Lessons from Mapping and evaluating dRTP's contributions to computing skills and pedagogies in HE: Preliminary Results

In this talk, we will be sharing findings from our research funded by the UKRI’s DisCouRSE Netwok+, aimed at mapping and analysing the provision of digital research competencies (DRC) led by or involving dRTP’s across higher education institutions in the UK.  

The teaching of computational methods has spread across disciplines, spawning numerous pedagogical approaches and a wide variety of methods, software, products, and environments. However, the role of dRTP’s in the proliferation teaching DRC remains unclear. dRTP’s responsibilities are primarily focused on research and infrastructure and expectations around involvement in training and teaching vary widely across the sector. Furthermore, choices as to which approaches and delivery modes to adopt in teaching and training are often driven by trends, licensing constraints or the trainer’s familiarity rather than pedagogical criteria or context suitability. 

Our research therefore seeks to investigate what training and teaching is being delivered by dRTP’s through a detailed survey and a systematic auditing of curricula on DRCs. The findings will be useful to address questions such as: What skills and competencies are being taught? How are dRTPs engaging in their provision? What pedagogical approaches are being taken? What are the main future challenges in the delivery of DRPs? How does this differ across audiences, infrastructures, and institutions? 

We will use this talk to report on our preliminary findings and to further initiate conversations with the dRTP community leading towards evidence‑based recommendations to enhance DRP curricula across HE.