Training to act FAIR: A pre-post study on teaching FAIR guiding principles to (future) researchers in higher education.

Abstract

Abstract Background By supporting data management teams, promoting legal frameworks on the FAIR guiding principles, and embedding FAIR training, the scientific community tried to implement the FAIR guiding principles to foster open science in higher education since 2016. However, it still needs to be determined what strategies work and which do not in fostering open science. This article is the first step to closing this research gap by examining one strategy, the effectiveness of FAIR training in higher education. Methods With a pre-post test design, the study evaluates the effectiveness of FAIR training on students' scientific actions and justifications in line with FAIR guiding principles. The study also assesses the influence of university legal frameworks on students' inclination towards FAIR training. We analyze the students' response behavior with odds ratios and Pearson's -chi-square-test, with the null being that response behavior is independent of pre-and post-testing. On top of that, we observe with a volcano plot what learning factors students rate highest in FAIR training. Results Before FAIR training, 81.1% of students suggest scientific actions not in line with the FAIR guiding principles. However, after the training, there is a 3.75-fold increase in scientific actions that adhere to these principles. Interestingly, the training does not significantly impact how students justify FAIR actions. The study observes a positive correlation between the presence of university legal frameworks on FAIR guiding principles and students' inclination towards FAIR training. It explicates safe space, participation, motivation, usefulness, and satisfaction as the five highest-rated learning factors in FAIR training. Conclusions The study highlights the effectiveness of FAIR training. It underscores the training potential in driving the transition towards open science in higher education and shows how much university legal frameworks can push toward such training. Students rate FAIR training as very useful and satisfactory. Important learning factors in effective FAIR training seem to be creating a safe space, letting students contribute, and encouraging students to engage in the training. However, the study also reveals the need for further training improvement, particularly in enhancing students' ability to justify FAIR actions. Trial registration is not applicable as this study involves no clinical trial. The study involves an educational intervention to improve students' actions and justifications of the FAIR guiding principles in scientific research. Kiel University (Germany) collected the open data in this study between June 2019 and November 2022. The institutional research committee (Central Ethics Committee of the University of Kiel) approved all procedures performed in the data collection with the approval number ZEK-10/20.