Mid-Term GBIF Committees Meetings eLearning Alberto González Talaván Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) May 2011

Outline Introduction to eLearning GBIF Training Survey Thematic scope The way forward Questions & answers 1/12

Definition 2/12 e-Learning is the use of information and computer technologies to create learning experiences

Some types 3/12 Standalone courses Virtual classrooms courses Games and simulations Embedded learning Blended learning Mobile learning Knowledge management

Rationale Development Associated expenses Teachers/facilitators Time saving for students Ecological impact Saving Price per studient Customised learning Better use of time Bigger potential audience Better adaptation to (some) contents Economic saving? 4/12

Advantages Lower investment: infrastructure, administration… No/lower transport costs Better opportunities to improve the training resources Better reputation: innovation, savings, new technologies More flexible, cheaper and more effective learning Lower impact in personal life, less stress More efficiency Better adapted to disabilities Producer: User: 5/12

Disadvantages Longer and more expensive production phase Difficult to predict impact Can be a challenge to producers and users It can be difficult to maintain motivation Knowledge evaluation can be complicated Need a technical infrastructure that needs to be maintained Common Suggestion: start with a small project and document it throughtfully! 6/12

GBIF Training Survey Good level of interest, limited resources: Training, a shared responsibility Content distributors > creators Secretariat as aggregator and producer reinforced Electronic learning? Yes but... Not interested in deployment Simple solutions Social media not exploited Thematic interests VERY diverse Technical skills Data quality 7/12

GBIF Training Survey (II) Which type of electronic learning program does your Node have at the moment (if any)? Which type of electronic learning program do you plan to have in the future, taking into account the funds and human resources you have available? 8/12

Thematic Scope Top 10 topics Ordered by score in Interested + Really Interested Biodiversity data curation: assessing and increasing data quality (taxonomically and spatially) 26 Biodiversity data publishing: persistent identifiers (i.e. GUIDs, LSIDs, DOIs)25 Biodiversity data indexing: software (GBIF registry and toolkits)25 Biodiversity data publishing: geospatial web services (i.e. OGC web services)24 Biodiversity data use: policy and application oriented24 Biodiversity data capture in the field (including collection of specimens, direct observation, survey data, tracking, etc) 23 Biodiversity data digitisation: software (i.e. Brahms, Specify, Herbar )23 Biodiversity data curation: metadata (record and dataset levels included)23 Biodiversity data publishing: protocols and standards23 Biodiversity data publishing: impact (citation, repatriation improvements, annotations)23 Biodiversity data use: science oriented23 Top 10 topics ordered by score in Really Interested Biodiversity data curation: assessing and increasing data quality (taxonomically and spatially) 18 Biodiversity data use: science oriented18 Biodiversity data use: policy and application oriented18 Biodiversity data curation: sensitive data16 Biodiversity data publishing: persistent identifiers (i.e. GUIDs, LSIDs, DOIs)16 Biodiversity data digitisation: software (i.e. Brahms, Specify, Herbar )15 Biodiversity data curation: metadata (record and dataset levels included)15 Biodiversity data indexing: software (GBIF registry and toolkits)15 Biodiversity data analysis and interpretation: gap analysis15 Biodiversity Informatics: The GBIF informatics infrastructure14 Biodiversity data publishing: protocols and standards14 9/12

Thematic Scope (II) Peterson, T., 2010, A Digital Training Curriculum for Biodiversity Informatics 10/12

The way forward Customisation of test server Development of 1 st test course on… data quality? Publication of 1 st course Impact evaluation 2 nd Training Survey to determine next steps 11/12

Questions & Answers 12/12