Transcript D I V I S I O N O F T E C H N O L O G Y , I N.

D I V I S I O N
O F
T E C H N O L O G Y ,
I N F O R M A T I O N
A N D
L E A R N I N G
S U P P O R T
www.tils.qut.edu.au
www.tils.qut.edu.au
SURVEY OF ERESEARCH
PRACTICES AND SKILLS AT
QUT, AUSTRALIA
Stephanie Bradbury
Martin Borchert
CRICOS No. 00213J
www.tils.qut.edu.au
The Authors
Stephanie Bradbury
Research Support Librarian (QUT Library)
Research Training Coordinator (Research Student Centre)
Information Manager (Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation)
Martin Borchert
Associate Director, Library Services (Information Resources and Research
Support)
www.tils.qut.edu.au
QUT ...
40,000 students
1,700 researchers
Inner-city Brisbane,
Queensland, Australia
www.tils.qut.edu.au
eResearch at QUT
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Purpose of the Survey
• Provide a snapshot of researchers’ eResearch practices
and skills, that is, act as a skills audit of researchers’
eResearch skills.
• Provide an indication of researchers’ training needs in
the many aspects of eResearch.
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Survey Method
• Key Survey online survey tool
was used
• Questions were developed
covering 72 skills
• Piloted on 6 researchers
• Email from DVCs to 1,700
research staff (included some
HDR students)
• Reminder email
• Free coffee voucher
www.tils.qut.edu.au
The survey asked respondents to:
Rate how they would describe their
skill level in a selection of eResearch
skills and practices grouped in the
following categories:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Scholarly communication practices
Using collaborative technologies
Data management practices
Managing different types of data
Using different data collection and
analysis techniques.
Using visualization tools
Using computation tools or activities
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Indicate if they would like training or
online resources for each of the skills
listed in the categories above.
Indicate if they use open source
software or tools
List any other tools they use to
process or analyse research data
Indicate any programming languages
or scripts they use in their research
practices
Indicate if they use open source
software or tools
Indicate how they like to learn new
technologies.
List the top three eResearch training
requirements they (TILS research
support staff) would like addressed in
2010.
Indicate their knowledge of various
federal and state agencies that
support eResearch initiatives.
Add open-ended comments on various
topics.
www.tils.qut.edu.au
• NOT APPLICABLE to my research
• UNAWARE (I am unaware of this skill / tool and, as such,
have not used it in my research)
• AWARE: No experience (I have heard about this skill /
tool, but have not used it)
• BASIC SKILLS
• COMPETENT
• EXPERT
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Focus Groups
• 8 focus groups
• Participants were targeted
based on responses and
nominations by directors of
research institutes
• Uptake of eResearch tools and
technologies
• Issues and challenges relating
to learning new technologies
• Issues and challenges relating
to conducting eResearch
activities
• Training preferences of
eResearch skills and
technologies
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Results
• 277 researchers took the survey and 254 completed it
• The survey population is not strictly random from the statistical
perspective, so we can interpret results in terms of general
trends only, rather than respondents representing the
academic population of QUT
• 159 free test responses were received to open ended
questions
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Participants
www.tils.qut.edu.au
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Scholarly communication
25
Publishing with a Creative Commons Licence
Managing references using software other than EndNote
118
17
Citing a dataset in your publication
17
Calculating bibliometric indicators
11
70
102
20
75
88
24
68
40
25
10
8
Depositing fulltext in QUT ePrints
77
Managing references using EndNote
0%
Not applicable to my research
Unaware
40
13
19
38
24
27
29
7
11
87
67
24
Managing copyright in relation to publishing
22
54
107
Publishing in an open access journal
18
87
86
Creating a blog as a communication tool for your research
19 1
30
38
77
26
11
80
38
72
4
55
77
32
10%
14
79
90
20%
30%
40%
Aware: No experience
36
50%
60%
Basic skill
70%
80%
Competent
Researchers’ self-rated skill levels of 9 scholarly
communication skills
90%
100%
Expert
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Scholarly communication
48.9
50
45
37.8
40
35
26.9
30
29.5
25
18.6
20
12.2
15
6.8
10
5
9.1
5.7
2.6
1.9
0
0
Not
Applicable to
my research
Unaware
Aware: No
experience
% STM
Basic Skills
Competent
Expert
% SSH
Comparison of skill level ratings between STM
and SSH disciplines: Calculating bibliometric
indicators that measure your research impact
(e.g. h-index)
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Scholarly communication
Requests for Training
Scholarly Communication Practices
70
63
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
41
38
35
34
31
31
28
27
No. Researchers
Training requests of all respondents in
Scholarly Communication skills
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Using Collaborative Technologies for Research
14
Access Grid Technology
167
12
10
Peer to peer file sharing
9
Videoconferencing
13
7
Instant Messaging
Online video
Portable Devices
Email
72
59
57
63
9 15
2 9 29
228
53
80
7 24
2 16
28 4
46
117
43
27
58
97
46
72
42
74
137
20%
23
64
139
0%
13
41
124
45
12
37
56
108
42
6
23
18 5
78
79
11
35
38
70
54
011
16 7
50
63
64
18 6
47
69
82
12
10 2
26
67
85
81
26
68
108
9
19
65
126
11
Collaborative Document editing
44
139
60
104
40%
60%
80%
100%
Not applicable to my research
Unaware
Aware: No experience
Basic skill
Competent
Expert
Researchers’ self-rated skill levels of using 16
collaborative technologies
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Using Collaborative Technologies for Research
Requests for Training
Collaborative Technologies
35
30
25
20
15
10
Number of. Requests
5
0
Requests for Training or Online Resources in
Collaborative Technologies
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Using Collaborative Technologies for Research
Specific technologies mentioned included:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
SendThisFile www.sendthisfile.com
Joomla (Content management system)
http://www.joomla.org/
MessageNet (to send SMS)
http://www.messagenet.com.au/
Ning (Social networks)
http://www.ning.com/ (X2)
Scribd (document sharing)
http://www.scribd.com/
BaseCamp http://basecamphq.com/
Doodle (shared calendar)
http://www.doodle.com/
Delicious http://delicious.com/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com
(x 4)
Blackboard
http://www.blackboard.com/ (x 2)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Elluminate http://www.elluminate.com/
(x 2)
Twitter http://twitter.com/
ALTC Exchange
http://www.altcexchange.edu.au/
GoToMeeting (web conferencing)
http://www.gotomeeting.com/fec/
Google docs http://docs.google.com/
(x 3)
Google groups
http://groups.google.com.au/
Transana (video data analysis)
http://www.transana.org/
Mendeley (social citation networks content repositories)
http://www.mendeley.com/
Box (cloud-based content
management) http://box.net
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Data Management Practices
Preparing a data exit plan
Assigning descriptors or metadata
38
27
Preparing a data managment plan
15
Disposing of your digital data
11
Using pre-existing data for your own reearch
Managing the legal issues of your data
Managing your digital data storage needs
103
20
72
Backing up your digital data
28
5 19
7 14
Not applicable to my research
Unaware
64
59
103
5
13
46
3
108
73
79
72
28
56
103
85
100
99
20%
9
45
84
31
7
45
76
49
19 1
29
83
66
19 22
28
55
45
53
11 25
0%
64
57
Retaining your digital research data according to… 13 15
Managing privacy and confidentiality of your data
64
40%
Aware: No experience
60%
Basic skills
Researchers’ self-rated skill levels in data
management practices
18
23
16
23
80%
Competent
100%
Expert
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Data Collection and Analysis Techniques and
Practices
Remote research instruments
135
Business analytics software
96
Accessing data repositories
65
Data mining tools
63
Qualitative data anlaysis
37
Statistical analysis software
0%
85
45
20%
72
40%
60%
Aware: No experience
29
50
80%
Basic skill
16 2
33
98
57
20 3
31
55
10
Unaware
39
94
16
73
15 7 2
89
32
43
25
75
55
45
57
59
49
Survey software
Not applicable to my research
27
1
8
21
100%
Competent
Researchers’ self-rated skill levels in data
collection and analysis techniques and
practices
Expert
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Data Collection and Analysis Techniques and
Practices
Requests for Training
Data Collection and Analysis Techniques
50
48
48
42
45
38
40
35
30
30
25
20
14
15
11
10
5
0
Statistical
analysis
software
Survey
software
Qualitative Data mining
data anlaysis
tools
Accessing
data
repositories
Business
analytics
software
Remote
research
instruments
Number of requests for training and online resources
in data collection and analysis techniques and
practices
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Managing Research Data
Clinical data
123
108
98
96
86
Laboratory notes
Computer simulation data
Data automatically generated from or by…
Fieldwork data
Interview data
Databases
Email
Bibliographic data
60
54
52
51
49
48
46
135 20
124 18
12314
6310
314
0%
8
18
49
49
35
32
7
37
29 13
6
47
45
44
14
8
51
42
45
12
24
67
26
31
20
11
61
66
45
11
7
58
64
51
20
11 43
73
60
5 29
15
71
81
4 40
17
62
79
6 29
20
60
91
6 22
19
70
84
72
25
119
66
25
120
52
34
122
51
50
131
75
53
130
40
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Not applicable to my research
Unaware
Aware: No experience
Basic skill
Competent
Expert
Researchers’ self-rated skill levels in managing different types of data
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Managing Research Data
Requests for Training
35
30
25
20
15
10
31
29
28
26
25
24
22
22
21
19
18
16
16
10
10
9
7
5
0
Number of requests for training and online resources in managing
different types of research data
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Managing Research Data
Have you made your digital research data
available to other researchers?
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Managing
Research
Data
How did you make your
data available to
other researchers?
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Managing Research Data
Have you wanted to
share your data with
collaborators (outside of
QUT) but have
experienced difficulties
doing so?
What were the
difficulties experienced
in sharing data?
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Visualization Tools
Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
102
Online 3D environment
51
85
77
78
3D visualization tool
48
Photo-editing suite
49
30
Unaware
73
54
Aware: No experience
18 12 2
52
12 12 2
36
62
0% 10%
20% 30%
40% 50%
60%
Not applicable to my research
14 61
63
103
73
Google Maps
19 7 4
71
81
73
Data visualization
71
70%
Basic skill
48
80%
12
90% 100%
Competent
Researchers’ self-rated skill levels in using
visualization tools in their research
20 3
Expert
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Visualization Tools
Training Requests
Visualization Tools
35
35
30
32
31
29
26
25
20
15
10
5
0
Researchers’ requests for training and online
resources in visualization tools
23
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Computation Tools and Activities
Developing a parallel program for a complex computer…
105
Computation using a batch processing system
98
Creating a mashup using APIs and your data
29
Using a database management system
Unaware
53
58
40
Using spreadsheets to do calculations and graphics (e.g.… 122 20
0%
56
74
48
66
Aware: No experience
18 23 7
47
14 81
28
20 11
33
61
88
20%
16 20 4
43
91
86
Using a Problem Solving Environment (e.g. MATLAB,…
44
65
93
Computation beyond your desktop, using remote…
Not applicable to my research
65
22 19
48
88
40%
60%
Basic skill
Researchers’ self-rated skill levels in using
computation tools and activities in their
research
9
41
80%
Competent
100%
Expert
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Computation Tools and Activities
Requests for Training in Computation Tools and Activities
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Training in Computation Tools and Activities
Researchers’ requests for training and online
resources in computation tools and activities in
their research
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Writing Computer Programs or Scripts
Programming Languages or Script to support Research Activities
25
23
22
20
17
15
10
5
16
15
13
8
8
7
6
4
4
2
2
1
0
Researchers’ responses to programming
languages and scripts they use to support their
research activities
0
www.tils.qut.edu.au
eResearch Skills to Increase Research Productivity
and Quality
Statistical and Qualitative Data Analysis
Data Management
Collaborative Tools
Other
Bibliographic Management (EndNote)
Literature Searching (Database Searching)
General Computer Literacy
EXCEL / Spreadsheets
Visualisation
Online Surveys
Programming
Publishing
Support Staff
Computation / Simulation / Modelling
Copyright
Word Processing or PPT
Methodologies
General IT
Data Mining
84
58
36
31
22
18
18
15
14
14
14
13
12
11
8
8
7
6
6
0
20
40
60
Researchers’ responses to the “three
eResearch skills to increase their research
productivity and quality”
80
100
www.tils.qut.edu.au
Research Practices in the Future
Concept Map of Responses to Question: How do you see
your research practices changing over the next five years?
www.tils.qut.edu.au
What’s next
QUT is using this information to:
•
•
•
•
Identify training needs – support staff
Identify training needs - researchers
Focus available resources
Better inform the development of new services
• A similar survey was undertaken to Library ITS research support
staff
• Full reports will become available
THE END