Educational game

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.

The Game itself is available here 

It is an online escape room game that engages researchers with the principles of research data management (RDM). The game is a collaboration between Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Lena Karvovskaya and Elisa Rodenburg), Leiden University Libraries (Joanne Yeomans), and Eindhoven University of Technology (Anne Aarts and Bart Aben).The room we created consists of six tasks related to the following data management topics: FAIR data, personal data, data archiving, data transfer, persistent identifiers, and metadata.

Like in any profession, scientists are frequently faced with dilemmas: Can I exclude particular observations from my research? Can I use exactly the same data set for multiple papers? Should I agree on a colleague being a co-author on a paper to which she has not made a significant contribution? The Dilemma Game confronts researchers with difficult dilemmas in the context of a critical dialogue, supporting them in further developing their own 'moral compass'. For years, the Dilemma Game was played as a card game, but in 2020 the game has been digitalized. The Dilemma Game app now allows researchers to use the game anytime, anywhere, on their own, or together with peers and colleagues.

This workshop was a chance for research support staff to learn how they could design their own games using the Python programming language. The workshop used the case study of a game to help raise awareness of research data management, but the method would have applications in many differenttraining scenarios.

Games for research support professionals, Research Data Management awareness raising (starting with Python).

The aim of the game, as with the traditional snakes and ladders, is to be the first player to reach the finish square, 100, by moving across the board, following the numbers from base to top, right and left and so on.

Snakes and Ladders Cards As the game progresses, players will encounter a series of different scenarios that illustrate current issues in licensing, OERS, and copyright. If the scenario described in the card is covered by licensing or copyright(Ladder cards), the player advances to the square at the top of the ladder. If the scenario described is not covered by licensing or copyright (Snake cards), the player will be sent back down the snake to the square at the tip of the snake’s tail. In either case, the player should describe the scenario to the other players before advancing up the ladder or down the snake.Replace the card face up next to the pile.

The Publishing Trap is an exciting new board game which helps research students, early-career researchers and the wider academic community to learn about and discuss the importance of copyright literacy in relation to academic publishing and scholarly communication.

Section of the Library and information service of Stellenbosch University offering Training and Consultancy on Research Data Management

National Coordination Point Research Data Management (LCRDM) is a national network of experts in the field of research data management (RDM). This website includes topics on RDM, data management support, digital competence centres, data infrastructure, guidelines, etc.

Erasmus University Rotterdam is a highly ranked, international research university, based in the dynamic and diverse city of Rotterdam.

Education and Research

Founded in 1913, it is currently one the biggest universities of the Netherlands with a student population of 29,000 and a research community of circa 1,400. Scholars and students in seven faculties and two institutions work on global social challenges in the areas of:

• health,
• wealth
• governance
• culture.

As part of a large global network of academic partnerships, in strategic alliance with Leiden University and Delft University of Technology and in a unique collaboration with city and port, the dynamic city of Rotterdam serves as our laboratory.

Copyright gives legal protection to the creators of certain kinds of work so that they can control the way they may be exploited. Copyright law in the UK is governed by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended. Under the Act, copyright subsists in the following works:

• Literary works, which includes song lyrics, tables, street directories and letters as well as literature in the more commonly accepted sense of the term. Computer programs are also included in the category of literary works.
• Dramatic works, including dance and mime.
• Musical works.
• Artistic works, including graphic works, sculptures, maps, photographs (irrespective of artistic quality), architecture and works of artistic craftsmanship.
• Sound recordings.
• Films, including videos.
• Broadcasts, including cable programmes.
• Published editions, i.e. the typographical layout of a literary dramatic or musical work. So, the content of a recently published edition of a work written many years ago could be out of copyright, but the 'typographical arrangement' would not.