scores

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Qualitative Data

Non-numerical �data that describes qualities, attributes, or categories

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e.g., social media posts, notes, video

  • What are the differences between these two types of data? �
  • When might each be used? What are examples of each?

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Types of Data - Further Breakdown

Nominal �variables are categories with no natural order�

Ordinal �variables are categories with natural order

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The color of your shirt

Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals

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Types of Data - Further Breakdown

Discrete �variables are numbers that can only take certain values�

Continuous �variables can take any value in a certain range

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Someone’s reported age

Your height and weight

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Identifying Data Types

  • Go to Kaggle’s Data Science Job Salaries dataset

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  • Explore the variables in the dataset!�

On your worksheet,

determine the data type

of each variable listed. �

  • As a class, we’ll review any misconceptions or questions!

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Significance of Data

  • Data is important in the modern world, used for making informed decisions in various fields including business, healthcare, sports, and education.�
  • Examples:
    • Data is used in weather forecasting to

predict storms

    • Companies use customer data to �improve products and services

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Significance of Data

  • Data is often presented with different visualizations.

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  • Explore the examples in the following slides and discuss which type of data they represent.

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Significance of Data

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Vitamin D

Investigate the Vitamin D infographic.

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What do you notice?

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What do you wonder?

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Significance of Data

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Wind Map

Investigate the Wind Map infographic.

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What do you notice?

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What do you wonder?

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Significance of Data

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Plastic Bottle Waste

Investigate the Plastic Bottle Waste

infographic.

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What do you notice?

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What do �you wonder?

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Discussion - Significance of Data

  • Why do you think data is valuable?
  • What problems can it solve?
  • What improvements can it help us make?

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Data in Your Lives

  • Brainstorm different data that you consume and/or create in your everyday life. �
  • Categorize this data as quantitative or qualitative. �Describe it as best you can:
    • What form is it in?
    • What kinds of variables might it store? �
    • Record one of your ideas on the �worksheet.�

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Discussion - Data in Your Lives

  • Share your data with the class. �Did anyone else bring up �data that you didn’t think of, �but consume or create?

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Closing Discussion

  • How do you think data affects your daily life?�
  • What types of data did we talk about today?

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  • Why is it important to understand the types of data?�
  • Can you think of any situations where �misinterpreting data could lead to problems?

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Thanks!

apicancode@umd.edu

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This work was made possible through generous support from the National Science Foundation (Award # 2141655).

API Can Code is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) License