Qualifications

[Scotbynature]

With all of the work we do looking at various qualifications I have a quick question. Do any of you actually have a qualification in data? My background is in IT and i have a degree in that field but as part of my continuous professional development I was speaking to my headteacher about getting some official training within data manipulation or something similar.

 

As if we are not all busy enough, lol.

[Jenis]

I did an MSc in Information Management - and it's actually really relevant for this job, especially when it comes to managing data collections on SIMS (the hierarchy of aspects, etc.) and manipulating data. I've always been interested in IT and a fast learner of computer programs, so that's helped with picking up the other aspects of the job (Excel, etc.). I think the only thing that would help me CPD-wise are more skills in Maths, I'm pretty rubbish at the statistics part of it, there were a couple of lectures on using SPSS for my MSc but I made the silly decision to skip that day. Whoops.

 

Sometimes I think that this job would make for a great PhD project in Information Science in the right area...

[Ecclesbury]

If you're looking for something a bit tamer than an MSc I did the SSAT's National Data Manager Award here

 

This is more about reflecting on what you already do in your job, but I found it a very useful exercise and it actually gave rise to some improvements in what I do.

 

In terms of weight it's not really a very heavy hitting qualification, but it is at least concrete recognition of the work we do.

[mark80]

My education background was a degree in computer science and then fell into data management as i was applying for all and any IT related jobs for my local council. Started off as a data assistant in social services and got a data managers post at a school a few years later (about 8 years ago now when data managers were relatively new concept in schools).

 

Done a fair few things since then, training school staff on MIS & finance systems for the council, IT consultant trainer for MIS provider and now full circle back in a school as DM & exams manager. Like the idea SSAT's award, and really tempted now at a MSc in Info Management.

[Scotbynature]

I like the look of the SSAT qualification as a starting point, a nice certificate for my wall anyway, lol. I have always liked the thought of getting a Phd and getting everyone to call me Doctor, haha.

[Ecclesbury]

This wasn't a qualification but by far the most useful technical training I have done so far was a one day course in Excel VBA. I spent a long time playing around teaching myself after the course, but if you could find decent courses/qualifications in VBA I think that would be useful.

 

For one thing, if you use SIMS, a knowledge of VBA programming opens up the wonderful pandora's box of custom excel templates for reports.

[Scotbynature]

@Ecclesbury, would you recommend going on a VBA course or just buying the book and self teaching, did you think you got much from having an actual trainer there in front of you?

[Jenis]

@mark80 I did my MSc at Loughborough University, unfortunately their Information Science department seems to have fallen victim to budget cuts and is now part of Business/Economics departments, with the MSc courses being a casualty. The only one left being Information Management and Business Technology. CILIP has a list of institutions that run accredited courses if that helps: CILIP accredited qualifications | CILIP

 

The VBA course sounds like an excellent idea, I've attended "advanced" excel training before (I wanted the certificate), but it was painfully obvious that the person running the course was just that - a trainer. He had no practical skills in Excel whatsoever and was following his sheet of paper.

[NormalDistribution]

I did a MA in Educational Research. I have found it invaluable.

 

MA Educational Research - Education - Social science - Courses available - Taught courses - Prospective postgraduates - The University of Sheffield

[DataDB]

My background is a degree in Computer Science and Business, I then got a job on the helpdesk of an MIS provider and worked my way through to a training consultant. This is my second school as a data manager, I'd love to do a masters in something which would be relevant to my role. I have had a look at the SSAT qualification but I'm not sure how much benefit it would be; I'm still debating whether to go for it.

[Ecclesbury]

@Scotbynature I think everyone's different, but I did personally find the initial course useful mainly because it gave me the kick start to learn it, and gave quite a good basis to start learning from. I didn't actually learn form a 'book' as such, I found the best way to learn was to think of real applications that I could use in my job and then basically just started playing around trying to figure out how to do it and googled the hell out of it!

 

Sometimes it's just hard knowing where to start. The course gave me that place to start and gave a foundation I could build on.

[LosOjos]

I like the look of SSATs NDMA and my school have offered to pay for it, so I'll be starting that in January.

 

Also, on the subject of advanced Excel, I'm going to be delivering some training on that in the not too distant future. There'll be no qualification I'm afraid, pure training, but if anyone is interested and located in the West Midlands, drop me a PM and I'll let you know when we have a schedule.

 

VBA is not something I had planned on delivering as I find a hell of a lot more can be achieved in pure Excel than most people realise, but it's certainly something I could consider running a course on if there was demand.

[Jenis]

@LosOjos, I'm figuring that your advanced Excel course will be more than introducing "if" formulas.

[gazskeltz]

@Jenis,

 

or ELSE what?

 

[LosOjos]

@Jenis - haha yes, although you'd be surprised how often I see spreadsheets almost entirely manually calculated!

 

Plan is to show advanced use of 'IF' formulas (i.e. chaining together, using AND/OR, using output as input to other functions), going over VLOOKUP & INDEX/MATCH, the pros and cons of both, dynamic charts, conditional formatting... basically anything you can do to make your analysis sheets as automatic as possible.

 

To be fair, it's probably going to be pretty basic stuff to many people here (the nature of this forum means it's generally the more IT savvy who come across it), but at local DM meetings I'm always shocked at how much unnecessary manual calculation my peers do.

 

Did have to laugh at the FFT conference last week - one of their directors, during a talk on Progress 8, said "don't even attempt to do Progress 8 calculations in Excel - it's impossible unless you're superhuman". Well, best put on my cape and over-pants then

[MattMitchell]

Superhuman? That's weird, as I've found you can calculate the estimates as well as the attainment scores in a SIMS marksheet.

 

it's illy, really, considering that FFT is produced by the company that calculates progress8 anyway...

[CAM]

I have a Computing BSc but TBH I just fell into the job after a very brief stint as a techie. Some LEA SIMS training later and I am here in my second school. Downside is a total lack of career direction!

[LosOjos]

@CAM - I've felt like career direction is an issue too, however having been to a couple of tech events lately, it was clear that the big tech companies are really interested in what kind of data analysis they can produce - usually for marketing of course! So management of "big data" is somewhere I could see this roll feeding nicely in to...

[cct72]

This has been recommended to me by a data manager in Manchester: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/data-to-insight

[Blackcatowner]

I'm enrolled on that Future Learn course but not had a chance to get into yet.