Transforming the Gap: Inclusive Digital Arts and Humanities Research Skills (DAReS) CoLAB
Lead Research Organisation:
University of the Arts London
Department Name: London College of Communication
Abstract
The DAReS (Digital Arts and Humanities Research Skills) CoLab aims to develop and pilot an inclusive model for advanced digital research skills provision for arts and humanities with marginalised researchers at every stage of their career. The DAReS CoLab prioritises diversity and inclusion as important preconditions for innovation and high quality research, and applies these priorities to digital research skills development and training. The DAReS CoLab aims to transform known gaps into opportunities for inclusive practice enabling game-changer solutions, artistic practice, and impactful, high-quality research in arts and humanities
Advanced digital research skills, including data wrangling, analytics, data visualisation and computational data analysis, are predicted to be the digital skills cluster most in demand over the next five years. Yet, the state of digital arts and humanities research is wildly uneven, marked by centres of digital excellence (e.g.UAL's Creative Computing Institute and King's Digital Humanities Lab) and also widespread uncertainty around what tools and techniques can be used and how.
STEM, social science and interdisciplinary based approaches to computational methods often require heavy investment from researchers, not only in skill acquisition but also to translate these methods to arts and humanities. Computer sciences and the technology sector have a well known "diversity gap" where women, those who have disclosed a disability, Black, Asian, and minority ethnic groups continue to be disproportionately marginalised and underrepresented (MacDonald 2020;BCS 2021). By focusing on inclusive practice for the arts and humanities, the DAReS CoLab provides an achievable plan for addressing and transforming these gaps into good practice for better research outcomes.
To achieve these aims and the project's objectives, there are 3 phases:
-Phase 1:Building an inclusive model(O1,O4)
-Phase 2:Digital skills summer school pilot(O2,O3,O4)
-Phase 3:Digital skills hackathon pilot(O3,O4,O5)
Using co-creation methodologies, Phase 1 brings together marginalized and underrepresented arts and humanities researchers with project partners (Wikimedia UK and CRAC/Vitae) to develop an inclusive model for advanced digital research skills provision and competency building. The project team will run 3 workshops with 30participants from every career stage, examining what inclusion means in arts and humanities, in research, and for digital research skills. Recommendations from this phase will be used to develop the model of inclusion informing the digital skills curriculum and summer school pilot.
Phase 2 applies the inclusive model developed in phase 1 to the digital research skills curriculum and pilots this in the summer school skills provision for:
-Data wrangling
-Analytics
-Data visualisation
-Social network analysis
-Computational data analysis
Following the summer school, participants, partners and the team will evaluate the summer school skills provision and experience and provide feedback to each other in a networking event closing phase 2.
In phase 3,feedback and observations from phase 2 will be applied to reiterate the summer school digital skills curriculum for a Hackathon, the second pilot. Led by Wikimedia UK, the Hackathon will bring participants, partners and the project team to co-create a skills wiki and engage in the last iteration of digital skills.
The DAReS CoLab provides an achievable plan of action for developing an inclusive and scalable digital skills pilot which can inform a regional or national training centre. The DAReS CoLab also provides an action plan for strengthening knowledge and understanding of the creative and arts sectors and speaks to cultural challenges of our time.
Advanced digital research skills, including data wrangling, analytics, data visualisation and computational data analysis, are predicted to be the digital skills cluster most in demand over the next five years. Yet, the state of digital arts and humanities research is wildly uneven, marked by centres of digital excellence (e.g.UAL's Creative Computing Institute and King's Digital Humanities Lab) and also widespread uncertainty around what tools and techniques can be used and how.
STEM, social science and interdisciplinary based approaches to computational methods often require heavy investment from researchers, not only in skill acquisition but also to translate these methods to arts and humanities. Computer sciences and the technology sector have a well known "diversity gap" where women, those who have disclosed a disability, Black, Asian, and minority ethnic groups continue to be disproportionately marginalised and underrepresented (MacDonald 2020;BCS 2021). By focusing on inclusive practice for the arts and humanities, the DAReS CoLab provides an achievable plan for addressing and transforming these gaps into good practice for better research outcomes.
To achieve these aims and the project's objectives, there are 3 phases:
-Phase 1:Building an inclusive model(O1,O4)
-Phase 2:Digital skills summer school pilot(O2,O3,O4)
-Phase 3:Digital skills hackathon pilot(O3,O4,O5)
Using co-creation methodologies, Phase 1 brings together marginalized and underrepresented arts and humanities researchers with project partners (Wikimedia UK and CRAC/Vitae) to develop an inclusive model for advanced digital research skills provision and competency building. The project team will run 3 workshops with 30participants from every career stage, examining what inclusion means in arts and humanities, in research, and for digital research skills. Recommendations from this phase will be used to develop the model of inclusion informing the digital skills curriculum and summer school pilot.
Phase 2 applies the inclusive model developed in phase 1 to the digital research skills curriculum and pilots this in the summer school skills provision for:
-Data wrangling
-Analytics
-Data visualisation
-Social network analysis
-Computational data analysis
Following the summer school, participants, partners and the team will evaluate the summer school skills provision and experience and provide feedback to each other in a networking event closing phase 2.
In phase 3,feedback and observations from phase 2 will be applied to reiterate the summer school digital skills curriculum for a Hackathon, the second pilot. Led by Wikimedia UK, the Hackathon will bring participants, partners and the project team to co-create a skills wiki and engage in the last iteration of digital skills.
The DAReS CoLab provides an achievable plan of action for developing an inclusive and scalable digital skills pilot which can inform a regional or national training centre. The DAReS CoLab also provides an action plan for strengthening knowledge and understanding of the creative and arts sectors and speaks to cultural challenges of our time.
Publications
| Description | The DAReS project addressed the lack of inclusive practices in digital research skills training as causing low take-up of digital research skills by arts and humanities researchers from under-represented groups (see MacDonald 2020; BCS 2021; Crenshaw 1991; 2014). Taking an innovative co-design approach, the findings are co-created throughout the full 12 months of the project and demonstrate the strength of working with (rather than for) under-represented groups. The four main achievements of the project include: 1. Current state of play shows a gap in university IT infrastructures and data-oriented research tools and platforms. These prevent meaningful and accessible capacity building around digital research skills for arts and humanities. This is a key area for further work. 2. The DAReS project designed and developed a new methodology, trust-based co-design, which effectively embeds inclusive process, trust and community building, and facilitates confidence development around data research tools and skills. This methodology provides an inclusive framework for training and capacity building, as effectively demonstrated in the Hackathon, where co-designers demonstrated ownership, and proficiency in inclusive data research skills, making real contributions to the event and related materials. 3. Inclusion is a complex topic, separate from but linked to accessibility, and must inform planning, delivery, and engagement from an intersectional approach. For data research skills, this included prioritising an arts and humanities first approach to data skills (rather than computational or data science approaches), as well as recognising epistemological and coloniality of data methods alongside the importance of the impact of data skills on broader research journeys. Inclusive practice and diversity must be explicitly addressed with space made to engage these topics. This includes valuing the lived experience of participants and resources must include diverse examples, case studies, sources and ideas. The project objectives have been or are on track to be fully met. The first, 'to develop an inclusive model grounded in the principles of intersectional pedagogies and cocreation methodologies with marginalised groups and project partners' is in the form of a new participatory method we have called 'trust-based co-design'. The second, on 'co-creating an inclusive digital skills pilot', has been achieved in each phase of the project and will be publicly released early May 2024, as project report and digital skills curriculum. The third, building a skills wiki and learning materials, is in the first instance a Wikibook, collaboratively written during the Hackathon (Jan 2024). Other learning resources and materials will be released along with the project report. The fourth objective (create a network and self-sustaining community of practice) has at this time, been partially met in the form of a project network and mailing list. It is too early to report on the self-sustaining community of practice. The final objective, 'evaluating the DAReS project', is underway for completion in April 2024. Findings will be publicly available from May 2024 and include direct impact on co-designers, higher education research and teaching, inclusive data research skills design and delivery, and EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion) practices. |
| Exploitation Route | As of March 2024 and still in the life of the project, there are three ways in which the research outcomes are being taken forward. The first is with the primary beneficiaries of the DAReS project, under-represented arts and humanities researchers from every career stage, many of whom began with little knowledge of digital or data research skills. At the close of the project, just under half of the co-designers led or co-facilitated Hackathon sessions demonstrating proficiency with the material and with arts and humanities data skills and methods. Co-designers have demonstrated increased digital research capacity and early reports already show that research outcomes will include co-designers' new research projects and/or new approaches to existing research. Based on this work with co-designers, the second academic research outcome is a co-designed inclusive data research skills pilot curriculum. While this curriculum can be taken up by anyone, it is particularly focused on under-represented groups in arts and humanities and those working as educators or learners. Non-academic routes are still in development and include the take-up of inclusive practice with partners (e.g. Wikimedia UK) and digital research tools. |
| Sectors | Creative Economy Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Education Culture Heritage Museums and Collections Other |
| URL | https://www.arts.ac.uk/colleges/london-college-of-communication/research-at-lcc/dares |
| Description | As of March 2024, the 12 month DAReS project is on the cusp of completion and impact is still in the early stages. However, it is worth reporting that the project has generated significant interest and support, culminating in the consolidation of an emerging research area at the intersection of arts and humanities, inclusion, and data research skills. The Hackathon not only brought together members of the public with the project team and co-designers but made visible and nucleated an important and emerging area of research. Further impacts beyond academia will be reported on from 2025, as those impacts mature. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2024 |
| Sector | Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Other |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal |
| Description | Co-designer information session |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A public presentation of the DAReS project and the co-design opportunity. Primary audience was active arts and humanities researchers who identify with or have experience working with one or more under-represented groups with protected characteristics as defined by 2010 equality act. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_B8-BBhHRY |
| Description | DAReS Data School: Day 1 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Day one of the data school with co-designers (active arts and humanities researchers who identify with or have experience working with one or more under-represented groups with protected characteristics as defined by 2010 equality act) introduced inclusion, inclusive principles and co-design of inclusive approaches. Data skills teaching introduced the first iteration of data skills with sessions on data wrangling, social media analysis, and computational analysis. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | DAReS Data School: Day 2 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Day two of the data school with co-designers (active arts and humanities researchers who identify with or have experience working with one or more under-represented groups with protected characteristics as defined by 2010 equality act) delivered extended data skills sessions on data wrangling, social media analysis, and computational analysis. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | DAReS Data School: Day 3 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Day three of the data school with co-designers (active arts and humanities researchers who identify with or have experience working with one or more under-represented groups with protected characteristics as defined by 2010 equality act), delivered the second iteration of data skills teaching, developed from experiences in and feedback from day one and two, on data wrangling, social media analysis, and computational analysis. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | DAReS Data school on-site: Day 5 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Day five of the data school with co-designers (active arts and humanities researchers who identify with or have experience working with one or more under-represented groups with protected characteristics as defined by 2010 equality act), addressed decolonial approaches to data and data visualisation, inclusive data, and facilitated co-design sessions on inclusive assessment, flipped syllabi, decolonial approaches to data, and inclusion |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | DAReS Data school online: Day 4 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Day four of the data school with co-designers (active arts and humanities researchers who identify with or have experience working with one or more under-represented groups with protected characteristics as defined by 2010 equality act), finalised the second iteration of data skills teaching, developed from experiences in and feedback from day one and two, on data wrangling, social media analysis, and computational analysis. The last session introduced data visualisation and bias. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | DAReS Hackathon |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Led with Wikimedia UK, the Hackathon brought together the project team, co-designers and the public to address key challenges around inclusive data research and skills in arts and humanities. Thirteen co-designers facilitated sessions with the project team in nine themed groups, demonstrating new data research skills and competencies, to co-create a Wikibook on inclusive data research skills for arts and humanities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/inclusive-data-research-skills-hackathon-for-arts-and-humanities-dare... |
| Description | DAReS Inclusion Workshop 1 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The first of three inclusion workshops with co-designers who had agreed to join the project until Feb 2024. Co-designers were active arts and humanities researchers who identify with or have experience working with one or more under-represented groups with protected characteristics as defined by 2010 equality act. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | DAReS Inclusion Workshop 2 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The second of three inclusion workshops with co-designers who had agreed to join the project until Feb 2024. Co-designers were active arts and humanities researchers who identify with or have experience working with one or more under-represented groups with protected characteristics as defined by 2010 equality act. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | DAReS Inclusion Workshop 3 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The third of three inclusion workshops with co-designers who had agreed to join the project until Feb 2024. Co-designers were active arts and humanities researchers who identify with or have experience working with one or more under-represented groups with protected characteristics as defined by 2010 equality act. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | DAReS Theory of change workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Increasingly required by funding councils and organisations like UKRI, Theory of Change (ToC) is an important part of developing a case for change and funding applications. This workshop provided an example from the DAReS project and asked participants to think through and update the DAReS ToC example. Delivered by Anna Troisi |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | DAReS feedback workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | In advance of the Hackathon, the feedback session brings together multiple sources of project "feedback" from co-design sessions, surveys, and qualitative reflection, to engage co-designers in what this feedback means and how it can be applied to the project, to inclusive data skills, and to the wider data research community. Delivered by Maitrayee Basu |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | DAReS: Inclusive Data Research Skills kick-off event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The launch event for the DAReS event, with leading interdisciplinary experts in digital inclusion, digital skills, inclusive data and arts and humanities or related fields. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |