Educating Translational Researchers in Research Informatics Principles and Methods-An Evaluation of...

7/28/2019 Educating Translational Researchers in Research Informatics Principles and Methods-An Evaluation of a Model Online Course and Plans for Its Dissemination

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Robert H. Friedman, MDDirector, Biomedical Informatics Division

Boston University Clinical & Translational Research Institute

Professor of Medicine, Biostatistics & Epidemiology

Boston University

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Presented at the 2013 Summit on Translational BioinformaticsMarch 19, San Francisco, CA

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Supported by a grant from NCATS: 3 UL1 RR025771

Educating Translational Researchers in

Research Informatics Principles and

Methods: An Evaluation of a ModelOnline Course and Plans for its

Dissemination


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COAUTHORSR. Friedman1,2, V. Kudesia1, P. Sebastiani2, S. Monti1, D.

Misquitta1, K. Peterson3, J.Whinfield3, R.Stoeckle 3

1. Boston University School of Medicine; Boston, MA

2. Boston University School of Public Health; Boston, MA

3. Education Development Center, Inc.; Waltham, MA

Educating Translational Researchers in

Research Informatics Principles and

Methods


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BACKGROUND*

Translational Research (T1-T4) generates and uses very

large amounts of diverse data

Research informatics principles and methods address data

sets that are large and complex

Relatively few translational researchers understand research

informatics principles and methods or optimally use them in

their research

*One Observers View


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BACKGROUND*

As a rule, the most experienced translational researchers

know less about research informatics than their junior

colleagues, especially junior colleagues who completed their

research training within the past few years

As a rule, there is under-recognition among translational

researchers of the value of research informatics applied to

their research AND over-confidence about how much they

know about the discipline

*One Observers View


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BACKGROUND*

Most informatics education programs do not focus on the

application of informatics to research

Most informatics education programs are focused on trainingthe next generation of informaticians, not training translational

researchers about how to use informatics in their research

Most research informatics education takes place in doctoral

and post-doctoral research oriented programs in various

biomedical disciplines

*One Observers View


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OUR COURSE DESIGN APPROACH

Bottom up development of design specifications for curricula

and course(s) in research informatics based on needs

assessments of translational researchers and informaticians

who provide consultation, research resources and research

informatics education to translational researchers in CTSA-

funded institutions Needs assessments focused on translational researchers

across the research spectrum from bioscientists to population

health researchers (i.e., T1-T4)

Used the results to identify the curricula and course(s), the

time required of researchers to take the course(s), and the

method of delivering the course(s)


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Enable researchers to communicate with informatician

consultants about the use of informatics principles and

methods in their research

Enable researchers to optionally utilize informatician

consultants in their research from the design of their research

projects to the analysis and interpretation of their research

data

GOALS OF A BASIC COURSE IN

RESEARCH INFORMATICS


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GOALS OF A BASIC COURSE IN

RESEARCH INFORMATICS

Enable translational researchers to understand informatics

issues relevant to their research

Enable translational researchers to apply informatics

principles and methods to their research during their entire

careers and effectively address the evolution of informatics

and their research programs over time


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CONCLUSIONS FROM THE NEEDS

ASSESSMENT

A first, basic course in research informatics requires atranslational researcher to spend about 10-16 contact hoursto achieve its educational goals

Translational researchers are willing to spend 6-26 contacthours in a research informatics course if they believe it willhelp them become more effective researchers


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CONCLUSIONS FROM THE NEEDS

ASSESSMENTS

Translational researchers do not care about obtainingacademic credit or certificates upon completing the course

Translational researchers need to understand the benefits tothem of taking the course

Translational researchers like the flexibility and control that an

online course has for them


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Research Informatics Modules

1. Translational Biomedical Informatics for Biomedical Researchers

2. Databases and Data-Handling

3. Health Data Elements and Terminologies for Biomedical

Researchers4. Data Visualization Primer for Biomedical Researchers

5. Secondary Use of EHR Data: Assuring Data Quality and Fidelity

6. Basic Computer Hygiene for Biomedical Researchers

7. Legal, Regulatory and Ethical Issues in Using Human-Derived

Data in Research

8. Analysis of Bioscientific Data: Introduction to Microarray

Technology

9. Analysis of Bioscientific Data: Advanced Analysis of Microarray

Experiments


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Course Homepage


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Module One: Overview &

Goals


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Module One: Course Preview

Lesson 1: Description of the

course content; the 9 Modules


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Module One: Preview, cont.


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Module One: Preview, cont.


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Module Four: Overview


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Module Four: Narrated Lesson


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Narrated Lesson with Adjustable Audio/Pace


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Module Eight: Overview


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Module Eight: Content


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Module Eight: Explore Activity


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EVALUATION


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Evaluation Methods

Sample of 21 T1-T4 Faculty Translational

Researchers at Boston University

participated (6 T1, 9 T2-T3, 6 T4)

Answered 16 multi-part Likert scale questionsonline at the completion of the course (n=17;

6 T1, 8 T2-T3, 3 T4)


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Evaluation Results

Satisfied - 76% (only 6% dissatisfied) Informative- 100% (24% very informative)

Will use information in research- 88% likely

Contributed to understanding researchinformatics- 100% (29% a lot)

Contributed to being better researcher- 88%

(18% a lot)

Would recommend course to researchers in

your field- 70%


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Evaluation Results Course length: too short (41%); just right (41%);

somewhat too long (18%) Course content: somewhat too basic (59%); just right

(24%); somewhat too complex (18%)

Preference for educational format: online (53%);

combination of online & traditional (face-to-face) (41%);traditional only (6%)

Bioscientists (T1) were more positive than non-

bioscientists (T2-T4) regarding 1) impact of the course

on their understanding of research informatics; 2) utility

of the course in making them better researchers; 3) the

view that the length of the course was ideal. All

bioscientists recommend course to other T1 researchers.


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Conclusion

Research informatics education for translational

researchers is needed

A basic online course in research informatics

was judged very positively by a smallrepresentative sample of T1-T4 researchers

Almost all of the researchers felt the course

helped them be a better researcher, understand

the use of informatics in translational researchand would use information from the course in

their research


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Conclusion

Most of them would recommend the course to other

researchers in their research field

Almost all of them prefer online education to traditional

face-to-face education but a majority would prefer either

an online or face-to-face facilitator

Bioscientists judged the course even more favorably

than non-bioscientist researchers

The results suggest that online education is perceived by

researchers to be a particularly effective way to learn

about research informatics principles and methods & toapply them to their research


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THANK YOU

Contact information: [email protected]

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