OBJECTIVE: The Lamar Soutter Library of the University of Massachusetts Medical School is working with partner librarians at MBL-WHOI, Northeastern, Tufts and UMass Amherst on a NN/LM NER grant to author online modules and develop additional Research Data Management (RDM) Teaching Cases based on the UMMS/WPI Data Management Frameworks. The goal is to create an online curriculum to support these institution’s researchers’ data management (RDM) practices.
METHODS: The criteria for module content were developed by an evaluation expert using the NSF data management plan requirements. To develop additional RDM Teaching Cases librarians conducted semi-structured data interviews with researchers. The librarians transcribed and coded these interviews using a validated RDM planning instrument to categorize the projects’ RDM challenges. The librarians then authored case narratives based on the data interview, highlighting these authentic challenges along with a set of discussion and comprehension questions to support learner outcomes.
RESULTS: Currently there are seven modules in addition to the RDM Teaching Cases being authored by the project partners. The first drafts of the Module content and Teaching Cases are due for completion in spring 2013.
CONCLUSIONS: A Data Management Curriculum and RDM Teaching Cases will provide libraries with an educational resource for teaching best practices and supporting their student and faculty research. These educational materials will help to provide researchers and future-researchers with valuable lessons to improve the management of their data throughout the stages of their projects, and will encourage them to see the relationships between managing their data and sharing their data in the future
