Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to some of our most frequently asked questions. Click any question to see our answer, and submit new questions to dart@chop.edu.

What is DART?

The DART program provides free, open source educational materials to help working biomedical researchers gain the data science knowledge to expand and improve upon the work they are already doing.

Can I enroll in DART?

There is no enrollment process for DART. You can get started learning with DART right now by exploring our full list of educational modules, finding a pathway you like, or by using our prototype module discovery application to build your own pathway.

Why was DART created?

There are lots of data science training programs, but DART was designed to fill the particular needs of working biomedical researchers. Our learning modules are short (60 minutes or less), full of relevant examples in biomedicine, and do not require learners to go through a set curriculum in order to learn the next skill.

Is DART a research study?

DART started as a research study in which we provided biomedical researchers (our subjects) some data science training resources over the course of 16 weeks and measured the efficacy of our approach. The active research portion of the DART program concluded in November 2023 and we are currently analyzing our data. If you would like to be updated as we report our results, please fill out the DART Interest Form.

Will there be another opportunity to participate in a 16 week DART program?

We do not anticipate offering another 16 week training program. Instead we are working to convert the entire DART program into a permanent learning resource that biomedical researchers can use, adapt, and contribute to going forward.

Is DART for me?

I'm a complete novice, is DART for me?

Yes! We have materials that are designed to get you started even if you have never even thought of giving data science or coding a try. Take a look at the Suggested Learning Pathways and pick one that meets your needs.

I already have some experience with data science or coding, can DART help me improve my skills?

The best way to find out is to take a look at our offerings in the category you are interested in. You can explore all modules DART offers through the list of DART modules on this website or the prototype module discovery application.

Can DART teach me ____?

DART teaches data science skills with a strong emphasis on free, open source software. The principles of data cleaning and preparation we teach are useful regardless of what software you use, but we only provide specific coding instruction in open source languages. The best way to find out if we teach a particular topic is to take a look at our offerings in the category you are interested in. You can explore all modules DART offers through the list of DART modules on this website or the prototype module discovery application.

Will you have a module on ____ in the future?

We are always adding new modules to the DART collection! To see if a particular topic is currently in the works, check out the GitHub project board. If there is a topic that you think would be a benefit to the DART program, and it doesn't appear to be in the works yet, let us know by either emailing us at dart@chop.edu or creating a new issue for your proposed module(s).

Why don't you teach ____?

If we don't have materials on a topic you want to learn, there are a couple of possibilities. It may be that the topic is outside the scope of the DART project, for example Excel and Stata are proprietary programs. Another possibility is that we plan to offer materials on that topic, but haven't yet developed them. You can see which modules are actively under development on our GitHub project page. A third possibility is that we have not yet found a subject matter expert to contribute materials on that topic. Please reach out if you would be willing to share your expertise by contributing to DART!

Can I use DART in my lab or classroom?

Yes! Under our Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license you can freely take any part of the DART program and use it directly or adapt it to your needs as long as you give us proper acknowledgement. If you adapt our materials, you must use the same license allowing others to continue to freely use and adapt any derivative materials. For more details, see the Creative Commons summary of the license or read the full license.

Do I have to tell you if I use the DART materials?

You do not have to tell us, but we hope that you will. We love to hear how DART materials are being used and adapted to different groups' needs!

If I create new materials when adapting DART to my needs, can I contribute them back?

Absolutely, we are always looking for collaborators to contribute material in their areas of expertise, and you will receive authorship credit for everything you write. If you contribute material back to the DART program, it will go through our rigorous quality assurance process before it is added to our offerings.

Who is the DART team?

Who is leading this effort?

The core DART team consists of five data educators at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). This same team, along with collaborators at CHOP and Drexel University, is conducting the associated research.

How can I get involved?

There are many ways to get involved with DART! Filling out the feedback form at the end of each module is one way to help shape and improve the program, but you can also create issues in our repository on GitHub or contribute your own module. Please fill out the DART Interest Form and we will be in touch!