How to participate OJCs on ResearchIC?

Welcome to ResearchIC! Let's first have a basic share understanding of ResearchIC as a platform and as a community.

Step 1: Understand what is ResearchIC?

ResearchIC.com creates a new research literacy training model that integrates AI tools and social reading elements, and a Moodle-based platform for using online journal clubs (OJCs) for such purposes. It is the first OJCs service platform in Japan, which can be easily adopted and adapted by different levels of training needs worldwide: individual, team, lab, faculty, university, and nation. Its unique training model is built from dedicated research and can effectively train participants to build personal knowledge map and social connections in their fields.

ResearchIC.com is an innovative tool to facilitate knowledge sharing, research training, and community building among expert and novice researchers worldwide with trendy technologies. By hosting OJCs that focus on specific topics or articles, it offers opportunities for participants to engage in critical discussions about cutting-edge research findings, expand their knowledge base, and develop new insights into various aspects of teaching and learning practices.

Next step is to browse OJCs that are available on this site, and then decide if this community is for you or not.

The ongoing "100 OJCs" initiative (read its introduction page) on ResearchIC invites global educational researchers to share their research article reading experience. The first round of researchers who responded are mainly from the research domain of education and technology. 

As of April 2023, a total of 13 educational researchers from different nations contributed 15 OJCs. Each OJC features one journal article from the domain of education science. You can start with these 15 OJCs to decide on the page of Online Journal Clubs if you would like to join the site.

Be aware that these 15 OJCs asked invited speakers to share their "skills" or "experience" on reading/finding/organizing educational literature instead of asking them to digest the domain knowledge included in the papers. Therefore, when watching their videos, pay attention to the meta-competency that can be applied instead of what the papers are about.

Step 3: Join the site of ResearchIC

If you decide to join the platform, you can now sign up using your email (Click "Create new account") and then sign in after the account is created. As alternative, you can also use your existing accounts on Google, LinkedIn, or Facebook to sign in to ResearchIC directly. The following page can be found at: ResearchIC: Log in to the site 

Step 4: Enrol in OJCs

After signing in the platform, you will need to agree to click "Agree to the privacy policy" button on the privacy policy page on the Dashboard. 

After clicking "I agree to the Privacy poliy" button, you will be directed to the homepage of the site. It is normal. You are still logged in. 

Now, you can click "Online Journal Clubs" from the top menu. You will then see a list of OJCs. Click on one OJC, and you will see a similar page to the following. 

Click "Enrol me". 

The page will be renewed to show the full view of the OJC. A message will be displayed on the page "You are enrolled in the course". Now, you will be able to see all resources and activities within this OJC.On ResearchIC, there is ChatGPT available on the right block drawer. You can click the arrow on the right side of the page, and expand the block drawer. You will see the ChatGPT block. Then you can type to interact with it. This element will assist you as your personal assistant when you are upgrading your research literacy through OJCs. 

[Optional] Step 5: Host OJCs

If you would like to take full control of an OJC, you can choose to become a host of OJC. This approach is the most desirable to users who would like to share their reading experience of research publications, or organize OJCs with their peers (such as between lab members, or classmates). 

From the top menu, click "Create New Event", and then click "Request New Event". You can provide basic information of the OJC that you would like to create, and submit the request. Later, once your OJC is approved, the administrator will create your OJC accordingly and add you as the OJC host. Meanwhile, the administrator will share with you the enrolment key to the "Action Guide for Hosts".