Summary of Observations from Synergy

San Francisco, California

June 26 – June 30, 2010

Background:

As part of the work associated with the ICT Center Case Study on Dissemination – “Consuming Research: A Case Study on Research Dissemination Innovations and Best Practices” – Dave Sweeney attended the Synergy Conference in San Francisco as a guest of the ICT Center. Synergy is funded under a grant from the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program. The Synergy Collaboratory supports Research Practice and Transformation in technology education in community colleges with a focus on equipping NSF funded Advanced Technological Education leaders and program participants to better realize the potential scale and impact of their centers and projects.

Thirteen ATE Centers are participating in the Synergy Collaboratory. Attending the conference provided initial contact and fact-finding opportunities regarding the current state of dissemination activities under way at several of the ATE Centers.

Initial observations:

A series of conversations established that many of the centers are engaging with new media tools in some fashion. The new media tools mentioned included Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, blogging, video conferencing and Google Groups. One of these conversations was with Carl Dietrich of the CTC Project.

The adoption and use of these tools varied from center to center and appeared to be driven by the degree which individuals were comfortable using these tools. The more familiar and comfortable an individual was with the tools, the greater the likelihood that the new media tools were adopted and put into regular use.

Several attendees expressed concerns about the new media tools. Their concerns ranged from a perception of negative impact on productivity to a concern about privacy to a perception that new media tools skew toward frivolousness and not toward improving or enhancing current work processes and communication.

Through these conversations, it became apparent language related to new media tools is important. For example, “building an online learning community using new media tools” will be more widely accepted than using the phrase “using social media for dissemination purposes.” The term “social media” appears to have a negative connotation to this audience. The same holds true for the term “marketing.” The emphasis for research dissemination needs to be “communicating,” “disseminating” and “broadcasting.”

Looking ahead, everyone who engaged in a conversation about new media tools for dissemination expressed a willingness to participate in the case study, whether through the survey process or more intensive engagement

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Project Manager John Garvey (jgarvey@askmydog.com) and Research Manager Dave Sweeney (Dave@Viz-bang.com) welcome your questions, and input at any point during this study.