Publication: Case Studies and Innovative User Cases

Within FNS-Cloud, there are specific tasks (located in WP6 Dissemination, Communication & Community Engagement and WP7 Education, training & support) associated with the development of educational and professional development resources to support use of FNS-Cloud resources (data, tools, and services) but also address barrier to re-use of existing and emerging food [and] nutrition security resources including lack of (1) awareness and (2) confidence; (3) disparity in access; and (4) fragmentation. These activities have, in themselves, required innovative use of social and practice-based learning. In D7.4 Publication: Case Studies and Innovative User Cases, we describe two such innovations within FNS-Cloud.

The first is a reflective paper on design and development of an online community of practice platform and its use as a collaboration tool by the consortium during the project and preparation for the platform as a key exploitable result, i.e., a sustainable resource hub for FNS-Cloud user communities. A critique is offered that allows for improved design and use of such platforms in future large multidisciplinary projects. We will never know if myFNSCloud might have fulfilled its potential sooner and more easily if face-to-face meetings had continued as normal, or a Google (shared) drive had not dominated as a route for collaboration and exchange, meaning the imperative for myFNSCloud was not clear and engagement minimal. Latterly, because face-to-face events were possible, value was delivered through training and personal development opportunities as well as providing a repository for education and training resources, increasing awareness and engagement. Now, the role of the platform as a knowledge hub has been clarified and there is an appreciation of its potential to add value for user communities.

The second use case considers distribution of funds for practice-based learning and how these can be administered through a competitive scheme in a clear and transparent manner to support work within a large multidisciplinary and multinational research and innovation project. It is presented as a handbook, providing a background on practice-based learning, process for running such a scheme, criteria for assessment of such grants, and reflective reporting by recipients, which will be published via the FNSCloud Zenodo Community to encourage re-use and further development of practical learning schemes.