Ms Meirian Lovelace-Tozer1, Dr Robert Clemens1, Ms Kathryn Greenhill1, Ms Ellen Lyrtzis1, Ms Liz Stokes1, Ms Kathryn Unsworth1, Ms Adeline Wong1, Dr Amany Gouda-vossos1
1Australian Research Data Commons, Australia
Biography:
Dr Amany Gouda-Vossos (0000-0002-6142-9439): With expertise in molecular sciences, evolutionary biology, and science education, Amany brings an evidence-based approach to developing researcher capabilities. Her passion for fostering a vibrant learning culture has been shaped by her 16-year career across academic and corporate environments.
Ms Merian Lovelace-Tozer (0000-0001-6684-3041): With over 10 years of experience in education, Meirian is committed to making an impact through empowering Australian research communities with a competitive advantage. Meirian delivers training and resources that support researchers to effectively leverage ARDC services.
Abstract:
Background:
As we enter the fourth research paradigm, as evidenced by rapid advancements in the scientific methodology of data-intensive practices, upskilling the next generation of researchers is pivotal. Further, discipline-specific advancements highlight the importance of researchers acquiring new skills to meet evolving demands. Short-format training (SFT) provides a quick and efficient medium to meet these demands. An SFT refers to a non-formal workshop, short course, boot camp, or similar, that teaches skills and knowledge over a brief period. A study led by Williams (2023) called to make SFT more reliable, effective, inclusive, and career-spanning in the face of rapid technological changes.
Actions:
Recommendations for effective SFT development were inspired by productive discussions at the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) Digital Research Skills Summit in 2023. The Skills Summit brought together researchers, learning designers, skills trainers, and librarians. These recommendations were curated into ten simple rules by the Skilled Workforce Development Team at ARDC.
Conclusion:
Our ten simple rules provide a streamlined workflow to assist in developing SFT for researchers. These rules outline how to think about skills learning for researchers, plan training sessions, and efficiently maximise learning. We offer recommendations on how to design and develop learner-centered training programs, foster outreach, and connect with trainer communities. We then provide tips to manage and optimise training, and conclude with valuable insights on preparing for uncertainty and the importance of post-training operations and continued learning.