Introduction: Getting Started with this Course

There are no prerequisites for this course. It is open to all, regardless of education or experience. 

The course is for anyone and everyone who works with livestock, regardless of livestock species, farming system, or geographical location. Course participants include:

• livestock farmers
• farm animal veterinarians
• farm advisors/technicians
• livestock industry representatives
• agricultural and veterinary students  

You do not need to apply, sign up or register, you can simply access course materials whenever you choose to do so. 

The course consists of five modules, and it will take approximately two hours to complete each module. We recommend you aim to complete one module per week, though materials are available on-demand to suit your schedule. There are no set start-dates for the course - you can begin anytime you are ready, and revisit materials as often as you would like. 

You can access the full course on any device connected to the internet. Most course materials are provided through video format, with some handouts provided as supplementary material, which you can either save to your computer or print off for future reference. 

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At the end of each module of this course, we present you with data tutorials to show you specifically how to record data and what to do with those data. These tutorials are accessible to everyone, including those who have never used spreadsheet software before, as well as those with more experience.

Tutorials are demonstrated using the free, online version of Microsoft Excel. Each tutorial is followed by a Learning Activity, which gives you the opportunity to put what you have learned into practice. We highly recommend that you complete these activities, as they will solidify your knowledge and skills. 

Access the free online version of Excel, which is available here then click the "Sign up for free" button and follow instructions. You can also use other widely available software programmes, such as Google Sheets, the desktop (paid-for) version of Excel, or Numbers (if you are using an Apple computer). Please note that the steps shown in the data tutorials are very much the same when performed with other programmes, though specific icons and layouts will differ.

We recommend completing the learning activities on a desktop or laptop computer, rather than a tablet or mobile phone. 

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This is a non-credit bearing course. This means that you do not receive university credits and the course does not count towards a university degree or certification. However, after engaging with the course, in whole or in part,  you will have the opportunity to earn a University of Edinburgh Digital Badge which can be displayed on a website or social media profile. To earn your badge, please fill out the participant questionnaire available at the end of each module (note: you only need to fill this out once). 

• Email: globalagriculture@ed.ac.uk
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This course has been made possible by The Data Lab