Technology Category
Data Mining & Knowledge Management: Other Foundations of Data Mining & Knowledge ManagementApplication Domains: Humanities & Computational Social ScienceKnowledge Representation and Reasoning: Description Logics
Teaching RDM in a smart advanced inorganic lab course and its provision in the DALIA platform
🤖 AI Summary
In traditional inorganic chemistry laboratory courses, student research data are predominantly archived in unstructured formats (e.g., handwritten notes or PDFs), severely impeding data reuse and machine learning applications. To address this, we integrated Research Data Management (RDM) education into a fifth-semester undergraduate laboratory course, leveraging the Chemotion Electronic Lab Notebook for end-to-end digital documentation and structured metadata annotation. FAIR-compliant data publishing and discovery were enabled via the DALIA platform, while Moodle-integrated modules and instructional videos reinforced data literacy. Our work introduces an innovative “teaching–practice–sharing” integrated RDM pedagogical framework, equipping students with systematic, sustainable competencies in FAIR-aligned data management. Evaluation demonstrates significant improvements in data findability, interoperability, and reusability. This approach establishes a scalable, open-science–oriented paradigm for embedding RDM in undergraduate laboratory instruction.
Technology Category
Application Category
📝 Abstract
Research data management (RDM) is a key data literacy skill that chemistry students must acquire. Concepts such as the FAIR data principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) should be taught and applied in undergraduate studies already. Traditionally, research data from labs, theses, and internships were handwritten and stored in inaccessible formats such as PDFs, limiting reuse and machine learning applications. At RWTH Aachen University, a fifth-semester lab course introduces students to the electronic laboratory notebook (ELN) Chemotion, an open-source DFG-funded tool linked to the national NFDI4Chem initiative. Students plan, document, and evaluate experiments digitally, ensuring metadata and analysis are captured for long-term reuse. Chemotion's intuitive interface and repository enable sustainable data sharing. To reinforce RDM, students receive a seminar and access to online training videos with interactive Moodle elements. Herein we highlight the use of the DALIA platform as a discovery tool for the students.
Problem
Research questions and friction points this paper is trying to address.
Teaching research data management skills to chemistry students
Addressing limitations of handwritten lab data in inaccessible formats
Implementing FAIR data principles in undergraduate laboratory courses
Innovation
Methods, ideas, or system contributions that make the work stand out.
Teaching RDM using electronic laboratory notebook Chemotion
Implementing FAIR data principles for sustainable data sharing
Using DALIA platform as discovery tool for students
🔎 Similar Papers
