Dissemination, Mass Communication,

and Public Relations

Gerry Cherry, MA, CRAGrant Facilitator

College of Education and Professional StudiesUniversity of Central Oklahoma

Laying Brick: Research, initiation, Implementation

Building a Wall: Results, Culmination, Continuation

Building a Cathedral: Evaluation, Dissemination, Communication

1. Something to report

2. Progress toward our goals

3. Setbacks Success isn't permanent, and failure isn't fatal.

     Mike Ditka (1939 - )

1. Changes in procedures

2. Changes in timeline

3. Changes in personnel

4. When mandated by funder (minimum 1 yr)

Include dissemination strategies and activities from the very beginning

Link the dissemination activities to:Project description, Program implementation, Evaluation, and Budget--Consider the cost of publications, photos, reports, articles, etc.

Explain your progress to everyone who has a stake or interest in the project

Cohort—Everyone working on the project may only be aware of his/her part.

Participants—Makes them feel part of something successful, or at least ongoing.

Colleagues—Department, College, at home and wherever

Funders—Brag of successes—report setbacksAdministration—More opportunities result from

keeping the administration in the loop. They don’t want to be blind-sided.

1. On-Campus

2. Off-Campus

3. Professional Newsletter

4. Website

5. Publications—newspaper articles, peer-reviewed publications

6. Presentations—Seminars, Advisory Council/Board, Lectures, Videoconferences

1. Model for others to follow2. Share experiences to prevent “reinventing

the wheel”3. Add to the Body of Knowledge4. Provide a new answer to an old question5. Provide a new question to an old answer6. Part of the agreement with the funder7. Answer the So What? question

Mass communication occurs when a small number of people send messages to a large, anonymous, heterogeneous audience through the use of specialized media. www.uky.edu/~drlane/capstone/mass

“Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of

the people.”William Butler Yeats (1865 - 1939)

1. Have I used unnecessary words or

sentences?

2. Is my average paragraph about 50 words?

3. Do I use headings or subheads in the text?

4. Can any information be presented in a

bulleted, chart, or table format?

5. Will the use of bold print or other highlights

enhance key points?

6. Is my work mechanically excellent?

Oklahoma’s video-conference, information exchange, research

partner, unique-in-the-nation, champion.

Every school, college, university, technical school in Oklahoma is tied in to the OneNet system.

Use this source to communicate, disseminate, cogitate, proliferate, and relate.

1-888-566-3638

Internet2 StatesInternet2 StatesOneNet can connect to sites in these statesOneNet can connect to sites in these states

OklahomaIs a world leaderin weather research, education, operations, and trainingWe have developed high-value technologies in weather that are in demand todayOklahoma is pioneering next-generation technology with support of OneNet and the National Lambda Rail.

International Connectivity

1. A unique resource for information sharing that doesn’t add expenses to a grant proposal.

2. Shows how OneNet can connect collaborators economically.

3. Connect schools, other institutions, other countries.

4. Virtual field trips for students and researchers

5. Video seminars, conferences, meetings

"Public Relations is a management function that focuses on two-way communication and fostering of mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and its publics.”

(Robert L. Heath, Encyclopedia of Public Relations).

What does public relations have to do with grants and dissemination?

You must “translate” your work for the audience you are trying to reach

Involve and seek help from your PR department (whatever the name)

Include photos for interest

Use Public Relations to Talk About Your Project to:

Community (local paper, campus news)

Government (local, state, regional) Internally (WebCT, Website, Newsletter) Media (Outreach with pictures and articles) Publicity (Furthering your organization's

interest through target-media coverage of strategic messages and events.)

PlanGoalsResearchObjectivesProcedures

Body of KnowledgeSuccessFailureFunding

Project Implementation

Evaluation

Dissemination

Thanks to Linda Mason and Bill Johnson for letting me borrow some of their slides.

Bill Johnson, now retired, was the OneNet expert and guru. For questions contact James Deaton at 405-225-9414 or jdeaton@osrhe.edu.

Linda Mason, lmason@osrhe.edu