The fractured lab notebook: undergraduates and ecological data management training in the United States

Abstract

Abstract. Data management is a timely and increasingly important topic for ecologists. Recent funder mandates requiring data management plans, combined with the data deluge that faces scientists, make education about data management critical for any future ecologist. In this study, we surveyed instructors of general ecology courses at 48 major institutions in the United States. We chose instructors at institutions that are likely to train future ecologists, and therefore, are most likely to influence the trajectory of data management education in this field. The survey queried instructors about institution and course characteristics, the extent to which data-related topics are included in their courses, the barriers to their teaching these topics, and their own personal beliefs and values associated with data management and stewardship. We found that, in general, data management topics are not being covered in undergraduate ecology courses for a wide range of reasons. Most often, instructors cited a lack of time and a lack of resources as barriers to teaching data management. Although data are used for instruction at some point in the majority of the courses surveyed, good data management practices and a thorough understanding of the importance of data stewardship are not being taught. We offer potential explanations for this and suggestions for improvement.

The Tao of open science for ecology

“…Technological developments also have enabled the capture (at ever increasing rates) of a previously unimaginable volume of data and metadata (Reichman et al 2011, Dietze et al 2013, and have underlain the use of increasingly complex models and analysis techniques to understand these data. Traditional paper notebooks cannot meet the challenges of these new rates of accumulation, sharing, and recombination of ideas, research logs, data, and analyses (Ince et al 2012, Strasser andHampton 2012). The tools and approaches that together constitute open science can help ecologists to meet these challenges, by amplifying opportunities for collaboration and rewarding the creation of the consistent and machine-readable documentation that is necessary for reproducibility of complex projects.…”

Academic Librarians in Data Information Literacy Instruction: A Case Study in Meteorology

“…21 Yet, despite the need for early student intervention, their survey of general ecology course instructors at 48 major U.S. universities came to this conclusion: "Instructors recognize the value of good data management, data sharing, and reproducibility in their own research, but are not transferring that knowledge to their undergraduate students." …”

“…20 Considering how to improve data abilities, Strasser and Hampton asserted that students should learn data management and organization skills early in their sci-ence education. 21 Yet, despite the need for early student intervention, their survey of general ecology course instructors at 48 major U.S. universities came to this conclusion: "Instructors recognize the value of good data management, data sharing, and reproducibility in their own research, but are not transferring that knowledge to their undergraduate students. "…”

Gaining Competency: Learning to Teach Data Visualization

“…Libraries likewise prioritize visualization and list it as a desired competency for data librarians in job postings (Lyon et al 2015). However, major data curation curricula offer almost no support for this topic (Lamar Soutter Library 2017;DataONE 2017;EDINA and Data Library 2017;Johnston and Jeffryes n.d.), nor is visualization considered under the umbrella of data management education or data services in several studies (Tenopir et al 2016;Strasser and Hampton 2012;Tenopir et al 2015;Hernandez et al 2012;Harris-Pierce and Quan Liu 2012;Bresnahan and Johnson 2013). Librarians providing research data services may therefore need strategies to develop expertise in data visualization in order to provide service in this area.…”