Course: PGSP10006 - Engaging with Digital Research [2015] | University of Edinburgh Moodle

  • Course overview

    Course Convenor: James Stewart (STIS/SSPS)

    Course Description:

    The course will enable students to understand new emerging models of professional practice in business and policy making developing and deploying digital research methods and results. This will include collecting, curating, exchanging and analyzing of digitally-derived data, the use of research from digital environments, and the way this is leveraged turning this data into tools for active use and behaviour change. This module will equip students with a sufficient understanding appropriate to work in areas of professional practice where increasing use is being made of digital research tools, and where domain experts are expected to work with technical research experts. It will explore the methodological, ethical, legal, and practical issues of digital research, and the roles and interests of the actors shaping the practice and institutions.

     This course will address the development of transferable insights in managing cross-institutional and citizen collaboration in digital data collection and analysis. This course is meant to provide students with basic skills and knowledge to (i) work in interdisciplinary digital research teams including different information professionals; (ii) organize open data projects using that both analyse and produce tools ; (iii) understand emerging use of digital resources to engage stakeholders in research, and move beyond conventional ‘expert’ analysis to interactive use of data by stakeholders- (iv) address barriers and enablers to adoption of digital and open models of research, and (v) organize the procurement of services to match the need of their organization.

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  • Instructions: Clicking on the section name will show / hide the section.

  • This week you will develop your critical thinking around the  concepts of evidence and research, and reflect on the use of research and evidence in your field of work. We will reflect on the way that 'digital research' is being used, and the changing legitimacy of different sorts of digital research.

    Study Session 1 introduces the practices of evidence-based policy, and the use of research.

    For the Reflective Exercise and Online Discussion where you consider your own working environment, the way evidence is used, research commissioned, and  for the class to the reflect on the way that 'digital research' practices and evidence is being explored, adopted or rejected.

    The Collaborate class will be held on THURSDAY 26th Feb 2015 at 5pm.  We will discuss ideas around Evidence in the digital world, and you are invited to use the reflective discussion and the study session questions as the basis for discussion

    The Further Reading list is in the form of a Wiki - which you should contribute to.

  • This week we introduce  the topic of metrics Indicators, rating and ranking,  and use the case  of how data generated in the scientific research has been used to build ranking practices that shape the practices and funding of science.

    The wider learning goal  is to consider how new sources of data and types and sites of analysis are turned into legitimate evidence, a socio-technical process.

  • This week builds on the previous week, and uses the example of citation and metrics in research as an example of how a heterogeneous industry such as ‘science’ attempts to exploit the possibilities of ‘web2.0’, focusing on case studies of the academic publishers and innovators building ‘altmetrics’. It illustrates how the emergence of new forms of metric based on online media data struggle to establish themselves in the face of the attitudes and practices of researchers and research funders.

    As well as the readings and Video on Nature/Digital Science and PLOS, look at the other examples on the Wiki, and choose one to talk about in the collaborate session

  • This week you will use the online learning material to learn how to use the  COSMOS social media analysis tool. The videos and exercises have been given by one of the originators, and former head of the Manchester social science centre, Prof. Rob Proctor. There is a discussion board to ask questions and discuss the value of the tool.

    • Short Assessment of 3 questions (20%)  - online quiz by end of Week 1
    • Individual Presentation (30%)  Week 5, Slides to be uploaded to ELMA by 30th March
    • 1500 word essay (50% ) Due the 19th April

    Essay

    Choose a topic from among those covered in this course. Please feel free to contact me to discuss your topic at any time, and we can arrange a phone conversation.