Conducting Research Using Online Workshops During COVID-19: Lessons for and Beyond the Pandemic

Abstract

Social distancing rules in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic have necessitated a move to online research for many social science researchers. In moving data collection online, academic literature on Internet-mediated research has resurfaced and been enriched, providing researchers with a useful resource when planning data collection online. In sharp contrast, there is limited published work for online workshops, indicating new opportunities for developing an evidence base for this increasingly important approach to data generation.

Conducting clinical research in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic: Challenges and lessons for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology research

“…Approval processes can be efficient without compromising the research integrity process through IRBs: (1) ensuring that the standard of ethical review is not relaxed; (2) ensuring that informed consent is always secured, despite the PHE, whilst ensuring efficient use of resources; (3) considering issues such as strict exclusion and inclusion criteria, participant compensation and reimbursements, as well as well-defined risks of the study to vulnerable participants; (4) improving their expediency during PHEs and (5) strengthening online processes such as placing template case report forms and ethics forms online for online entry and modification and being continuously informed of research progress (Bailey et al, 2020 ; Cagnazzo et al, 2021 ; Hashem et al, 2020 ; Rania et al, 2021 ; Roshan das et al, 2021 ; Shamsuddin et al, 2021 ; Walker et al, 2021 ; Waterhouse et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Numerous publications reviewed (Bailey et al, 2020 ; Cagnazzo et al, 2021 ; Fleming et al, 2020 ; Hashem et al, 2020 ; Roshan das et al, 2021 ; Rothwell et al, 2021 ; Shamsuddin et al, 2021 ; Waterhouse et al, 2020 ) highlighted significant gaps in standard processes involved in patient recruitment, participant participation and informed consent, under pre-COVID-19 conditions, with these intensified within the ICT realm created by remote working. These gaps that straddle between remote working practices and intensified use of ICT for research processes raised an important theme that of a need to carefully scrutinise these research processes for current and future research.…”

“…As a result of the enforced remote working practices, the use of ICT for research processes had to be intensified during COVID-19, however, these practices can be taken forward beyond this pandemic era (Bailey et al, 2020 ; Bookman et al, 2021 ; Hashem et al, 2020 ; Roshan das et al, 2021 ; Rania et al, 2021 ; Shamsuddin et al, 2021 ; Walker et al, 2021 ). If adapted suitably, ICT has been demonstrated and recommended to possess the potential to transform the entire research process, including increasing awareness of and access to clinical studies (Bailey et al, 2020 ; Shamsuddin et al, 2021 ; Rothwell et al, 2021 ).…”

“…As a result of the enforced remote working practices, the use of ICT for research processes had to be intensified during COVID-19, however, these practices can be taken forward beyond this pandemic era (Bailey et al, 2020 ; Bookman et al, 2021 ; Hashem et al, 2020 ; Roshan das et al, 2021 ; Rania et al, 2021 ; Shamsuddin et al, 2021 ; Walker et al, 2021 ). If adapted suitably, ICT has been demonstrated and recommended to possess the potential to transform the entire research process, including increasing awareness of and access to clinical studies (Bailey et al, 2020 ; Shamsuddin et al, 2021 ; Rothwell et al, 2021 ). Through the use of remote interfaces and apps as well as telehealth technologies, be it synchronous, asynchronous or hybrid models (Khoza-Shangase et al, 2021 ; Sebothoma et al, 2021 ), there have been significant research enhancing changes such as participant recruitment, communication with patients regarding eligibility for various studies and for informed consent and for monitoring symptoms and drug side effects for clinical trials (e.g.…”

Workshop-based learning and networking: a scalable model for research capacity strengthening in low- and middle-income countries

“…During the COVID-19 pandemic, workshops were adapted for online delivery, including provision of routers/internet access for all students in need. While there are challenges, both practical and methodological, in running workshops online, the workshops were well received and less costly [ 27 , 28 ]. We were not able to offer experimental lab workshop but we introduced two new workshops; ‘Bioentrepreneurship: Small Molecule Therapeutic and Diagnostic Development’ and ‘Scientific Diplomacy’.…”