Strategies for training and knowledge exchange with a consulting perspective
Location: Online
Organisers
Trainers
- Konrad Förstner (ZB MED - Information Centre for Life Sciences)
- Sarah Kaspar (EMBL - Heidelberg)
- Rabea Müller (ZB MED - Information Centre for Life Sciences)
- Lisanna Paladin (EMBL - Heidelberg)
BioNT - BIO Network for Training - is an international consortium of academic entities and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). BioNT is dedicated to providing a comprehensive training program and fostering a community for digital skills relevant to the biotechnology industry and biomedical sector. With a curriculum tailored for both beginners and advanced professionals, BioNT aims to equip individuals with the necessary expertise in handling, processing, and visualising biological data, as well as utilising computational biology tools. Leveraging the consortium's strong background in digital literacy training and extensive network of collaborations, BioNT is poised to professionalise life sciences data management, processing, and analysis skills.
This hands-on workshop will introduce you to essential training theory, needs assessment techniques and effective delivery strategies in training and consulting, followed by an introduction to consulting with a focus on bioinformatics. You will explore the theory of learning, emphasising how people learn, followed by practical teaching techniques, learner-centred instruction, and creating an inclusive classroom environment. Its primary emphasis lies in hands-on teaching methods, constructive alignment, formative assessment, and providing valuable feedback to learners. Additionally, the workshop will highlight other knowledge-exchange formats, like consulting and mentoring, offering insights into the interface between industry and academia, and how bioinformaticians can leverage their skills in related roles.
BioNT offers a two-day workshop with the primary aim of introducing participants to good enough practices for teaching and consulting.
On the first day, participants will dive into the theory of learning, drawing upon The Carpentries material to provide a solid foundation. This includes an introduction to evidence-based teaching practices, equipping participants with strategies grounded in research to enhance their instructional effectiveness. The workshop also focuses on creating a positive environment for learners, offering practical guidance on fostering inclusivity and engagement during workshops. Furthermore, participants will have ample opportunities to practise and refine their teaching skills through hands-on activities and group discussions. This allows participants to gain valuable experience and confidence in their instructional delivery. In addition, the workshop will also cover training development and surveying training needs. Participants will learn how to assess the learning needs of their target audience and make informed decisions on training content and delivery methods. Exercises will be conducted to guide participants through the process of surveying training needs and developing collaborative training materials within the community.
On the second day of the workshop, we broaden the scope to include other forms of knowledge transfer, such as consulting and mentoring. Participants will dive deeper into how to communicate efficiently by focusing on refining their delivery style, tone, and pacing to optimise learner or consultee engagement and comprehension. Emphasis will be placed on integrating feedback to continually improve the learning experience and meet the diverse needs of learners and consultees. In addition, participants will explore strategies for effectively teaching technical knowledge using the proven BioNT training format, known for its structured and hands-on approach. Through practical examples and exercises, participants will learn how to break down complex technical concepts into digestible modules and facilitate active learning experiences.
On the second half-day, participants will engage with key questions related to consultancy in bioinformatics, including how to technically keep track of tasks and document projects, the frequency and criteria for follow-up, initiation of new projects, delegation decisions, managing multiple consultancy sessions, handling unreasonable requests, prioritisation between projects, time management strategies, prioritisation of consultancy over general training, division of time among different activities, and defining the threshold between consultancy and research involvement.
Join this workshop if you are interested in:
- learning evidence-based best practices for teaching
- how to create a positive environment for learners at your workshops
- how to provide opportunities for you to practise and improve your teaching skills.
- how to survey people's training needs
- learning how to get the most out of any consulting possibilities you offer
- how to effectively manage tasks and projects
- how to initiate new projects and how to prioritise
- learning how to balance consultancy, training, and IT tasks
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental training theory, including principles of adult learning and effective instructional design.
- Apply needs assessment techniques to identify training gaps and tailor learning experiences to meet specific learner needs.
- Implement diverse teaching strategies and learner-centred approaches to create engaging and inclusive learning environments.
- Utilise hands-on teaching methods, constructive alignment, and formative assessment techniques to enhance learning outcomes.
- Provide valuable feedback to learners to support their skill development and promote continuous improvement.
- Integrate effective task tracking and project documentation practices into your consultancy workflow
- Establish follow-up procedures and criteria for determining when to conduct follow-up sessions.
- Make informed decisions on task delegation based on project requirements and resource availability.
- Allocate time effectively among consultancy, exploring new initiatives, and providing IT infrastructure support, with the option to track time spent on each activity.
- Define the boundary between consultancy and research involvement to ensure clarity and focus in project engagement.
Recommendations:
- To follow the workshop more efficiently, we recommend having a TWO SCREEN SETUP setup.
- To actively communicate during the workshop, please familiarise yourself with Markdown formatting by reviewing the HedgeDoc features document.
Useful links and videos
- CodeRefinery instructor training
- The Carpentries Instructor Training
- Overview of the Galaxy Training Material for Instructors
- Train The Trainer – How to deliver online live training using Zoom.com – Top 10 tips to make your training courses run like magic
- Train the trainer training material
- SessionLab
- FAIR training handbook
- EMBL TtT
- SSHOpenCluster
Interaction between participants, trainers and helpers
The workshop will be delivered in a Zoom meeting, with participants’ visibility disabled to preserve their privacy. You, as a participant, will be able to see and learn from the trainers but a direct interaction (e.g. chat or voice) will not be possible during the sessions, with the exception of the execution of specific exercises that require in-person communication. Instead, a collaborative document, previously setup by the trainers, will be shared with you before the session. You will be expected to engage and interact anonymously with other participants as well as with the workshop helpers and trainers directly in this document.
Additionally, breakout rooms in Zoom will be used to facilitate exercises and discussions in small groups among participants, providing a space for direct interaction. Cameras can be optionally turned on during these breakout sessions if you wish to maintain your privacy, but it's not mandatory.
Trainer Hubs
All BioNT workshops are offered at no cost, but there are a limited number of seats available. To make workshops more accessible for members of the same company we highly recommend organising what we refer to as "Training Hubs." In this arrangement, one person is formally registered for the workshop, but the knowledge sharing can be expanded to numerous colleagues within their company or SME through live-streaming the session.
Topics
Day |
Topic |
Tutorial |
Day 1 |
The theory of learning
Training development
|
|
Day 2 |
Communication in training and consulting
Other formats for knowledge-exchange
|
How to register
The workshop is free of charge. To participate, please follow these steps:
To participate, please follow these steps:
- Click on the window “Participate” at the top of this page
- You will be redirected to the members.cecam.org page. If you already have an account on our platform, please proceed to step 5
- On the top-right corner click "Register" and complete the provided form. As indicated, completing this form does not register you to the workshop. Within 72 hours you will receive an email confirming your account has been activated. Due to this processing time, we advise you to register a few days before the registration deadline
- After receiving the account activation confirmation, visit the workshop page again and follow instructions starting from step 1
- You should now have an active account. After login in with your login details, you should be redirected to the workshop registration page
- In order to start your registration please follow the instructions of the linked pre-workshop survey until you will get your unique identifier
- To finalise your registration please use the unique identifier in the CECAM platform in the corresponding section and press “Send mail”
- Your application is now submitted for evaluation. If selected, you will be contacted later to confirm your attendance and provide instructions for installing the required software and participating in the online workshop.
References
Silvia Di Giorgio (ZB MED – Information Centre for Life Sciences) - Organiser
Rabea Müller (ZB MED – Information Centre for Life Sciences) - Organiser