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Inter-American Development Bank: Data for Effective Policy Making

4.7 stars
18 ratings

This course will help you take control of data and familiarize yourself with the tools to use it in the planning, management, and evaluation of public policies.

Data for Effective Policy Making
10 weeks
3–4 hours per week
Self-paced
Progress at your own speed
Free
Optional upgrade available
Data for Effective Policy Making

About this course

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Dario, a worker in an NGO in Colombia and a participant in the course, points out that he applied the knowledge from the course to create DATASIMUS, a portal for urban mobility data that compares over 400 variables from transportation systems in the region. Discover more testimonials about the impact of this course below.

Thanks to this course, through videos and real-life cases, you will strengthen your abilities to use, understand, and interpret data. In this way, you will learn to define research problems, identify methodologies for data collection and analysis, interpret graphs, and acquire the foundations to support the decision making process in public management with verifiable data.

This course is "self-paced" so you can enroll at any time, even if the course has been open for a while.

If you choose the Audit Track , you can complete the course for free, but you won't have access to graded activities, and you won't be able to obtain a certificate upon course completion.

If you opt for the Verified Track , you can access the course unlimitedly and complete the graded assessments until the closing date by making a payment of USD 25. By doing so, if you pass the course, in addition to the verified certificate, you will receive a digital badge that allows you to transform how you share your academic and professional achievements, for example, on social media.

Do you know about edX financial aid to apply for the verified certificate and digital badge?

EdX offers financial assistance to students who have difficulties in making the payment. Enroll in the course and fill out this financial aid application.

See more information in the Frequently Asked Questions section below.

At a glance

  • Institution: IDBx
  • Subject: Data Analysis & Statistics
  • Level: Introductory
  • Prerequisites:

    The course has no prerequisites; however, to participate, you will need:

    1. A computer with internet access. Additionally, we recommend having the latest versions of one of the following web browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge.
    2. You can also access the course through your mobile phone or tablet by downloading the edX application from Google Play or the Apple Store.
  • Language: English
  • Video Transcript: English
  • Associated programs:
  • Associated skills: Research, Data Collection, Public Policies, Data Analysis, Management, Statistical Reporting, Planning

What you'll learn

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This MOOC has been certified by Quality Matters (QM), a non-profit organization recognized as a leader in quality assurance in online education.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

  • Recognize the importance of the relationship between data analysis and decision making in public management.
  • Define the research problem, the starting hypothesis, the analysis variables and some methods to verify the hypotheses.
  • Identify the methodology that best addresses the problems of data collection, interpretation and analysis.
  • Interpret different types of visualizations and identify best practices for creating effective visualizations.
  • Identify the steps for creating and evaluating a data-driven policy.

Syllabus

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Module 1: The Importance of Data in Decision Making.

Module 2: Converting Concepts into Measurable Parameters.

Module 3: Understanding Data Analysis.

Module 4: Displaying the Results.

Module 5: Closing the Loop: from Data to Planning.

Learner testimonials

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  • I think it's important to get to know the databases of the IDB and other institutions, which will allow me to have a reliable source of information and, obviously, to generate the corresponding public policies.
  • The course contains very significant tools, from the problem tree and the flow chart to the impact assessment. I hope they continue providing similar courses to further strengthen our knowledge in the use of data.
  • I don't have enough words to thank you for the contents of this course.

Discover more testimonials from participants in our program on this map.

Frequently Asked Questions

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What does “AUDIT TRACK” mean?

Access to the course in Audit Track is free, but you won't be able to access graded activities or obtain a verified certificate.

What does “VERIFIED TRACK” mean?

If you wish to obtain the verified certificate for the course, you will be required to pay USD 25 and pass the course with a minimum grade of 65%.

By doing so, in addition to the verified certificate with your details, you will have access to all course assessments and can access the learning resources indefinitely. If you pass the course, you will also receive a digital badge that allows you to transform how you share your academic and professional achievements, for example, on social media.

How can I apply for financial aid to obtain the verified certificate and the digital badge?

EdX offers financial assistance to students who want to obtain a verified certificate but may not have the means to pay the corresponding fee. Eligible students can receive up to a 90% discount on the fee for verified certificates for a course.

To apply for financial aid, complete the application at this link.

This course is part of Results-Based Project Management Professional Certificate Program

Learn more 
Expert instruction
3 skill-building courses
Self-paced
Progress at your own speed
8 months
2 - 3 hours per week

Ways to take this course

Choose your path when you enroll.

Verified Track

Audit Track

Price

$25 USD

Free

Access to course materials

Unlimited

Limited

Expires on Dec 6

World class institutions and universities

edX support

Shareable certificate upon completion

Graded assignments and exams

Read our FAQsin a new tab about frequently asked questions on these tracks.

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