An EHR Core Research (ECR) Data Resource Hub to catalyze culture change and community building for improving rigor and reproducibility in STEM education research

Center For Open Science, Charlottesville VA

Investigators

Abstract

The Center for Open Science (COS) will create an EHR Core Research (ECR) Data Resource Hub to facilitate rigorous and reproducible research practices such as data sharing and study registration across the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education research community. The Hub will integrate training materials, infrastructure, community engagement, and innovation in research to advance rigorous research skills and behavior. In addition, the Hub will foster innovation in open and reproducible research practices for the breadth of research activities in education including experimental, observational, longitudinal, and qualitative methods. Finally, the Hub will connect the STEM education research community with related disciplinary and multi-disciplinary research communities to leverage shared insights and knowledge building. This effort is funded by the ECR program which invests in STEM education research that emphasizes rigorous development of theory and accumulation of knowledge to inform efforts to address challenges in STEM interest, learning and participation, for all groups and all ages in formal and informal settings. ECR strives to further fundamental research that informs knowledge across three research tracks: Research on STEM Learning and Learning Environments, Research on Broadening Participation in STEM fields, and Research on STEM Workforce Development. With partners across the education research community, COS will create the ECR Data Resource Hub to serve four integrated functions organized into a single portal: 1) Knowledge: The Hub will consolidate existing education, training, and support materials for the what, why, and how of doing rigorous, open, reproducible science. 2) Infrastructure: The Hub will link together existing services that support STEM education research and leveraging COS's existing public Open Science Framework and SHARE dataset infrastructure services. These connections will improve discovery of tools and content and facilitating adoption of new behaviors. 3) Social: The Hub will conduct outreach and community building to catalyze a grassroots movement for improving research practices. This will include webinars and training for methodology innovations and providing researchers with technical assistance. The Hub will also host action-oriented conferences and organize formal and informal events at other society meetings. 4) Innovation: The Hub will foster innovation in education, training, and support materials for STEM education research methodologies. In particular, the Hub will coordinate community engagement for improving research rigor (registration, sharing standards) for observational studies, longitudinal research, qualitative research, and research with existing datasets. With an emphasis on fostering a grassroots network and integrating existing technologies, the Hub will become a sustainable, integrated catalyst of knowledge and innovation for the STEM education research enterprise. The result will be a community of scholars, services, and events that will foster continuous improvement in the rigor of STEM education research. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.