Knowledge Mobilization Practices of Educational Researchers Across Canada

Abstract

Researchers are under increasing pressure to disseminate research more widely with non-academic audiences (efforts we call knowledge mobilization, KMb) and to articulate the value of their research beyond academia to broader society. This study surveyed SSHRC-funded education researchers to explore how universities are supporting researchers with these new demands. Overall, the study found that there are few supports available to researchers to assist them in KMb efforts. Even where supports do exist, they are not heavily accessed by researchers. Researchers spend less than 10% of their time on non-academic outreach. Researchers who do the highest levels of academic publishing also report the highest levels of non-academic dissemination. These findings suggest many opportunities to make improvements at individual and institutional levels. We recommend (a) leveraging intermediaries to improve KMb, (b) creating institutionally embedded KMb capacity, and (c) having funders take a leadership role in training and capacity-building.

Framing climate change as a human health issue: enough to tip the scale in climate policy?

“…Even though "positive impacts on policy and practice is generally embraced as desirable by academic institutions", 71 many institutions currently lack the necessary support systems for such activities. 71,72 Among the most common institutional barriers are money and time constraints, absence of measurable targets for KTA strategies, or Personal View difficulty in communicating scientific findings. 71 Even if support for KTA exists, it has been found that researchers do not leverage these resources and spend less than 10% of their time on KTA activities.…”

“…71 Even if support for KTA exists, it has been found that researchers do not leverage these resources and spend less than 10% of their time on KTA activities. 72 It follows that universities need to increase their capacity and that of their faculty, with regards to impactful KTA work. In particular, KTA activities should be valued in promotion and tenure processes and funders could do their part by increasing dedicated resources and support.…”

“…In particular, KTA activities should be valued in promotion and tenure processes and funders could do their part by increasing dedicated resources and support. 72 Such incentives are required, because the current lack of cultural acceptance of activism among large parts of academia presents a big barrier. Divided attitudes among faculty reflect concerns about scientific credibility and the idea that activism is incompatible with value-free science and scientists.…”

Research priority setting with parents of students with learning exceptionalities and disabilities

“…In the discipline of education, knowledge mobilisation research has largely focused on academic and educational leaders as citizen scholars (Cooper et al, 2018), with less focus on the inclusion of students and parents. We believe our study is among the first to consider the role of parents as partners in educational research, and, given the high level of involvement of parents in inclusive education, this discipline is uniquely positioned to lead the development of innovative research methodologies, such as research priority setting, in knowledge mobilisation.…”

Teacher‐composed cases of practice as and for dissemination, reflection and data

“…Researchers have always been expected to make their findings available for peer review (Stenhouse, 1980) but increasingly they are being expected to demonstrate the impact of their research on practice. This concern with the use of research knowledge has contributed to a burgeoning interest in knowledge mobilisation that includes planning for dissemination and use as part of the design and conduct of research (Cooper et al., 2018; Desimone et al., 2016). Some of those working within research–practice partnership (RPP) approaches (e.g., Coburn & Penuel, 2016; Penuel et al., 2020; Sjölund et al., 2022) have further argued that teachers have a role in knowledge dissemination/mobilisation (Farley‐Ripple, 2021).…”