Dancause, Luc. “Guide pédagogique sur la mobilisation des connaissances.” (2023).
Summary of the original document in French https://www.erudit.org/fr/livres/hors-collection/guide-pedagogique-sur-la-mobilisation-des-connaissances/000580li.pdf
Written by Louis Melançon, Research Assistant at Research Impact Canada
University students are increasingly asked to apply their research results to concrete use and to acquire a better understanding of the needs expressed by civil society groups. Research is increasingly conducted beyond university walls, co-constructed with community partners. Despite their understanding of the importance of knowledge mobilization (KMb), graduate students lament their lack of knowledge on the subject. Unfortunately, KMb is still little discussed during their university education. The Pedagogical Guide to Knowledge Mobilization supports these students in creating value out of the knowledge produced as part of their projects, whether for term work, collaboration with a research group or a doctoral thesis.
The Pedagogic Guide, written by Luc Dancause in collaboration with Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Université de l’Ontario français, TIESS, Humanovis and La Cité, is a complete practical resource to support students in graduate studies and their partners in implementing KMb. The 100-page document allows students, teachers, partners and other research professionals gain a better understanding of the underlying principles of KMb and to select the appropriate KMb tools and methods for their projects.
After a brief history of the KMb concept and of its gradual uptake in Canada since the 1990s, the Guide is organized around five themes that represents the main challenges of KMb:
- Understanding the different concepts and approaches related to KMb;
- Planning strategies according to project objectives, ranging from the simple dissemination of results to the co-construction of knowledge;
- Collaborating with research partners to identify needs and begin the co-construction process;
- Communicating to foster equitable, two-way dialogues with partners;
- Evaluating the short and long term impacts of the project.
Among the most interesting elements of the Guide is a review of the many terms associated with knowledge sharing (transfer, valorization, mobilization, etc.) and an explanation of their use within the key research-related organizations in Canada. Students and their partners can thus know which terms to use depending on the granting agency they are addressing, for example.
The Guide also features principles of clear writing, a list of tools for creating audiovisual documents as well as a detailed guide on the use of social media. There is also a list of the main tools and indicators for evaluating KMb processes.
The Guide concludes with a directory of organizations active in KMb throughout Quebec, whether they come from academia or are liaison/transfer organizations. There is even a list of specialized training opportunities in KMb offered in Quebec, as well as links to many other resources to support students in each aspect of the KMb process. Those who wish to deepen their KMb knowledge can do so by consulting the detailed mediagraphy available at the end of the document.
The Pedagogic Guide to KMb is both concise enough to be accessible to a wide audience and very complete. It is presented in a clear manner, effectively showcasing the writing concepts that it puts forward. This guide is certainly one of the best resources available on KMb in French, and successfully fulfilling a pressing need in the world of higher education.