Module specification

1. 1. Factual information

Module title TM351: Data management and analysis Level 3

Module tutor TBA Credit value 30
Module type Taught Notional 8
learning hours

2. Rationale for the module and its links with other modules
Data management and analysis (TM351) – an overview of the concepts, techniques, and tools
of modern data management and analysis. The requirements of data management continually
evolve. Recently those requirements have surpassed the capabilities of traditional data
management. So, in order to better prepare our graduates for the new demands of the job
market, it is necessary to address both the traditional concepts of data management as well as
the increasingly important area of data analytics.

3. Aims of the module

This module aims to address some of the key concepts required for the traditionally important
area of data management, and the increasingly important area of data analytics. The module
will compare traditional relational databases with an alternate model (a NoSQL database), and
will enable students to choose between the alternatives to select an appropriate means of
storing and managing data, depending on the size and structure of a particular dataset and the
use to which that data will be put. Students will be introduced to preliminary techniques in data
analysis, starting from the position that data is used to answer a question, and introduced to a
range of data visualisation and visual analysis techniques that will instil an understanding of
how to start exploring a new data set.
To ensure that students are comfortable with handling datasets, they will explore a range of
openly licensed real-world datasets (either downloaded from their host websites, or provided as
snapshots) to illustrate the key concepts in the course. Sources such as data.gov.uk, the World
Bank, and a range of other national and international agencies will be used to provide
appropriate data. The module will aim to divide approximately equally between issues in data
management (technical and socio-legal issues in storing and maintaining datasets), and issues
in data analytics (using data to answer questions). Students are not expected to have a
background in statistics, but should be comfortable working with mathematical concepts and will
need to be competent programmers.
The module will be framed around a narrative that looks at how to manage and extract value
and insight from a range of increasingly large data collections. At each stage, a comparison will
be drawn between different ways of representing the data (for example, using different sorts of
charts or geographical mapping techniques), and limitations of the mechanisms presented. To
enable students to get a feel for the use of data, each stage will also include an overview of
some data analysis techniques, including summary reporting and exploratory data visualisation.

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3. Aims of the module
The module will be driven by Richard Hamming's famous quote: The purpose of computing is
insight, not numbers.
Some of the key ideas are:
 Introducing data analysis. Starting with a text based data file such as comma separated
variable (CSV) document, this unit will provide a brief introduction to some basic
operations on simple data files. This will give an opportunity to provide an outline of the
key ideas in the module, to ensure that the students have installed the module software
correctly, and to begin to familiarise themselves with that software.
 Concepts in data management. The module will look at three key areas in data
management: data architectures and data access (CRUD), data integrity, and
transaction management (ACID). Each of these will be illustrated using a relational
database, and one non-relational alternative, and the advantages and limitations of each
model discussed.
 Legal and ethical issues. The module will consider the legal and ethical issues involved
in managing data collections. Students will be required to obtain and read (parts of) the
Data Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act, and demonstrate how these
apply to issues in data management. They will also consider privacy, ownership,
intellectual property and licensing issues in data collection, management, retrieval and
reuse.
 Concepts in data analytics. These sections will focus on using data to answer a real
question; the focus will be on exploratory techniques (such as visualisation) and
formulating a question into a form which can realistically be answered using the data
that is available. Issues in processing techniques for large and real-time streamed data
collections will also be addressed along with techniques and technologies (such as
mapreduce) for handling them. This part will use a statistical package such as the
python scientific libraries and/or ggplot to visualise the data and carry out appropriate
analyses. It is not anticipated that students will need to understand statistical methods in
depth.

4. Pre-requisite modules or specified entry requirements

Students should have completed Module M269 & M251 before taking this module.

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5. Intended learning outcomes
A. Knowledge and understanding Learning and teaching strategy
Upon completing this course, students will be able to:  Lectures
A1.Discuss and describe the similarities and differences between at  face-to-face teaching
least two different database models, and how they are used to  Take-home assignments
manage data collections.  Final project

A2.Identify and explain the legal issues surrounding data collection,

usage and retention.

A3.Explain the stages and process of database design

B. Cognitive skills Learning and teaching strategy

Upon completing this course, students will be able to:  Lectures
B1.Select an appropriate database model for a data collection.  face-to-face teaching
 Take-home assignments
B2.Use data to answer a practical question.
 Final project
B3.Analyse a simple scenario to produce a conceptual model.

C. Practical and professional skills Learning and teaching strategy

Upon completing this course, students will be able to:  Lectures
C1.Use a query language to extract information from a database.  face-to-face teaching
 Take-home assignments

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C. Practical and professional skills Learning and teaching strategy
C2.Use a statistical package to explore a data set  Final project

C3.Present an analysis of a dataset to a variety of audiences.

D Key transferable skills Learning and teaching strategy

Upon completing this course, students will be able to:
 Lectures
D1.Write a report detailing a systematic approach to analysing a data
 face-to-face teaching
set.
 Take-home assignments
D2.Gain Active listening to the stakeholders regarding their data
 Final project
analysis needs
D3.Communicate the results of data analysis to stakeholders at
appropriate level

6. Indicative content.
 Introducing data management and analysis
 Acquiring and representing data
 Data preparation
 Data analysis
 Presentation: telling the story
 With data comes responsibility
 When spreadsheets fail
 Databases
 Relational databases I
 Normalisation
 Relational databases II
 Data integrity

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6. Indicative content.
 Alternatives to relational databases
 Document databases
 Complex queries and analysis
 Scaling out: replication and sharding
 Distributed transactions
 Sample data investigation and report
 Data warehousing
 Data mining I: classification tasks
 Data mining II: clustering tasks
 Data mining III: semi-supervised techniques for investigating a data warehouse
 With data comes responsibility II: keeping data safe
 Linked Data on the Semantic Web
 Querying and manipulating linked data
 Applications of Semantic Web data
 End-of-module project: data investigation and report
 Finish and submit project

7. Assessment strategy, assessment methods and their relative weightings

One TMA (could be broken into a number of quizzes and/or computer-based exercises) – 20%
One MTA – 30%
One Final (in the form of a project) – 50%

8. Mapping of assessment tasks to learning outcomes

Learning Outcomes
Assessment tasks A1 A2 A3 B1 B2 B3 C1 C2 C3 D1 D2 D3
TMA x x x x x x x x
MTA x x x x x x x
Final x x x x x x x
9. Teaching staff associated with the module

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8. Mapping of assessment tasks to learning outcomes
Learning Outcomes
Assessment tasks A1 A2 A3 B1 B2 B3 C1 C2 C3 D1 D2 D3
Name and contact details
TBA

10. Key reading list

Author Year Title Publisher Location
Open University Course 2016 M351: data management Open University UK
Materials for TM351 and analysis

11. Other indicative text (e.g. websites)

 Download Oracle VM VirtualBox
 Technical Articles About Oracle Virtualization Technologies
 Documentation (pdf)
 VirtualBox page on OTN
 How to Look Smart At Cocktail Parties
 Welcome to Python.org
 The IPython Notebook — IPython

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