Mastery Rubric for Bioinformatics (MR-Bi) is a curriculum-design and -evaluation tool that can support the development of Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) essential to bioinformatics practice. The MR-Bi describes the characteristics of how these KSAs change over specific developmental stages: from novice to independent expert.

This workshop will introduce MR-Bi, and demonstrate how participants can use MR-Bi to enhance the achievement of their intended learning outcomes. The workshop will introduce bioinformatics as a learnable, improvable set of KSAs that capture modern bioinformatics practice; it will show how the MR-Bi can facilitate the design of short-form training, like the courses typically run by GOBLET and ELIXIR.

Participants will, for pre-selected courses, use the MR-Bi to identify the KSAs and stages that are appropriate for that course, and leverage those to write learning outcomes. The planned exercises are intended as first steps towards “how-to-use” the MR-Bi as a tool to structure and enhance training courses and course outcomes. Participants are kindly requested to read the table 1 of the MR-Bi article prior to the workshop.

As the number of participants for this workshop is limited due to the exercise component, we will also allow people to register as observers. Please indicate in the application form if you would like to attend as an observer.

This workshop is organized by GOBLET, the Global Organization for Bioinformatics Learning, Education and Training. GOBLET members have priority for this workshop, please indicate your membership type (organization / individual) in the application form.

Participants are selected based on their motivation description, so please fill in that section of the application form. We will also do our best to ensure that every GOBLET member institute gets at least one representative in the workshop. Registration closes 9.9.2020 and all applicants are informed about the selection results by 11.9.2020.

Target audience:

People providing bioinformatics training.

Learning outcomes:

After the workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the KSAs and stages of the MR-Bi that pertain – or are intended to pertain – to a given course.
2. Draft at least one learning outcome for a course that leverages the MR-Bi and incorporates the KSAs and stages as appropriate.
3. Discuss how course descriptions can be strengthened – and made more accurate – when learning outcomes, KSAs, and targeted stages are articulated.

Trainers:

Prof. Rochelle Tractenberg, Georgetown University Medical Center, USA

Prof. Teresa Attwood, University of Manchester, UK

Dr. Allegra Via, Sapienza University, Italy