By Dong Danping, Senior Librarian, Research Services
In the dynamic landscape of academia and research, acquiring data and AI skills has become increasingly crucial. In this article, I would like to introduce and give a quick review of DataCamp, a leading platform for data and AI skills education. Whether you are a PhD student aiming to explore more data-crunching methods, or a researcher looking to acquire programming or machine-learning skills, this is a great opportunity to upskill for your academic and research needs.
If you do not already know, SMU Libraries also subscribe to online learning platforms such as Udemy and Linkedin Learning, with a vast array of quality online courses. We have previously compiled some courses on data and programming skills from Udemy, Linkedin Learning and other sources.
You may be wondering, what makes DataCamp special?
The most popular DataCamp courses cover programming in R, Python, AI, ChatGPT, machine learning and statistics. What I really like about DataCamp is the focus on hands-on learning, gamified experience, and the impressively intuitive user interface – even on your phone. It becomes a breeze to learn and practice coding on the go during your commute or pockets of time.
DataCamp provides a seamless and effective learning experience. The content is neatly organised into easily digestible bite-size chunks, comprising a brief video and concise notes. After which you will delve right into exercises and hands-on practices with the right amount of challenge.
The learning process is engaging, enjoyable, and easy to follow. I highly recommend giving it a try, especially if you have ever found learning about data and coding to be intimidating. If lengthy videos turn you off, DataCamp might be the perfect fit for you!
How to get access?
DataCamp is offered exclusively to SMU researchers and research students. Other requests are assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Fill out the License Request Form and you will get the invitation link to register for an account. Please use your SMU email address to sign up for your DataCamp account.
Recommended Courses on DataCamp
- Courses on DataCamp are organized into 3 types:
- Courses: Fundamental building blocks of content on DataCamp. Courses typically last just a few hours.
- Skill Tracks: Elevate your game by completing a series of courses, earning your badge of proficiency in skills like Python, R, or AI fundamentals.
- Career Tracks: Aim to upskill yourself for a specific career? These tracks bundle courses for popular job roles such as data scientist or machine learning expert.
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Assistant Professor Richard Crowley, who teaches the course Forecasting and Forensic Analytics at SMU, has previously recommended a curated list of DataCamp courses tailored for academic research:
- Introduction to R
- Intermediate R
- Correlation and Regression
- Introduction to the Tidyverse
- Sentiment Analysis in R the Tidy Way
- Introduction to Machine Learning
- Supervised Learning in R: Classification
- Unsupervised Learning in R
For the full list of courses recommended by Prof. Crowley, please visit his website.
Ready to elevate your data and AI skills? Start your learning journey with DataCamp today!
Any questions, please email me dpdong@smu.edu.sg or library@smu.edu.sg.
