Ocean Data in Canada

Name: Ocean Data in Canada
Rating: 4.6 (14 reviews)

Learn what ocean data are, how they're being used, and the ways in which you can access open ocean data.

Created byKatherine Luber, Jacob Thompson, Shayla Fitzsimmons, CIOOS Atlantic

Last updated 2/2022

English

What you'll learn

Describe the different categories of ocean data
Differentiate between data and metadata
Summarize emerging applications of AI to ocean data
Describe what makes data open
Search for ocean data using a variety of open data repositories
Identify how a dataset is licenced and how licencing impacts re-use

Course content

7 sections • 14 lectures • 59m total length

Course Introduction1:43
In this lecture, you'll learn about:
The goals of the course, and why this subject is important
What you can expect from the course structure
Introduce yourself and assess your pre-existing knowledge

Ocean data 1017:30
This lecture contains:
A primer on data and metadata
Descriptions of the basic categories of ocean data
Examples of how we collect ocean data, including the Argo program, Ocean Networks Canada's cabled observatories, and MaPP's kelp monitoring project
Standards that apply to ocean data and metadata, including CF conventions, DarwinCore, and Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs)
Data 101

Artificial intelligence and ocean data5:59
This lecture contains:
Basics of what AI is
Examples of how AI is being applied to ocean data
Barriers to implementation and limitations to current abilities
Special thanks to Jennifer LaPlante, Executive Director at DeepSense, for her assistance with this section.
Open ocean data8:14
This lecture contains:
What open data means
Why open data are important
Who key contributors of open data are
What the F.A.I.R. principles are and how they relate to open data
Limitations of open data in its current state of maturity
AI and open data

Government open data repositories5:06
This lecture will acquaint you with some of the largest and most frequently consulted Canadian open data resources -- those provided by the Canadian government.
Repositories covered include:
The Open Data and Open Maps portals offered by the Government of Canada
Fisheries and Oceans Canada's MEDS
Provincial and territorial open data portals
Specialized ocean data repositories7:22
There are a few specialized or domain-specific ocean data repositories that are a great source of data from both governmental and non-governmental sources. In this lecture, we will explore:
CIOOS (Canadian Integrated Ocean Observing System)
Ocean Tracking Network
Oceans 2.0 (from Ocean Networks Canada)
FRDR (Federated Research Data Repository)
Licensing, permissions, and reuse7:58
Before using open data, it's essential to understand how they are licensed, as licensing information explains your rights and obligations as a data users.
This lecture covers:
Why licensing matters for both data users and data providers
Open Government Licence
Creative Commons Licenses
Other open licencing arrangements
How to find the licence that applies to a dataset
Special thanks to Ryan Deschamps, Data Trust Architect at CIOOS Atlantic, for his assistance with this section.
Searching repositories effectively3:29
Now that you know where you can search for data, let's talk search tips and strategies. This article will walk you through some useful ways of structuring search queries, determining how you want to gain access to the data, and troubleshooting possible issues.
Find a dataset using an ocean data repository

Aquatic animal tracking2:18
This lecture provides a brief overview of aquatic animal tracking -- specifically, acoustic telemetry -- and how data gathered from aquatic animal tracking is used.
Artificial intelligence and aquaculture2:45
This lecture explores a couple of emerging uses of artificial intelligence in aquaculture.
Underwater imaging2:09
This lecture describes how deep learning can be used to develop image restoration techniques.

Requirements

No data science background needed. Just bring your curiosity!

Description

Employment in the Canadian ocean sector is booming -- and one of the most important skillsets that you can develop if you want to work in this sector is the ability to work with ocean data! But, where should you begin? This course is a great starting place. Here, you'll be introduced to some of the core concepts that you'll need to understand on your way to becoming an ocean data whiz.

You don't need a technical background or a firm understanding of ocean science to benefit from this course -- true beginners are welcome.

Topics covered in this course include:

What are ocean data? What do we know about our oceans? Who's collecting this data, and how?
Canadian ocean data trends, including open data and artificial intelligence. Learn about these trends and their applications.
Data repositories. Find out where you can go to find data that are available for public use.
Sharing data. Understand basic methods of data sharing and how licenses impact your ability to use open data.
Use cases. See examples of how ocean data are being used today in the public and private sectors.
Canadian and international resources. Discover other sites that you can visit to deepen your understanding.

Learn through watching video lectures, completing exercises, and taking short, optional assessments to deepen your understanding.

This course was created as part of the VITALITY Project, with support from Canada's Ocean Supercluster, an industry-led, national cluster that's growing the ocean economy in a digital, sustainable, and inclusive way. The VITALITY Project aims to improve small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and students' capacity to work meaningfully with ocean data.

Who this course is for:

Graduate and undergraduate students who want to learn about what ocean data is and ways to work with it
Ocean sector professionals who want to improve their knowledge of open ocean data repositories and how to use them

Ocean Data in Canada

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction1 lecture • 2min

What are ocean data?1 lecture • 8min

Canadian trends in ocean data2 lectures • 14min

Canadian ocean data repositories4 lectures • 24min

Uses of ocean data3 lectures • 7min

Canadian and international resources2 lectures • 5min

Conclusion1 lecture • 1min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: