Disseminating DRK-12 Work: Extending Engagement

Submitted by Cadre-Admin on Tue, 05/21/2024 - 12:35

The CADRE Team

In the evolving landscape of education research dissemination, DRK-12 awardees are employing innovative methods to share their insights beyond traditional academic forums.* Striving to inform a diverse audience that includes policymakers, educators, and even the public at large, these scholars are taking a multi-pronged approach to ensure their research has the widest possible impact.

The quest for academic rigor remains, with a commitment to publishing in esteemed journals and conferences. Meanwhile, the list of journals and conferences, and the audiences they reach, is expanding.

Taking the message directly to the education community, awardees are engaging with teachers and administrators through school and district meetings, displaying at conference booths, serving on advisory boards of influential associations and organizations, arranging direct dialogues with state legislatures, and leveraging state and regional networks to resonate with educators where they are.

In an era of digital ubiquity, a DRK-12 projects’ findings take form in websites, podcasts and videos, open-source handbooks (e.g., EdTechBooks), on digital collaborative platforms and repositories (e.g., Databrary), and in open-access venues (e.g., ERIC), democratizing professional development.

And it doesn't stop there—radio and TV appearances, and even short films at conferences can captivate audiences, while partnerships with education platforms for children (e.g., BrainPop) make learning both accessible and fun.

Such diversity in dissemination strategies reflects an awareness that reaching a varied audience requires more than just research data—it demands storytelling and presence in the spaces where conversations and decisions about the future of education are happening.

For dissemination information, tools, and guidance, visit CADRE’s Dissemination Toolkit.

*The information presented in this article was gathered from DRK-12 awardees through CADRE’s annual survey of DRK-12 projects.