TY - JOUR
T1 - The features and qualities of online training modules in research ethics
T2 - a case study evaluating their institutional application for the University of Botswana
AU - Ntseane, Dolly Mogomotsi
AU - Ali, Joseph
AU - Hallez, Kristina
AU - Mokgweetsi, Boikanyo
AU - Kasule, Mary
AU - Kass, Nancy E.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by Forgarty International Center and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases [grant number R25TW001604]. We would like to thank UB academic staff, IRB members and students for their participation in this study. Special thanks to Joseph Zulu and Imelda Namagembe for support and input in developing the practicum and to Julia Slisz for her critical and helpful comments on the early drafts of the manuscript. DN, JA, KH, NK and MK contributed towards the design of the study. BM entered data on Microsoft Excel and analyzed the results; DN carried out interviews and collected the data, analyzed the results and drafted the manuscript. All the authors contributed towards the revision of the manuscript, and approved the final manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Research ethics remains a cornerstone of the scientific enterprise as it defines the boundaries of responsible conduct of research. Our aim was to systematically identify, review and test online training courses in research ethics which could be considered most appropriate for future training at the University of Botswana (UB). We used an evaluative tool that included both descriptive and evaluative criteria for assessing the strengths, weaknesses and appropriateness of 10 online research ethics courses which are publicly accessible. We then assembled Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) to engage the UB community to select the best 2–3 online courses that are considered most suited for use in future training of research ethics at UB. Twenty respondents participated in three FGDs. Our findings show that there is limited research ethics training capacity in low resourced academic institutions like UB. Online training opportunities could be used to address this challenge. Our analysis reveal that out of the 10 online courses reviewed, CITI program, Family Health International, and Training and Resource in Research Ethics Evaluation have characteristics that would make them suitable for utilization in Botswana. We believe the findings from this case study will be of value to other similarly situated research institutions.
AB - Research ethics remains a cornerstone of the scientific enterprise as it defines the boundaries of responsible conduct of research. Our aim was to systematically identify, review and test online training courses in research ethics which could be considered most appropriate for future training at the University of Botswana (UB). We used an evaluative tool that included both descriptive and evaluative criteria for assessing the strengths, weaknesses and appropriateness of 10 online research ethics courses which are publicly accessible. We then assembled Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) to engage the UB community to select the best 2–3 online courses that are considered most suited for use in future training of research ethics at UB. Twenty respondents participated in three FGDs. Our findings show that there is limited research ethics training capacity in low resourced academic institutions like UB. Online training opportunities could be used to address this challenge. Our analysis reveal that out of the 10 online courses reviewed, CITI program, Family Health International, and Training and Resource in Research Ethics Evaluation have characteristics that would make them suitable for utilization in Botswana. We believe the findings from this case study will be of value to other similarly situated research institutions.
KW - Botswana
KW - capacity development
KW - ethical review
KW - online research ethics courses
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U2 - 10.1080/11287462.2019.1592305
DO - 10.1080/11287462.2019.1592305
M3 - Article
C2 - 33343188
AN - SCOPUS:85070466574
VL - 31
SP - 133
EP - 154
JO - Global Bioethics
JF - Global Bioethics
SN - 1128-7462
IS - 1
ER -