Education

Evaluation of the Scientific Summer School 2008 in Trilj, Croatia.

Background:

The organisation and tailoring of a scientific summer school can be challenging, especially when there is a global distribution of the participants. Improving knowledge, practice and confidence in the scientific method is feasable by instructing groups of individuals to design a study. Discussion to increase the knowlegde in the methodology. Professional background and reseach experience of the participants may determine the gain in knowledge of the participants. During the course participants collaboration is close, and may facilitate the development of research initiatives after the summer school. Little is known on the long term effects of a summer school on research knowledge and activities and the collaboration between group members.

Purpose:

1. To asses the effect of the 2008 SSS summer school on research knowledge and new initiatives

2. To asses the effect of the 2008 SSS website with regard to pre-SS and post-SS collaboration

Hypothesis:

The Trilj 2008 SSS results in improved research knowledge and results in new reseach initiatives at 6 months.

Method:

Prospective evaluation at three time points

-pre-summer school

-10 days post summer school

-6 months post-summer school

Baseline variables:

-Occupation (PhD-student / clinician)

-Professional experience (years)

-English language knowledge (1-4)

-Role in group (leader/participant)

Outcome variables:

-Research knowledge and practice (1-4)

-Research experience (1-4)

-Research collaboration (number of projects)

Evaluation of website for facilitation of communication.

Background:

The organisation of an international scientific summer school is challenging. Ideally, participants can prepare for the summer school so they can make optimal use of the workshop based teaching method. However due to the physical distances between participants, face-to-face communication is not feasible. Also, after the summer school keeping in contact with the group members can be challenging. We set up an interactive website to facilitate the electronic communications between the participants for preparing the first workshop of the Scientific Summer School in Triljl, and to stimulate interaction after the summer school.

Purpose:

Evaluation of the use of a website to establish communication between staff members and participants prior to the Summer School

Evaluation of the use of a website to maintain communication between staff members and participants after to the Summer School

Method:

Evaluation using a web-based form.

Establishing a database of Summer School Participants.

Background:

Teaching research methodology utilizing problem based learning can be effective. Doing this in an intense week-long international summer school can lead to valuable research collaborations and contacts. However, there is no database of contact details and research interests of these unique Summer Schools.

Purpose:

To establish a web-based database with contact information for all participants (current, future and past) of the Scientific Summer Schools.

To evaluate the effectiveness of the Summer schools for research collaboration.

Method:

Establish a web-based database

Evaluation using a web-based form.

External links to the websites of the:

Trilj 2009 Scientific Summer School

Alumni of the Scientific Summer School