A Better Way to Learn:
The Dataquest Teaching Method
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.
An Outcome-Based
Learning Platform
Contextual Learning
Efficient Learning
Structured Paths
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.