In recent times, the imminent need for the dissemination of scientific and technological knowledge among the population and the growing importance of the popularization or social appropriation of science and technology have been considered. The co-responsibility of media specialists, educators and scientists to achieve specific objectives and the importance of the valorization of traditional knowledge were also pointed out. Worldwide, thousands of interactive science centers are already operational. They attract hundreds of millions of visitors a year and have become highly relevant as an educational tool and as an efficient means of demystifying science and social inclusion.
What is the Diffusion of Knowledge?
Knowledge diffusion is a broad term that can have various meanings depending on the context, such as culture or social ideas. The most common definition is the voluntary transfer of knowledge with the intention that it be used for education or to help implement modified or new practices. Dissemination is the interactive process of communicating knowledge to the target audience so that it can lead to change. The challenge is to improve the accessibility of the knowledge products desired by those to whom they are intended to reach. This means ensuring the availability of the product to as many target audiences as possible and making the product understandable to those who receive it.
Conceptualization of the Diffusion of Knowledge
Planning: largely unplanned, uncontrolled, largely horizontal or peer-mediated passive and largely unplanned efforts. In this category of activities, the responsibility falls on the potential adopter to be able to ask a question they may have, to know how and where to look for the relevant knowledge that can answer their question, access the knowledge when they identify it, critically evaluate it and then apply it to your problem or problem.
Dissemination: Focuses primarily on communicating research results by targeting and adapting the findings and message to a particular target audience.
Implementation: involves systematic efforts to encourage the adoption of research results by identifying and overcoming barriers.
Dissemination and exchange of knowledge
May take place at the end of a project once the findings are ready to share or throughout the research process, if appropriate Publication in peer-reviewed journals or presentation of results at appropriate meetings When appropriate, dissemination can also include more non-traditional activities, such as face-to-face meetings with knowledge users or media engagement Depending on the intent of the research effort, dissemination and sharing may be intertwined in the research process through an interactive process Often Applicants are asked to consider their knowledge dissemination strategy, which may also include knowledge sharing, when preparing grant applications.
Fundamentals of Diffusion
Dissemination processes and approaches should be informed by high-quality, context-specific evidence (for example, systematic reviews examining the effectiveness and efficiency of dissemination strategies directed at health professionals; systematic reviews of studies that focus on ionic factors that influence the use of evidence in policy making Messages must be clear, simple, action-oriented and tailored for each audience (ie user-driven knowledge) Dissemination strategies should include a plan to assess the Impact of chosen approach, including ways to measure success Consideration should be given: What is the message? Who is the audience? Who is the messenger? What is the best method of dissemination? What is the expected result?
Need for Dissemination of Knowledge
The need for updating in matters that concern science and technology, which allows citizens to participate on an adequate basis in decision-making that affects their communities, makes it necessary and appropriate to look for ways to allow sufficient knowledge. available in a timely manner to as many people as possible. This transmission of information differs from the specialized dissemination of ideas and results of studies and research, which corresponds to science and technology publications such as scientific journals, whose sphere of influence is generally limited to that of the researchers themselves and the higher education community.
During the last two decades there has been an interesting evolution of traditional science and technology museums. They have been transformed, generally with the decisive support of the academic sector and also, largely, thanks to the resources offered by information and communication technologies, into interactive centers ready to serve a significant number of people. These centers, excellent examples of those present in our region, offer the possibility of implementing, with a relatively small constructive effort, a dynamic and changing program with a high intellectual content. Its proven ability to arouse enthusiasm in audiences of all ages and allow greater retention of the knowledge acquired are some of the advantages offered by this type of dissemination.
Dissemination of Knowledge and Good Practices
Knowledge dissemination and good practice refers to the approach of providing the right knowledge to the right people when necessary. Many international organizations and some countries are practicing this approach. Decisions on extent and scope should be guided by the reliability, validity, robustness, and significance of the research results. The general advice is not to put too much emphasis on the results of small individual studies, studies of low methodological quality or those for which the evidence is low. Research results should also be of great importance to knowledge users before using extraordinary means of dissemination.
Knowledge Management
Knowledge management (KM) has been defined as a conscious strategy to mobilize the right knowledge to the right people at the right time, to improve organization performance. The distribution of knowledge to those who may need it, therefore, is a crucial part of knowledge management. There is a wide range of approaches to knowledge dissemination. It is important that organizations choose an appropriate approach for the disseminated knowledge and for the organization’s structure, culture and business objectives.
The first dimension distinguishes “gathering” approaches (in which knowledge is recorded or written to a repository) and “connecting” approaches (in which knowledge is communicated directly between individuals, either verbally or through written messages ). The second dimension distinguishes between “formal” and “informal” approaches. “Formal” means “operating within a defined framework or set of rules”, while “informal” means “unmanaged and bottom-up”. In practical terms, this often means that “formal” techniques provide users with knowledge in a structured format, while in the “Informal” approach the techniques provide knowledge in conversational text.
This categorization is powerful because it reflects one of the largest philosophical debates in knowledge management research. This is the epistemological debate. between “cognitivists” and “constructivists”.
What makes the dissemination process work effectively?
Key success factors derived from knowledge dissemination include: A process to develop a shared perspective, a common language, and a common understanding of the health problem / problem that the team will focus on A mutually negotiated and agreed plan to guide collaboration that includes clear roles and responsibilities. Include team members experienced in participating in collaborative research processes A strategy to ensure that trusting relationships between team members are maintained and that conflicts are properly resolved when institutional support arises, including incentives in academic settings and user settings knowledge to participate and recognize the activity.
Future research
Studies are needed to help identify and evaluate optimal strategies for knowledge dissemination and exchange in different contexts. In particular, studies are needed to assess the impact of agents and knowledge networks. As innovative approaches to sharing and dissemination grow and evolve, more emphasis should be placed on the development of indicators. In this way, these processes and their impact on the relevant results in the short, medium and long term can be evaluated.
Key learning points
The dissemination directs the results of the investigation to specific audiences. Outreach activities should be considered and described in an outreach plan. Researchers must engage knowledge users to craft messages and help disseminate research results. Collaborative relationships between researchers and knowledge users based on trust and frequent interaction seem to improve the effectiveness of dissemination and exchange activities. Networks and communities of practice hold promise as innovative ways to disseminate and exchange knowledge. Knowledge sharing involves active collaboration and sharing between researchers and knowledge users throughout the research process.
Conclusions
The universal nature of and access to information networks provide an invaluable basis for the search for the dissemination of knowledge. Many efforts made by governments and foundations for the increasing development of networks and means of access are outstanding. Much remains to be done to establish programs that enable the population to make good use of these important resources. Over time they are required to be more determinant of the capabilities of a society.
Bibliographic References
Harris K, Phifer G, Hayward S. The enterprise portal: Is it knowledge management? Gartner: SPA08-8978, 2 pages, available at www.gartner.com
Watson J, Fenner J. Understanding Portals. Information Management Journal 34(3), 18-22. 2000
Van Brakel P. Information portals: a strategy for importing external content. The Electronic Library 21(6): 591-600. 2003
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