Course Description
Your research has the potential to change lives. However, you must consider how it's presented to non-experts. Conventional genres of research communication—such as academic articles, posters, and conference presentations—may miss the mark.
Potential collaborators will tune out if you try to communicate with them the same way you communicate with your peers. To capture their attention and spark enthusiasm for your discoveries, you must connect with them at their level of knowledge. It's vital to prioritize issues and interests that resonate both emotionally and cognitively.
This course will help you develop skills in knowledge mobilization—the process of moving research from the lab or library to the rest of the world, where it can make an impact. We'll explore knowledge translation (KMb) from both a high-level, strategic view and a ground-level perspective. You'll learn how to develop a strategy for disseminating your research and experiment with creating specific communication products for your target audience(s).
Course Outline
- What is knowledge mobilization?
- Developing your knowledge mobilization strategy
- Communicating with non-experts
- Grant applications
- Business communication for knowledge mobilization
- Creative knowledge mobilization
What You Will Learn
During this course, you will learn how to:
- explain common definitions and frameworks used to describe knowledge mobilization;
- conduct an in-depth stakeholder analysis;
- develop a high-level knowledge mobilization strategy;
- adapt the form and style of your communication to align with your audience’s perspective;
- craft persuasive grant applications;
- communicate effectively with a business audience;
- identify best practices for producing creative knowledge products such as blogs, infographics, podcasts, and videos.
Microcredential
This course provides learners with the opportunity to earn a microcredential. A microcredential is evidence of a skill or competency that is employment-related. Dalhousie microcredentials are developed in collaboration with employers, industries, and/or organizations that relate to the content. A microcredential can be displayed on social media pages, digital resumes, personal webpages, and in email signatures. To earn the microcredential in this course, learners will need to successfully complete a competency-based assessment.
Learn more about this microcredential here.
Recommended For
This course will be helpful for researchers, research support staff, and knowledge mobilization specialists working in academic, industry, or not-for-profit settings. Graduate students and post-doctoral fellows will also benefit, as communication skills top the list of abilities sought by today’s employers.