An Earth and Space Science Rubric and ePortfolio for Research Data Management

Abstract

This presentation will describe the creation of a set of rubrics to help new researchers in Earth and Space Science learn how to make their research data available to others by publishing it in a proprietary or open science repository. While the CDL rubric for Sharing Your Data focuses on assisting researchers in deciding the extent to which they will share their data, the Earth and Space Science rubrics assist new researchers in preparing for and completing the sharing process. Four rubrics have been drafted for research data management (RDM) in Earth and Space Science: Planning for Data, Organizing Data, Analyzing Data, and Sharing or Publishing Data. Each rubric contains four to six rows of criteria and each criterion is measured by four different levels of mastery: Beginning, Developing, Improving, and Completion. The rubrics provide structure for an ePortfolio to be used in learning, teaching, and assessing RDM skills. The content of each rubric cell will assign a learning task, guide the acquisition of needed skills, and assess the accomplishments of new researchers taking part in an RDM seminar. Participants in the seminar will use their own research projects to plan, organize, analyze, and prepare for sharing data, and upload results to their own copy of the ePortfolio. The instructor for the seminar will use the content of rubric cells to develop assignments, teach relevant skills, and assess student success in mastering RDM skills. The Earth and Space Science rubrics are the first to be developed and will be followed by rubrics applicable to a number of other disciplines, as well as a rubric for interdisciplinary RDM. This presentation will review the Earth and Space Science rubrics, preview their use in an ePortfolio, and offer suggestions for others to prepare RDM rubrics for their own disciplines.