JISC

Overview

Output from research-active performance or live arts departments is often technically complex, multimedia data. Commonly this valuable work is the only remaining trace of ephemeral events. Such research output underpins the scholarly record and allow the reinterpretation of past works as new cultural artefacts. Yet no single national provision exists for managing the work of the practitioner-researcher. Data tends to be retained at departmental level where provision varies considerably. Output is often non-standardised, of proprietary form and inadequately described. This project will produce teaching and learning materials which enable the post-graduate arts practitioner to sustainably generate, manage and disseminate practice-as-research.

Aims and Objectives

1. To provide the arts practitioner-researcher community with the opportunity to develop tailored research data management skills
2. To raise awareness of the importance of actively managing data generated through practice-as-research
3. To bring together stakeholders and build upon combined experience in order to develop standardised practices where desirable

Project Methodology

The projects is overseen by JISC Digital Media, hosted by the University of Bristol. We have established close ties with the live and visual arts community in our capacity as a national advisory service. JISC Digital Media have ultimate responsibility for the project. Our partner is the University of Bristol's Department of Drama. The departments holds an existing 5 rating for its research and forms a nexus between data managers and the practitioner-researcher community. The Digital Curation Centre is our second partner and will lend subject specific knowledge relating to digital preservation and wider research data management.

Anticipated Outputs and Outcomes

1. A freely available and interoperable teaching and learning module, intended for delivery at postgraduate level and above, to be based on the participles outlined by the Digital Curation Centre and tailored to meet the needs of the arts practitioner-researcher.
2. Delivery of teaching and learning module for research-active arts students, via both summer and Easter schools.
3. The consolidation of the practitioner-researcher community and promotion of project output via effective public engagement and promotional activities.
4. The provision of sustainable online technologies and forum intended to outlive the current project and aid the independent efforts  of the stakeholder community.

 Technology / Standards Used

Open source standards and technologies will  will be favored where practicable.

Teaching materials will be formatted as Reusable Learning Objects and deposited with JORUM.

Materials will be made available within a number of open repositories which offer harvesting via OAI-PMH.

Teaching materials will be made freely available under a Creative Commons license.

Standardised and granular metadata will be produced for all teaching and learning materials, Dublin Core will be used as a minimum standard.

WC3 accessibility standards will be observed throughout the project.