ABCD-ReproNim: An educational program for responsible and reproducible analyses of ABCD data

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Data Science
• Educational Research

Background:

• The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study generates large-scale neuroimaging and behavioral data.
• Reproducible research practices are crucial for validating findings in complex datasets.
• Existing training gaps hinder researchers' ability to conduct reproducible analyses of the ABCD Study data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish and deliver a comprehensive educational course, ABCD-ReproNim, for training researchers in responsible and reproducible data analysis.
• To foster skill development in efficient, re-executable data analysis workflows and FAIR data practices.
• To support interdisciplinary collaboration and disseminate best practices for analyzing ABCD Study data.

Main Methods:

• A hybrid educational model combining a semester-long online didactic course with an in-person data analysis hackathon.
• Curricular approach integrating active learning, inverted classrooms, and hack week methodologies.
• Hands-on data exercises and team-based collaborative projects utilizing the ABCD Study dataset.

Main Results:

• Over 1.1K students registered, with >18K YouTube views, indicating strong community reception.
• Participants gain a comprehensive understanding of the ABCD dataset and reproducible research techniques.
• The program successfully supports interdisciplinary collaborations and disseminates training materials.

Conclusions:

• ABCD-ReproNim effectively addresses the need for specialized training in reproducible neuroimaging data analysis.
• The course enhances the validity and reproducibility of research methods applied to the ABCD Study.
• Graduates are equipped to conduct responsible, reproducible, and valid analyses, contributing to a new cadre of skilled investigators.