Applying And Promoting Open Science In Ecology - Surveyed Drivers And Challenges

Abstract

Open Science (OS) comprises a variety of practices and principles that are broadly intended to improve the quality and transparency of research, and the concept is gaining traction. Since OS has multiple facets and still lacks a unifying definition, it may be interpreted quite differently among practitioners. Moreover, successfully implementing OS broadly throughout science requires a better understanding of the conditions that facilitate or hinder OS engagement, and in particular, how practitioners learn OS in the first place. We addressed these issues by surveying OS practitioners that attended a workshop hosted by the Living Norway Ecological Data Network in 2020. The survey contained scaled-response and open-ended questions, allowing for a mixed-methods approach. Out of 128 registered participants we obtained survey responses from 60 individuals. Responses indicated usage and sharing of data and code, as well as open access publications, as the OS aspects most frequently engaged with. Men and those affiliated with academic institutions reported more frequent engagement with OS than women and those with other affiliations. When it came to learning OS practices, only a minority of respondents reported having encountered OS in their own formal education. Consistent with this, a majority of respondents viewed OS as less important in their teaching than in their research and supervision. Even so, many of the respondents' suggestions for what would help or hinder individual OS engagement included more knowledge, guidelines, resource availability and social and structural support; indicating that formal instruction can facilitate individual OS engagement. We suggest that the time is ripe to incorporate OS in teaching and learning, as this can yield substantial benefits to OS practitioners, student learning, and ultimately, the objectives advanced by the OS movement.