Attitudes toward the production and distribution of knowledge have improved within and between the various communities impacted by social research and the social policies these help inform. But much remains to be done towards truly meaningful, trans-disciplinary, participatory and empowering research. My commitment to knowledge dissemination regarding my PhD research in Educational Studies has taken me to conversations activities with various local and global communities including academics, policy analysts, community-based activists, and diverse adult education practitioners.
What is knowledge dissemination? Dissemination activities are now widely acknowledged by the academic community, government funding bodies and policy makers alike that they are an essential means of maximizing the impact of research. Dissemination provides added value to research projects. Often, the impact of research can be potentially wider than the original focus. Dissemination promotes the profile of the organization and strengthens its research capacity, especially involving innovative cluster groups and networks.
More than talks and papers:
The traditional way of communicating academic research findings through peer reviewed journal articles is still very much a part of a researcher’s scholarly work. However, this is unlikely to reach a broad-based or non-technical target audience. Optimum dissemination is achieved through using a wide variety of pathways, from traditional communication methods and tools, such as conferences and workshops and Power Point presentations and overhead projections, to the use of more contemporary and cutting edge information and communication technologies and channels of delivery, be it through filming of lectures/presentations/conferences and creating short form video productions for website, wiki, and/or blog insertion and/or as stand-alone productions to be shown in meetings with policy makers and stakeholder groups, practitioners, community groups, strategic cluster organizations, and the general public – either on-line or in DVD format. Audio and video podcasts and/or TED like production presentations/workshops can also be used effectively.
Dissemination should be a key element of any research project, and requires adequate funding for it to be carried out effectively.