We propose to develop content for, and deliver informatics training to a broad cross-section of citizens, scientists, and researchers in informatics. We will leverage and extend an existing training platform and content we have developed. We will improve cancer informatics literacy and the usability of existing ITCR tools, support future ITCR tool developers, and teach informatics to a broad cross-section of interested parties. Our success will both deepen expertise within the field and broaden the exposure of ITCR tools within currently-unengaged research communities. Specifically, we will: (1) develop and release a software platform for rapidly prototyping, validating, and sharing modular training materials that can be delivered in a range of formats from massive online open courses, to in-person short courses, to in depth semester long courses, (2) develop informatics courses teaching not only specific use of ITCR tools to solve concrete scientific challenges but also broadly the concepts of informatics to a broad community ranging from citizen scientists to NCI funded PIs, (3) develop courses for ITCR tool developers around usability, documentation, support and marketing to improve the impact of these tools in the field, and (4) deliver in person and train the trainer courses that will scale the impact of our educational program both within NIH funded cancer centers and into currently underserved researchers at community colleges, minority serving institutions, historically black colleges and universities, and engaged citizens outside of academia. All software, content, and data developed by our program will be open source and made accessible to the broadest possible audience by leveraging our existing expertise in online and scalable in-person education, along with our relationships to MOOC providers, informatics platforms, and developers. We will thus will dramatically increase cancer informatics knowledge and skill, and speed the adoption and use of data to tackle important problems in cancer throughout the research enterprise.
We propose to create a complete training resource including content and both online and offline courses to improve cancer informatics knowledge throughout the research enterprise. The project will create an informatics training network hosted at www.itcrtraining.org that can be used by everyone from community members, to basic scientists, to ITCR tool developers, to medical doctors, to principal investigators to improve their knowledge of informatics.
