This project will develop the ISART, the Iowa State Assessment of RCR Training, a validated assessment tool that can be used to measure the effectiveness of Responsible Conduct of Scientific Research (RCR) training methods. This project will use that tool to evaluate the effectiveness of online and in-person courses provided by colleges and universities nationally and globally. This assessment tool will enable users to compare and evaluate multiple and diverse alternative RCR training methods. Results from this assessment, will be used to specifically identify strengths and weaknesses of current RCR training methods in multiple contexts. The goal is to develop an instrument that will improve the quality of RCR training wherever it takes place, and ultimately to promote the ethical and responsible conduct of scientific research in all disciplines. This project will benefit students, scientific community, policy makers and administrators.
The development of the ISART will provide valuable assessment of RCR training to the community it serves. The ISART will be a validated and reliable concept inventory designed to measure expert-like thinking in the area of RCR. Researchers will first frame a precise specification of the instrument and the domain to be evaluated, and will then determine format, test procedures, and the characteristics of the target populations as part of the reliability parameters. Open-ended questions will be developed to measure progress in the nine core areas of interest for RCR training. These questions will be used to probe student understanding and misconceptions in the nine core areas. Commonly held misconceptions will be used as distractors when designing multiple choice concept inventory questions. Tests will be administered and data assessed over the course of several years to study both student knowledge acquisition and student retention of knowledge. Publication and dissemination of the ISART and the results of its application will provide the RCR training community with an appropriate, practical, and powerful tool to assess the effectiveness of their particular ethics training methods. The project will include both tool-development and a comparative study examining the impact of in-class vs. online modes of RCR education. This research has the potential to transform the course of graduate RCR education in STEM fields throughout the US and internationally.
