Training design as a workflow: producing adaptable and reusable learning pathways for Arts and Humanities
Creators: name: Avanço, Karla
name: Mystakopoulos, Fotis
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Open Science
Training
FAIR Principles
Reusability
Learning Pathways
Instructional Design

description: Conference Abstract 

(Note: It was originally submitted as a paper. It was accepted as a poster, and as such all the words used in the abstract to say the paper have been replaced with the word poster).

This poster explores the application of the workflow concept to training design, which translates into treating the training preparation as a workflow as well as organising learning modules based on the research lifecycle. The poster also shows how to tailor the training program to the specific needs of Arts and Humanities.

OPERAS is a European Research Infrastructure dedicated to open scholarly communication in the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH). The strategic objectives of the infrastructure include having a knowledgeable and empowered competence-based community. Training plays an increasingly significant role in building such a community, highly qualified to act and lead in open science ecosystems as it promotes a continuous learning culture, fosters collaboration, and builds collective expertise in a dynamic environment.

OPERAS has been carrying out different actions in line with its objectives, among which the contribution to the Horizon Europe project Skills4EOSC by leading a Work Package focused on thematic training. In particular, OPERAS is developing and implementing a pilot program dedicated to instructing a cohort of trainers in Open Science and Research Data Management (RDM) for the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH).

The training design followed a workflow that started with the definition of competencies and skills for researchers (Catalogue of Skills), followed by the instructional design phase anchored on FAIR principles to make the whole training not only findable and accessible but also interoperable and reusable (FAIR-By-Desgn Methodology). In this framework, each step of the design undergoes FAIR compliance checking. As co-design was also part of the process, other SSH research infrastructures (DARIAH, CESSDA, and CLARIN) reviewed the final learning pathway.

Research and data lifecycle various phases gave the structure for the training program itself. Emphasis is placed on exploring the workflows involved in managing research data and establishing connections between the RDM process and a broader publication strategy that aligns with Open Science practices. Particularly, in managing research data during the different phases, the authors attempt to understand and collate information on the level of granularity required to properly document research materials according to FAIR principles, always having reproducibility in mind.

This poster addresses several key points, including the significance of developing training materials that adhere to the FAIR principles from conception to materialisation. Additionally, it discusses the creation of a tailored learning pathway designed specifically for delivering training sessions to SSH researchers and adaptable to the different disciplines. Crucially, the authors also discuss the feedback from pilot participants on how the material could be improved, enhancing adaptability and reproducibility. Whereas the SSH are often categorised together in broader disciplinary taxonomies, this poster presents the nuances and peculiarities that emerged from the pilot program, concentrating primarily on the humanities aspect.

By extending the FAIR principles beyond research data to encompass the whole workflow of training design and locating the training within the research and data lifecycles, we aim to support practices in training development across different disciplinary communities, improving their quality and fostering reusability.