Delivering Innovative RDM Training: The immersiveInformatics Pilot Programme

This paper presents the findings, lessons learned and next steps associated with the implementation of the immersiveInformatics pilot: a distinctive research data management (RDM) training programme designed in collaboration between UKOLN Informatics and the Library at the University of Melbourne, Australia. The pilot aimed to equip a broad range of academic and professional staff roles with RDM skills as a key element of capacity and capability building within a single institution. Received 13 January 2014 | Accepted 26 Feburary 2014 Correspondence should be addressed to Anna Shadbolt, Library Research, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. Email: [email protected] An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 9 International Digital Curation Conference. The International Journal of Digital Curation is an international journal committed to scholarly excellence and dedicated to the advancement of digital curation across a wide range of sectors. The IJDC is published by the University of Edinburgh on behalf of the Digital Curation Centre. ISSN: 1746-8256. URL: http://www.ijdc.net/ Copyright rests with the authors. This work is released under a Creative Commons Attribution (UK) Licence, version 2.0. For details please see http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/uk/ International Journal of Digital Curation 2014, Vol. 9, Iss. 1, 313–323 313 http://dx.doi.org/10.2218/ijdc.v9i1.318 DOI: 10.2218/ijdc.v9i1.318 314 | The immersiveInformatics Pilot Programme doi:10.2218/ijdc.v9i1.318 Introduction and Objectives The advent of data-intensive research in the Fourth Paradigm (Hey, Tansley, & Tolle, 2009) has led to a requirement for enhanced support to promote good research data management (RDM) practice within universities and research institutes. In some higher education institutions, professional support services, such as academic libraries, have begun to consider the range of issues, tasks and services that are required. Many stakeholders are involved in RDM and the range of roles and responsibilities have been documented (Lyon, 2012). New roles have been proposed, such as data librarian and data scientist, whilst in other cases existing roles have been extended to embrace the growing data challenge, such as subject/liaison librarians. A recent Research Libraries UK (RLUK) report (Auckland, 2012) highlighted the RDM skills gaps of subject librarians. An older report by the Australian Partnership for Sustainable Repositories (APSR) (Henty, Weaver, Bradbury, & Porter, 2008) identified a recurring requirement from Australian Universities for data management training for researchers. The 2011 Strategic Roadmap for Australian Research Infrastructure states: ‘...the most pressing issue that impacts on research infrastructure is the training and development of skilled staff to provide technical support to the research community.’ (Commonwealth of Australia, 2011). In each case, a requirement for dedicated, cost-effective training programmes has emerged to build RDM capacity and capability within the community. This paper presents the findings, lessons learned and next steps associated with immersiveInformatics: an innovative RDM training programme designed in collaboration between UKOLN Informatics and the Library at the University of Melbourne, Australia. The programme objectives were to:  Develop an innovative, multimodal approach to teach the foundations of good research data management practice;  Demonstrate practical research workflows within the research lifecycle across different disciplines;  Apply basic data management tools to curate datasets;  Facilitate an interactive experience with opportunities for shared learning, networking and reflection;  Plan for a cost-effective course, which is also of high quality and fully evaluated to ensure continued programme refinement and development. IJDC | General Article doi:10.2218/ijdc.v9i1.318 Anna Shadbolt et al. | 315