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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. Sonya Towers (Grants Adviser at the Wellcome Trust), stated:

“The game is a great, fun way to teach researchers about how to manage their research data, throughout the entire grant life cycle. I really like the way it feels like you are part of an exciting story, where each decision acts as a cog in determining how the story ends.”

Since the game’s launch in December 2020 it has been played by people across 32 countries, and has recently been shortlisted as one of the nominees for the NSTF-South32 Awards for an award under the data for research category.

If you are interested in playing the game, click here. For more information, please contact Samuel Simango at ssimango@sun.ac.za.

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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. Sonya Towers (Toekenningsadviseur van die Wellcome Trust) het die volgende gestel:

“Die speletjie is ‘n wonderlike, prettige manier om navorsers te leer om hul navorsingsdata te bestuur binne die navorsingstoekennings siklus. Ek hou van die feit dat dit voel asof jy deel is van ‘n opwindende storie, waar elke besluit soos ‘n rat is wat bepaal hoe die storie eindig.”

Sedert die bekendstelling van die speletjie in Desember 2020 is dit reeds deur mense vanuit 32 lande gespeel. Die speletjie is ook onlangs op die kortlys van nominasies vir die NSTF-South32 Toekennings geplaas vir ‘n prys binne die “data vir navorsing” kategorie.

Klik hier om die speletjie te speel. Vir meer inligting, kontak gerus vir Samuel Simango by ssimango@sun.ac.za.

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