Dataquest’s courses teach data & AI skills faster than other platform — with better retention. The best way to understand why Dataquest delivers better learning outcomes is to understand the principles that guide the design and development of the learning experience.
A Better Way to Learn
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An Outcome-Based
Learning Platform
Our teaching principles break down into three main pillars. Together they help students learn faster and retain more than other methods.
Contextual Learning
An outcome-based platform requires a different structure than a topical platform. Applied learning teaches learners to combine multiple skills and tools to solve a problem or accomplish a task. Dataquest projects and lessons simulate the challenges that working data professionals face every day.
Efficient Learning
The largest expense when it comes to learning is time. Dataquest courses maximize learning time by eliminating videos, setup, and fill- in-the-blank exercises. Learners apply skills as they learn, and they receive feedback from our proprietary answer-checking system. This maximizes retention and keeps learners motivated.
Structured Paths
Paths guide learners step by step through the foundational skills they need to become well-rounded data practitioners. Paths aren’t repetitive, and they don’t have gaps. Each lesson prepares the learner for the one that follows to accelerate progress.
A Deeper Look at
Contextual Learning
The best way to learn how to complete data projects is by building data projects. Dataquest learners spend their time working through real-world data challenges that teach learners to combine multiple skills and tools to solve a problem or accomplish a task.
Contextual learning has several benefits:
- It builds confidence and experience.
- It trains learners for professional data work.
- It helps learners build a portfolio of projects.
Design Principles That
Support Contextual Learning
Applied learning is a proven approach to improving student engagement and retention. We've used leading principles in digital instructional design to guide our course development:
Transfer
This is a learner’s ability to apply what they’ve learned to a novel situation — “Transfer is the ultimate aim of education, as ensuring that the facts and skills learners learn are going to be usable in a variety of situations is the point of learning” (Mckeough, Lupart, & Marini, 1995).
Problem-based Learning
(PBL) is an active approach to learning wherein learners collaborate to understand and solve complex, ill-structured problems (Barrows, 2000; Savery, 2006). PBL students are more motivated to reach their outcomes and engage in deeper learning and problem-solving approaches.
Authentic Learning
This learning environment promotes authentic contexts and activities, access to expert performances, multiple roles and perspectives, reflection and articulation, coaching and scaffolding, and collaborative knowledge-building (Herrington & Oliver, 2000).
Student-Centered Learning
SCL is an “environment that allows learners to take some real control over their educational experience and encourages them to make important choices about what and how they will learn” (Doyle, 2008. p. xv). SCL evokes a change in attitude from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset, and it refocuses an instructor’s role from a teacher to a facilitator.”
Maximizing Learning
Efficiency
The largest expense when it comes to learning is time. Motivation is key to learning, and making quick, measurable progress is one of the best ways to build and maintain a learning habit.
How we create efficiency:
- Meaningful challenge
- Real-time feedback that removes blockers and deepens understanding
- Elimination of video lectures
Meaningful Challenge and Real-time Feedback
Learning happens best with the correct degree of challenge. Too much challenge can be a blocker, especially if the help is unavailable. Dataquest's proprietary answer-checking system automatically evaluates coding exercises and provides guidance on incorrect submissions. This keeps learners from getting stuck and losing motivation. This allows us to create open-ended exercises that mimic how people actually code.
Elimination of Video Lectures
Lectures are the foundation of many online and in-person courses. They have also been proven to be less effective than active learning.
