[:en]Stellenbosch University Library and Information Service is pleased to announce the launch of the Research Data Management (RDM) Adventure Game. The RDM Adventure Game is a text-based role-playing interactive fiction serious game, based on the data management challenges of a research project. The game takes the form of an online choose-your-own-adventure format in which game players take a simulated research project through the following processes: data management planning, data collection/generation, data organisation, data description and research publication, while encountering data management challenges along the way. The game was developed as part of a collaboration between the University of Bath Library and Stellenbosch University Library and Information Service between 2017 and 2020 by Alex Ball (University of Bath), Samuel Simango (Stellenbosch University) and Nushrat Khan (University of Bath). In January 2021, the Wellcome Trust’s Early Career Researchers Advisory Board endorsed the game by including it in the Wellcome Open Research early career researchers pack, recognising it as a useful tool for researchers.
Aim of the Game
The objective of the RDM Adventure Game is to demonstrate and teach good practice in research data management and assist researchers in understanding good practices related to RDM. The specific learning outcomes focus on the following aspects:
- Data management planning
- Designing participant information sheets and consent forms
- Choosing appropriate equipment for research projects
- Acquiring suitable third-party research data
- Organising research data
- Storing research data appropriately
- Analysing and documenting research data
- Preparing research data for archiving
- Publishing research data
The Audience
The RDM Adventure Game is aimed primarily at postgraduate students as well as early career researchers and academics. Anyone who has an interest in understanding how RDM works on a practical level, e.g. research support staff, could, however, also find the game helpful.
Game play
The game takes players through different stages of the research data lifecycle, presents them with a data management challenge and allows them to make decisions that affect the success of their research project. Players progress either by making straightforward binary choices or by completing puzzle-like options. In the process certain challenges test the effectiveness of the decisions made by the players. The tone of the game is light-hearted to maintain its entertainment value, despite it being a serious game.
Since the game simulates the entire RDM lifecycle, the repercussions of decisions researchers make can be experienced in a safe environment, permitting them to make mistakes and hopefully learn from them without suffering the associated real-life consequences. Game players can opt to play the entire game or can select to only play specific stages of the RDM lifecycle.
Find out more and play the game
The RDM Adventure Game was launched in December 2020 at the University of Bath. The game has been released under a Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA) and is hosted on GitLab. If you are interested in playing the game, click here.
For more information, please contact Samuel Simango at ssimango@sun.ac.za
Further Reading
- Ball, A. 2020. Fancy a Game of Research Data? University of Bath: Library News. Available: https://unibathlibrary.wordpress.com/2020/12/01/fancy-a-game-of-research-data/
- Ball, A and Simango, S. 2018. Serious Gaming: Creating a Research Data Management Adventure. 15th Stellenbosch University Library Symposium. Available: https://conferences.sun.ac.za/public/conferences/53/presentations/rdm.pdf
[:af]Die Biblioteek- en Inligtingsdiens, Universiteit Stellenbosch kondig met graagte die Navorsingsdatabestuur (NDB) Avontuurspeletjie aan. Die NDB speletjie is ‘n teksgebaseerde, interaktiewe en fiktiewe ernstige spel met elemente van rolspel. Die speletjie is gebaseer op uitdagings met databestuur wat tydens ‘n navorsingsprojek ondervind word. Dit is ‘n aanlyn speletjie waar spelers hul eie avontuur kies deur ‘n gesimuleerde navorsingsprojek wat die volgende stappe dek: navorsingsdatabeplanning; inwin van data, organisering van data, beskrywing van data en publikasie. Tydens die spel word navorsingsuitdagings telkens teëgekom. Die speletjie is tussen 2017 en 2020 in samewerking met die Universiteit van Bath Biblioteek deur Alex Ball en Nushrat Khan (Universiteit van Bath) en Samuel Simango (Universiteit Stellenbosch) ontwikkel. In Januarie 2021 het die adviesraad vir opkomende navorsers van die Welcome Trust die speletjie onderskryf deur dit by hul hulppakket, Wellcome Open Research early career researchers pack, in te sluit wat dit dus as ‘n nuttige hulpmiddel vir navorsers erken.
Doel van die Speletjie
Die doel van die NDB speletjie is om goeie praktyke in terme van navorsingsdatabestuur te demonstreer en te leer, en om navorsers te help om hierdie praktyke te verstaan. Die spesifieke leeruitkomste fokus op die volgende aspekte:
- Databestuurbeplanning
- Ontwerp van inligtingstukke vir deelnemers aan navorsing en toestemmingsvorms
- Kies van toepaslike toerusting vir navorsingsprojekte
- Verkryging van geskikte derdeparty data
- Organisering van navorsingsdata
- Veilige stoor van navorsingsdata
- Analise en dokumentering van navorsingsdata
- Voorbereiding van data vir argivering
- Publikasie van navorsingsdata
Die Gehoor
Die NDB speletjie is op nagraadse studente en navorsers in die vroeë stadium van hul loopbane gemik. Enige persoon wat egter belangstel in hoe NDB op ‘n praktiese vlak werk, bv. navorsingsondersteuningspersoneel sal ook baat vind by die spel.
Die Spel
Die speletjie neem spelers deur die verskeie stadiums van die navorsingsdatabestuursiklus waar hulle telkens met ‘n databestuursuitdaging gekonfronteer word. Dit stel hulle dan in staat om besluite te neem wat die sukses van hul navorsingsprojek kan beïnvloed. Spelers beweeg deur die spel deur eenvoudige binêre keuses of deur raaiselopsies te werk. Deur hierdie proses word die effektiwiteit van spelers se besluite getoets. Die toon van die speletjie is lig om die element van vermaak te behou ten spyte van die feit dat dit ‘n ernstige spel is.
Aangesien die spel die totale navorsingsdatabestuursiklus simuleer, kan navorsers die gevolge van besluite in ‘n veilige omgewing ervaar wat hul toelaat om foute te maak en daaruit te leer, sonder om die reëele gevolge in ‘n werklike omgewing te ervaar. Spelers kan kies om die hele speletjie te speel of om slegs op spesifieke fases van die siklus te fokus.
Vind meer uit en speel
Die NDB speletjie is in Desember 2020 by die Universiteit van Bath bekendgestel. Die speletjie is onder die Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-SA) lisensie uitgegee en word ook op GitLab gehuisves. Klik hier om die speletjie te speel.
Vir meer inligting, kontak gerus vir Samuel Simango by ssimango@sun.ac.za
Addisionele leesstof
- Ball, A. 2020. Fancy a Game of Research Data? University of Bath: Library News. Available: https://unibathlibrary.wordpress.com/2020/12/01/fancy-a-game-of-research-data/
- Ball, A and Simango, S. 2018. Serious Gaming: Creating a Research Data Management Adventure. 15th Stellenbosch University Library Symposium. Available: https://conferences.sun.ac.za/public/conferences/53/presentations/rdm.pdf
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