About

What can I find here?

This application intends to facilitate research connections with prospective researchers by facilitating awareness, access, and use of Digital Learning Platform resources. We hope this will ensure that research is better aligned with community needs and localized contexts while reducing the cost and increasing the speed of conducting research, with an emphasis on helping early career researchers from priority populations.

We are committed to supporting ethical, legal, and privacy-preserving research. The catalog describes platforms and datasets but provides no data nor direct access. You can use this site to contact providers, who have included data sharing agreements and other appropriate guidance for researcher access to their platforms.

This work was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The findings and conclusions contained within are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of the foundation.


Why is the Catalog right for me?

The Catalog provides a centralized and efficient way to browse through key information of datasets that could be made available to you. By reviewing this material and submitting an inquiry through the Catalog, it is easier for the platforms to respond and it's more likely that they'll be able to understand and support your research if it's a good fit.

Maybe. Products developed with funding or resources provided through the Gates Foundation are subject to the Global Access agreement, which allows profit and ensures that priority populations are able to affordably access these innovations. Research results also must be published, but transparency is not in conflict with commercial success. In all cases, you should ask potential platforms directly as there are complex potential issues.

Yes! You must be at least 18 years old in many cases to access research data, but we welcome students to participate in research and help shape the direction of these platforms. You should keep in mind the length of time required for research and might find datasets more useful than conducting your own experiment. Reach out to the platforms for specific details and what is best suited for your interests and experience. Graduate students may find the datasets and experimental platforms particularly well-suited for their research projects.

I have more questions and I am a...

Researcher Platform Provider

  1. Start by identifying your research area or question: Clearly define the area of research or specific question you intend to explore. Having a focused research objective will guide your search and ensure you find the most relevant datasets.

  2. Then, go ahead and search through the catalog: Utilize the Catalog's search function to locate datasets or platforms that align with your research needs. Apply search criteria such as the resource type, platform provider, or provide your own search terms.

  3. Finally, review the metadata and provider profiles: Carefully read through the metadata and provider profiles of the datasets that interest you. Pay attention to details like the granularity of the data, any use restrictions, and the provider's background to assess suitability for your research.

  1. Once you have identified a suitable dataset, submit an expression of interest to the data provider. This typically involves detailing your research objectives, how you plan to use the data, and any relevant background information.

  2. After submitting your expression of interest, wait to hear back from the data provider. They will review your request and work with you to best determine if and how they will grant access to their dataset.

  3. If your request is approved, coordinate with the data provider to arrange access to the dataset. This may involve an interview, panel review, or signing data use agreements or discussing any specific conditions for using the data.

I've found a platform that appears suitable for some of my research interests, but doesn't have some of the functionality that I need to answer my questions. Should I give up?

In most cases, no! It is possible that the platform has more functionality than is listed, or may be able to make modifications to accommodate your question so don't be shy about submitting an Expression of Interest Form. In some cases, this may require funding to make those modifications.

What steps do I need to take to add my metadata to the catalog?
  1. First, complete the Catalog entry form. If you do not have an account, sign up here. Provide detailed information about your dataset, including the nature of the data, the user population, use restrictions, and other relevant descriptions. This information will help external researchers find and understand your dataset when searching the Catalog.
  2. Once your form is complete, submit your completed entry form to the site admin. The Catalog management team will review your submission within 24 business hours and notify you whether your metadata has been uploaded or if further edits are required.
  3. After approval, you can edit your entry directly on the Catalog. This includes updating any information or making necessary changes to keep your metadata current and accurate.
What are the required fields? What does each piece of metadata mean?

This generally includes a link to a video demonstration of the basic functionality of a platform. It is encouraged that this also include how external researchers can get access to a demo account for the application.

Educational information on the population using the externally accessible dataset will be presented to delineate between age groups, students, and practitioners. Research settings will describe under what conditions or contexts the application is deployed (e.g. in-classroom, supplemental materials, lab, etc.).

Include prior research and publications; both published and pre-prints or summary results can be included to provide exemplars for external researchers to understand previous applications, data extraction, and research potential.

This will list what constructs of interest and research purposes are prioritized by the platform providers for external researchers to investigate. Describe whether the platform will provide access to historical data, or allow a researcher to design experiments that are run using the platform. This field will, if necessary, also list what constructs or analyses are outside the scope of possible platform specifications. If appropriate for the provider, an option is included to indicate they are "open to researcher suggestions".

This field will list what data is available for post-hoc studies and for experimental studies. Specifications in this section will include the granularity, data content, format, collection method, outcome measures, and demographic information (if available). This will also list how often the data will be updated, collected, or modified.

This field will list the recommended skills for data engineering, analyses, and other technical competencies encouraged by the platform provider when considering requests from external researchers.

For external researchers referencing the catalog, information on the phases or processes included in the pre-registration process can be disclosed by platform providers. If necessary, platform providers can list any agreements or forms that should be submitted alongside requests for data access.