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How Big Data is Changing the World of Soccer

Did you know that athletes are not only monitored by cameras on stadiums, but also by many quirky devices such as accelerometers, heart rate sensors and even local GPS-like systems? Indeed, Big Data and modern technologies are currently revolutionizing sports and even powering the Fantasy Sports industry. Sports clubs, media outlets and fans around the world all share a thirst for advanced statistics and information. Big clubs use them to improve the performance of their own

Digital Tools Evolving to Track Students' Emotions, Mindsets

The race is on to provide students with personalized learning experiences based on their individual emotions, cognitive processes, "mindsets," and character and personality traits. Academic researchers, for example, are busy developing computerized tutoring systems that gather information on students' facial expressions, heart rate, posture, pupil dilation, and more. Those data are then analyzed for signs of student engagement, boredom, or confusion, leading a computer avatar

The Future of Big Data and Analytics in K-12 Education

Are schools ready for the power and problems of big data? Imagine classrooms outfitted with cameras that run constantly, capturing each child's every facial expression, fidget, and social interaction, every day, all year long. Then imagine on the ceilings of those rooms infrared cameras, documenting the objects that every student touches throughout the day, and microphones, recording every word that each person utters. Picture now the children themselves wearing Fitbit-like d

People Matter to the Data Strategy Process

Data Strategy in the education sector needs to take into consideration one big question: Why? Why should education professionals care about the seemingly endless streams of data they’re asked to enter into systems? Why should data input be a priority when they have so many other critical responsibilities to students on their plates? That’s what Shiyloh Duncan-Becerril, Education Data Administrator at the California Department of Education, believes. It’s similar to observatio

How to Avoid Messing Up Big Data Analytics

“Big Data” is still in the news these days, but the story has evolved from describing what it is to how an organization can actually use all that data for actionable intelligence, or “Big Data Analytics”. In fact, Forbes just reported on a Honeywell study of 200 manufacturing executives and found the majority of them (68 percent) are currently investing in Big Data Analytics as they felt it is essential for improving manufacturing intelligence and operational performance. The

Podcast: Analytics in Higher Education

Juan Ortiz, Director of Analytics at Laureate Education, talks about the transformation of the sector, the impact of Data Science, the main challenges and use cases of advanced analytics, as well as the maturity and evolution in the different regions where Laureate has presence. If you have 15 minutes, listen to his complete interview here or through ITunes. #predictive #analytics #bigdata #podcast #Education #datascience

The Road to Prediction: Using Unstructured Data

Prediction is tough and rarely a guarantee. If we were able to predict the future, there would be no Vegas, or at minimum a much poorer version. Weather would cause fewer surprises and the World Series, the Davis Cup, the Stanley Cup, the World Cup, the Super Bowl, despite the not so predictable commercials, and the Daytona 500 would not be nearly as interesting to watch. In the world we live in, there are so many variables, nuisances and unknowns, it is difficult at best, to

Top Resources if you want to work as a Data Scientist for the CIA

Ever wanted to work in security intelligence area & use your data science chops? Here are top resources to help get started working for the CIA Data Scientists at the CIA job description: Salary: $61,444 – $139,523 Entry Level: Bachelor's degree and experience with applied quantitative research working with real world data, either through thesis research, internships, or work experience. Applicants should have demonstrated creativity, initiative, and leadership abilities. Dev

What is Predictive Analytics?

Predictive analytics aren’t always correct—they’re simply a best guess based on previously established patterns—but they are often reliable, especially if there is a good amount of data to be analyzed. Before learning about predictive analytics, you may be asking what is analytics? Analytics at its core is simply a detailed examination of something, often data. That data is then interpreted. Predictive analytics simply focuses that interpretation on the future. If you want

New Meaning in Big Data

The evolution of data analytics is approaching an inflection point. Early on, discussions of big data served largely to create awareness about the potential of mining large-scale data. Those discussions evolved over time into how to build solutions that could handle that data and stories of how leading-edge organizations were starting to see successes. However, those successes were largely the domain of the sophisticated early adopters who could justify the investments in eme

How One University Used Big Data To Boost Graduation Rates

Whenever you surf the Web, sophisticated algorithms are tracking where you go, comparing you with millions of other people. They're trying to predict what you'll do next: Apply for a credit card? Book a family vacation? At least 40 percent of universities report that they're trying some version of the same technology on their students, according to several recent surveys. It's known as predictive analytics, and it can be used to either help or hurt students, says a new report

Beyond Moneyball: How Big Data Is Changing Baseball

With quite a few months to go before Spring Training starts up, teams are already gearing up for the challenges they’ll be facing next season. It’s no exception that statistics play a large role in nearly every aspect of baseball, but a new player has entered the field with the potential to completely transform the game. Big data first came on the scene around seven years ago, and already it’s making a sizeable impact in how teams operate and make important decisions. As big

The art and (data) science of leveraging economic bubbles

I have played with a few bubbles - stock market, real estate - and it seems that they are relatively predictable, with their growth being spectacular in their last few months. While it is difficult to identify when a bubble starts to form, it is my rule of thumb that you can expect to extract on average 1/3 of a bubble's energy and turn it into profit. Another rule of mine is to sell if your asset's value increased by more than 200% within a four year time period. I am wonder

16 analytic disciplines compared to data science

What are the differences between data science, data mining, machine learning, statistics, operations research, and so on? Here I compare several analytic disciplines that overlap, to explain the differences and common denominators. Sometimes differences exist for nothing else other than historical reasons. Sometimes the differences are real and subtle. I also provide typical job titles, types of analyses, and industries traditionally attached to each discipline. Underlined do

CNN Interview - Benefits from using Analytics

In this interview (in Spanish) Miguel Molina-Cosculluela (@mikeaingeru), Managing Partner and Analytics Evangelist at Analytikus explains how companies can generate value through the use of Analytics. Gabriela Frias (@gfrias) reporter at CNN sets up the context by explaining how companies such as Ford, LinkedIn or Netflix are using Data to gain competitive advantages. One of the topics discussed was how Analytics have evolved, from Descriptive Analytics, or what we usually ca