Transcript Document

Talk It Up!
Developing Outreach
Strategies for your digital
resources, BEN & NSDL
Sarah Giersch
Director of Development & Special Projects
Session Goals
Introduce NSDL outreach efforts, tools,
lessons learned
Identify NSDL tools available to support
your outreach efforts
Begin work on your outreach plan
Why Talk about NSDL and BEN?
Promote NSF
Advocate for STEM education issues
Benefit from research on online digital
resources: usability, accessibility, outreach
lessons, pedagogy
Network of partners for grant writing
Distribution network for your resources
 250,000 visits/month
 1 million page views/month
 NSDL, DLESE, some Pathways
Outreach Needs I Heard…
Promoting websites and software - need ideas to get
these out
Raising colleagues' awareness and interest in inquirybased learning
Raising colleagues' awareness and interest in using
online resources
NSDL’s: generate awareness, interest and use of
NSDL, BEN, inquiry-based learning pedagogy
Activity: Think, pair, share - Your Outreach
Needs
NSDL 2007 Outreach Goals
Increase usage
Strengthen the NSDL Network
Series of campaigns
 discrete period in time
 measure and analyze a campaign’s
efficacy
 adjust strategies to focus on the tactics
that are demonstrating increased usage
NSDL 2007 Outreach Campaigns
 NSDL at the Point of Need: NSDL toolbar on
school laptops, library workstations - part of
workflow
 Usage Stories and Statistics: package
contextualized statistics, usage vignettes
 NSDL in Web 2.0 and Social Media Spaces:
drive web savvy users to NSDL with a combination
of web broadcast technology (RSS, podcast) and
online content
 Building Awareness at NSF: NSDL PIs send the
NSDL Annual Report with a letter to non-NSDL
program officers, especially in research directorates
 Building the NSDL Brand: distribute branding
best-practices to partners, develop logos
NSDL Outreach Efforts to Date
Conferences
Professional Development
 Tool Time
 NSTA Web Seminars
Workshops (NSF)
Outreach Campaigns for 2007
Toolbar
NSDL Google Gadget
Outreach request materials
http://nsdl.org/resources_for/library_builders/outreach.php?pager=materials
NSDL on your Toolbar
Tools & Services
Search NSDL from your browser
•Firefox (Windows, Apple, Linux)
•Microsoft Internet Explorer
(Windows)
http://nsdl.org/toolbar/index.php
Outreach Support Available from NSDL
Online Materials
 Ready Talk Seminar platform: Tool Times and
online seminars
 http://readytalk.com
 Expert Voices for internal use or external use
using the Discovery Team model of a researcher,
educator and media specialist
 Potential for an outreach wiki
 NSDL Calendar to push events:
 http://nsdl.org/resources_for/library_builders/outreach.p
hp?pager=calendar
Outreach Support Available from NSDL
Print materials
 NSDL print outreach materials
 NSDL backdrop for conferences,
 Banners and giveaways:

http://nsdl.org/resources_for/library_builders/outreach.php?pager=materials
Outreach Support Available from NSDL
Conferences
 NSTA and AAAS:
 NSDL has a double booth to allow Pathways to run minisessions about their programs and sites
 limited number of registrations for conferences
 Submitting session proposals with CI staff or
connecting within the NSDL Network at regional
conferences
Other Outreach Resources
Creating an NSF Nugget
 Crisp summaries and attention-grabbing images static illustrations, animations or movies that
highlight your noteworthy accomplishments.
 People, Idea, Tool Nuggets
 Graphics are very important in getting the
message across to viewers.
 Text and graphics should be at the level of a press
release, or what might be called an "8th grade
level".
 The message should state what has been
accomplished and the reason it is significant.
 http://www.nees.org/Research_Activities/NSFNuggets/MakingNuggets/
 http://www.nees.org/Research_Activities/NSFNuggets/
Outreach Pitfalls
 One size fits all: remember the audience you are
intending to reach
 Use of jargon that doesn't speak to the audience
in mind
 Fliers and promotional materials with too much
information
 Being everything to everyone: Be open minded
to take new ideas, but pay more attention to what
fulfills your larger goals and what is cross-cutting
in impact
 Avoid being "feature" oriented vs benefits
oriented for the user; don't too caught up in
demonstrating features instead of communicating
how someone will benefit by using the resource,
pedagogical approach, etc.
Outreach To-Do’s
 Know your audience
 Leverage partnering relationships
 Do your research to see what others are doing in
the types of format or content you are trying to
provide
 Make occasional contact with people who you like
or who have influence within audiences or groups
outside of your realm
 Identify those people who advocate for you,
connectors or influencers and keep them informed
as well. NOTE: Do include CI and BEN on that
list!
 Leverage the NSDL network to push info through
channels and cross promote on your behalf
Activity - Group Discussion
 Identify Outreach Pitfalls
 Identify Outreach To-Do’s
A Framework for Considering Educator
Professional Development
PD
PD
Impact Implementation Systemic Partners
Participants Design Data Issues
Goals
Elements Sources
Colleague(s)
Department
Campus
Professional
Groups
Source : Fishman, B., Marx, R., Best, S., Tal, R. (2003). Linking teac her and lear ning to
improve professional development in systemic reform. Teaching and Teacher Education ,
19, 643-658.
NSDL Example - Part 1
PD Participants
 Higher Ed faculty
PD Design Elements




Content: pedagogy, tool introduction, content
Strategies: T3
Sites: workshops, campus meetings, libraries
Media: face to face; not online
NSDL Example - Part 2
Data Sources to Document Impact
 …?
 Content recruitment - not done much, but…
Implementation Issues
 Burnout among T3 trainers and participants; need for a
structure to incorporate volunteers, and there should be
incentives to get them there in the first place; it's time
consuming, but one-on-one works.
 Introductory outreach efforts have a limited life-span, and the
next generation that focuses on content is more effective (e.g.,
long-lasting)
 Go to people where they are instead of having them come to
you
NSDL Example - Part 3
Recommended for consideration
 Systemic Goals: includes issues at the
department, campus or other organizational level
that the effort could align with or might affect
broader dissemination
 Partners: primarily who might I partner with to
accomplish my goals
Activity - Brainstorm Ideas for Outreach
Plans
Questions about the Framework
Individual Brainstorm on Section A - Practical
Questions for Developing an Outreach Plan
Share your thoughts with a partner
Next Steps - Using the BEN Scholars Outreach
Planner & Worksheet (Marsha)