Social Media and Information Dissemination: Boldly Going Where Everyman Already Is?

Twitter was started to answer the question “What are you doing?” Of, course many of its users interpreted that quite literally and let the world know just what they were eating, drinking and visiting, along with millions of other equally exciting tweets.

Facebook was started in a dorm room as a means for Harvard University students to meet each other. College students quickly repurposed the platform to enhance their knowledge of each other by posting future employment killing photos of bong hits, beer pong, and other drunken escapades.

YouTube was started by three former Pay Pal employees who a month after their start (and only 40 videos) were calling their own video “lame.” Millions of videos later, we now can learn how to make Diet Coke bottles spot by adding Mentos and watch as a blender manufacturer grinds an iPhone into dust.

Yet, the very purpose of the ICT Center Social Media and Dissemination Information Case Study is understand the potential to harness these new media platforms, and others, to communicate – and receive feedback - on very details research and critical information. In fact, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and of course blogs and more, are already being used extensively to disseminated research and information. Pew Research employs both Twitter and Facebook to publicize research and receive feedback on it. Could over 15,000 followers and 5,000 “Likers” be useful to your Center?

“We will be looking at the existing and evolving research dissemination practices amongst ATE Centers throughout the country,” suggests ICT Case Study Project Manager John Garvey. “The research will help us understand the current means, methods, and effectiveness of current practices and learn about the innovations and new approaches being employed successfully.”

“One of the common themes I’ve heard already – both anecdotally and through some of the survey results – is the desire for engagement and interaction with communications centers are currently using for information dissemination,” say ICT Case Study Manager Dave Sweeney. “There’s a gap and I believe this study will offer best practices and information to close that gap.”

Mike Qaissaunee , Co PI for the National ICT Center at Springfield Technical Community College, outlines the long term objectives of the case study as follows: “We can help you customize new media strategies to actually disseminate the work you are doing, the activities on your campus – whether it is open houses, information sessions, professional development. Anything really that you want to promote.”

The case study will attempt to also model best practices when possible, so as information is gathered it will be disseminated through the following social media platforms:

• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/ICTStudy/136622659704351?ref=ts
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/ICTStudy
• YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ICTCaseStudy
• Blog: http://ictcasestudy.blogspot.com/
• Flickr Photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ictstudy/

The 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.

ICT Study Survey Well-Received Hi-Tec 2010

An essential data collection tool we're using as part of the ICT Study is a survey of all ATE-funded centers and programs. We conducted a soft-launch of the survey at Hi-Tec 2010 and asked people to complete a paper version of the electronic survey. Many took the few minutes to fill it out. More then 30 attendees participated in the survey soft launch.

The electronic version ships on August 3, 2010. It is accessible now on SurveyMonkey.

Here are some folks completing the survey. More photos available on the ICT Study Flickr page.

Take the Survey!

The case study requires data, and to collect the data we've created a simple, fast online survey about the use of new media tools for information dissemination. Please take a moment to complete the survey. Your answers will go a long way toward helping with the case study.

Consuming Research: A Case Study on Material Dissemination Innovations and Best Practices

The ICT Center (ICT) has been employing a variety of new media tools and platforms, along with more traditional activities, as an information dissemination methodology and would like to develop a case study evaluating the effectiveness of both approaches.

Garvey Communication Associates Inc. (GCAI), an established communications consulting agency which uses both new and traditional media for client projects, will research, interview, evaluate, and provide a written case study to accomplish ICT’s objective.

There is a built in assumption to this case study, however, which suggests that not only are new media tools an acceptable means to disseminate current information, but that its ability to foster engagement with the information’s intended audience makes them highly desirable and effective channels for such activities.

Finally, data gathering for the case study will incorporate use of online and new media platforms wherever possible. This activity will be designed to infuse dialogue into the process, demonstrate the utility of such platforms for the purpose of information dissemination, and to disseminate the best practices discovered during the research on an ongoing basis.