Designing and assessing a data literacy internship program for graduate health sciences students

Area of Science:

• Library and Information Science
• Biomedical Data Science
• Health Sciences Education

Background:

• A novel librarian-led data internship program was established to enhance data analysis skills.
• The program focused on data literacy concepts and tools for qualitative biomedical systematic reviews.
• Training was delivered through a flipped classroom model due to COVID-19 restrictions, creating a virtual learning environment.

Observation:

• An intern was trained in data literacy and subsequently recruited and trained other graduate health sciences students.
• A workshop series was developed and delivered virtually to graduate students.
• Both the intern and workshop participants engaged in a virtual learning experience.

Findings:

• Participants reported increased confidence in data literacy competence following the internship and workshop series.
• Assessment results indicated an improvement in participants' data literacy skills.
• The study suggests that while beneficial, the workshop series may require supplementary data literacy instruction.

Implications:

• The case study offers a model for student-led instruction in data analysis for systematic reviews.
• This model can inform professional development for library interns, fellows, and student assistants.
• The findings highlight the need for ongoing support and advanced training in data literacy for health sciences students.