Networked Learning for Knowledge Mobilization: Universities and the Pursuit of Research Impact

• In Event: Looking Through a Variety of Lenses at Research Use

Abstract

Purpose: Knowledge mobilization (KMb) includes efforts to better connect research, practice, and policy in education. In this paper, we explore the networked learning experiences of professionals who facilitate KMb within Research Impact Canada (RIC), a pan-Canadian network of universities building institutional KMb capacity. Methods: Drawing from a developmental evaluation of RIC, we focus on semi-structured interviews with key informants (N = 20) from 15 of the network’s 21 member universities. Findings: Three overarching themes surfaced in our analysis: (a) the individual and institutional diversity of approaches to KMb, and (b) the network’s ethos of impact, and (c) key tensions for networked learning. Our findings inform how universities can position themselves effectively regarding KMb to advance the societal impacts of research.

Authors

• Stephen W. MacGregor, University of Calgary

• David Phipps, York University