Open Education and Competency-Based Training in Research Data Services: Lessons Learned

Open Education and Competency-Based Training in Research Data Services: Lessons Learned
 

Professor Rong Tang 

School of Library and Information Science
Simmons University
 

July 9, 2024 (Tuesday)

12:45 – 14:00

Room 205, Runme Shaw Building, HKU / Online by Zoom (Hybrid mode)

Chair: Professor Xiao Hu
 

Registration: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_regform.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=95141

Abstract:
Open education and competency-based education (CBE/CBT) are two innovative educational approaches that have not necessarily been widely implemented in the educational practices for data science. In her talk, Dr. Tang will present a successful model of open education and competency-based training for professional development in research data services.  The presentation will describe two online programs, the Research Data Management Librarian Academy (RDMLA) and the Data Services Continuing Professional Education (DSCPE). She will conclude with lessons learned and challenges in implementing RDMLA and DSCPE.

The RDMLA is a global, free, and open online professional development program for librarians and other information professionals who work in research-intensive environments. The curriculum, which includes eleven self-paced learning units and two mini-modules, focuses on the essential knowledge and skills needed to collaborate effectively with researchers on data management. As of June 17, 2024, RDMLA has 8,460 learners from all around the world. The course is also available in a Traditional Chinese translation thanks to a translation partnership with National Taiwan University (NTU) Library.

The DSCPE is a ten-week online intensive learning experience geared toward preparing early-to-mid career working librarians to provide needed data services. Applying a competency-based education approach, the DSCPE curriculum consists of live sessions, remote self-paced learning, and a capstone experience. The objective of this professional education is to train and develop a community of practice for data services librarians.
 

About the speaker:

Rong Tang is a Professor at the School of Library and Information Science, Simmons University. Her research interests center on research data management services, open government data, paradigm shift in the field of information, usability and UX research, information behavior, and more.  Published in top-ranked journals and conference proceedings, Rong Tang teaches primarily in areas of evaluation of information services, digital information services and providers, research methods and design, leadership and collaboration, leadership during crisis, theories of information science, and usability and user experience research.
            

Since 2018, Rong Tang has been a Co-Leader for the Research Data Management Librarian Academy (RDMLA), which currently has close to 8,500 learners from countries around the world. Rong is also a Co-Leader for the Data Services Continuing Professional Education (DSCPE) which started in October 2022. Rong Tang is the founding Director of Simmons Usability Lab. She served as Director or a Co-Director of the PhD Program at Simmons SLIS. Rong has received multiple grants including a WGBH subcontracted grant from NEH (National Endowment of the Humanities) in 2017, an IMLS grant in 2019 on developing interprofessional informationist (IPI) post-master’s certificate program, and continuing funding from Elsevier for the RDMLA/DSCPE initiatives since 2018.
 

Professionally, Rong Tang served as the President for Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) 2022-2023. She served as the Director for External Relations for ALISE from 2017 to 2020. She also served on various leadership position for Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T) over the years.

~ All are welcome ~
For enquiries, please contact the Office of Research, Faculty of Education at hkchow@hku.hk