As the network provider for Australia’s universities and research institutions, AARNet’s aim is to support all researchers to get the most of the network and the technologies available to support their work. Training is one of the ways we do this.

Our training is focused on workshops that demonstrate how to use the services we provide, such as CloudStor and SWAN, and improve the sector’s understanding of the capabilities of networks and data movement. We see this as a kind of ‘infrastructure literacy’, a term that encompasses the practical knowledge needed to transfer, store and manage research data (of any size) in complex scenarios throughout the research and data lifecycle.

With a detailed understanding of the role of Australia’s national research and education network (AARNet) and how to access the data movement and collaboration services we provide, our users are empowered to harness the full potential of this purpose-built research network.

Our approach

AARNet is taking the Carpentries approach to foundational skill acquisition. Through dedicated workshops, explaining jargon and giving participants hands-on experience in a range of tools and computing experiences in a welcoming environment, AARNet’s workshops are designed with beginners in mind to break down barriers, especially for those with no formal training in computing or data handling. Our open-source lesson plans can be shared across the community, like Carpentries lessons. This approach suits the goals and aims of AARNet, university libraries and the greater research support community to increase the digital capabilities across the sector.

AARNet supports equal participation in training across all domains.

Who are the workshops for?

These workshops are targeted to research support staff in a train-the-trainer style so participants such as librarians, eResearch analysts or faculty research support staff can reuse the content to train researchers.

Workshop topics

Introduction to Jupyter Notebooks

This ‘train-the-trainer’ workshop will introduce you to Jupyter Notebooks, a digital tool that has exploded in popularity in recent years for those working with data.

You will learn what they are, what they do and why you might like to use them. It is an introductory set of lessons for those who are brand new, have little or no knowledge of coding and computational methods in research. By the end of the workshop you will have a good understanding of what Notebooks can do, how to open one up, perform some basic tasks and save it for later. If you are really into it, you will also be able to continue to experiment after the workshop by using other people’s notebooks as springboards for your own adventures!

This workshop is targeted at those who are absolute beginners or ‘tech-curious’. It includes a hands-on component, using basic programming commands, but requires no previous knowledge of programming.

Please check that you have access to cloudstor.aarnet.edu.au. If you do not have Cloudstor access you can still attend, just advise the trainer beforehand so arrangements can be made.

Network Know-how & Data Handling

This workshop is a ‘train-the-trainer’ session that will cover topics such as jargon busting, network literacy and data movement solutions. The workshop will also provide a peek at some collaborative research tools such as Jupyter Notebooks and CloudStor. You will learn about networks, integrated tools, data and storage and where all these things fit in the researcher’s toolkit.

This workshop is targeted at staff who would like to be more confident in giving advice to researchers about the options available to them. It is especially tailored for those with little to no technical knowledge and will include a hands-on component, using basic programming commands, but requires no previous knowledge of programming.

Active Data Management with CloudStor

In this train-the-trainer workshop, we will be exploring and discussing methods for active data management. Participants will become familiar with the CloudStor interface and its associated tools and services for managing active research data. Learn how to organise, maintain, store and analyse active data, and understand safe and secure ways of sharing and storing data.

Topics such as cloud storage, collaborative editing, versioning and data sharing will be discussed and demonstrated. You will learn how to set up an automatic way to move your data to the cloud so that your data is safe and secure. You can also ensure that you are sharing your data securely by knowing what tools are best for this operation.

This is a hands-on workshop using CloudStor, AARNet’s file sync, share and storage service. Please check that you have access to cloudstor.aarnet.edu.au. If you do not have CloudStor access you can still attend, just advise the organiser beforehand so arrangements can be made.

The details

The workshops are open and free to all AARNet member universities. They are approximately 3 hours duration and are delivered by Dr Sara King from our eResearch team online via Zoom or in-person in accordance with COVID-19 restrictions (currently limited to South Australia).