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PART TWO: DISSEMINATION AND TRAINING

As NCRVE enters Year Four of its current grant period, its dissemination and training program has three major goals:
  1. better usability of products and services by the Center's different audiences

  2. improved accessibility, especially by practitioners and policymakers

  3. increased visibility for the Center as a whole and for its products and services in particular

To accomplish these aims, NCRVE's dissemination and training program will emphasize three main strategies:

  1. We will devote substantially more resources to translating the results of NCRVE research into a small number of synthesized, targeted, carefully designed products (including Change Agent) that highlight and focus NCRVE findings and recommendations.

  2. We will undertake a major redesign and upgrading of the NCRVE materials that are widely distributed. These materials include CenterWork, CenterFocus, brochures, and marketing materials.

  3. We will plan and conduct a series of public presentations, including national conferences and policy briefings, designed to highlight NCRVE work and engage a variety of research, practitioner, and policy audiences in discussions about the Center's work.

To help realize these objectives, the Dissemination and Training agenda for 1996 and 1997 will consist of several major initiatives involving the marketing and dissemination of the Center's products; and professional outreach and technical assistance.

Together, these programs combine a wide range of activities mandated by the Perkins Act:

Dissemination and Training Programs

Dissemination Program

Program Director:

Keywords:

The Dissemination Program is an integral part of the Center's infrastructure, offering to its constituencies a consistent, reliable method of translating and brokering research and development-based knowledge, practitioner-based knowledge, and policy-based knowledge in ways useful to and usable by these persons. In addition, the activities of the Dissemination Program encourage the development of social networks among all stakeholders, again, so that knowledge is distributed and exchanged in useful, usable ways.

Thus, the Dissemination Program attempts to strike a balance among user-driven responsiveness, targeted dissemination, and social networking, organizing itself around three basic functions: (1) knowledge distribution, (2) knowledge acquisition, and (3) knowledge collaboration. Each of these components uses a varying blend of several approaches, including database development and use, information brokering, publications, promotion/marketing, direct interpersonal linkages, and electronic communications.

Knowledge Distribution

Knowledge distribution is the one-way distribution of knowledge produced by the Center. The Dissemination Program engages in the following activities in order to effectively distribute knowledge to its user communities:

The activities of the Center generate a variety of primary research, development, and training materials as well as materials derived from these primary outcomes, all of which must be made available to educators, researchers, policymakers, business/ industry/labor, and interested citizens. The Dissemination Program operates the Center's product quality assurance and control system, which includes the review, revision, production, and distribution process for the Center, resulting in the distribution of quality materials.

The NCRVE Materials Distribution Service (MDS) edits, does camera-ready preparation of, produces, markets, and distributes all primary and most derived documents funded by the Center. MDS also summarizes and reviews NCRVE products for subscribers to Change Agent, a self-sustaining newsletter produced in its entirety by MDS. MDS operates as a partially subsidized (as compared to true cost-recovery) entity. MDS is operated under subcontract with Western Illinois University.

An electronic archive of selected Center publications is supported as a component of VocServe, the Dissemination Program's public-access bulletin board system. The Dissemination Program will continue to offer Center publications and other information via alternative electronic means, such as file transfer protocol (ftp) archives, gopher servers (maintained by NCRVE and/or other organizations such as AskERIC), and World Wide Web (WWW) servers.

Derived Materials

Derived materials result from a formal translation process that develops spinoffs from project outcomes, or summarizes and synthesizes materials useful to and usable by the Center's user communities. Formats include such approaches as newsletters, brochures, briefs, working papers, and information packets.

Promotion/Marketing and Public Awareness

The Dissemination Program has the task of marketing both the Center's publications and the Center itself. The Dissemination Program uses both printed materials and other marketing tools such as conferences, an 800 telephone line, electronic "advertising," and a Public Information initiative. Printed materials include periodicals, brochures, information packets, various publications promoting Center documents, the complimentary distribution of documents to targeted audiences, and advertorials (institutional advertisements in large publications such as Education Week).

The Dissemination Program provides a publicity venue for the entire Center through publication of a brochure, which describes the entire Center; a yearly Agenda and Human Resource Directory, which respectively describe the Center's mission and areas of work, and the Center's personnel and their areas of expertise; and conference display booths. The Products Catalog, topical mini-catalogs, and New Publications flyers (mailed quarterly to targeted audiences) promote NCRVE publications across all programs. The Public Information initiative generates press releases, product advertisements, pitch letters, and other such materials, as well as manages their wide distribution to regional and national audiences.

Knowledge Acquisition

Knowledge acquisition involves assisting the Center's customers to access information. The Center will use the following major technologies to implement knowledge acquisition:

Information Brokering

The overall mission of information brokering is to operate as an intermediary for a variety of information services, products, and human resources, brokering information to educators, researchers, policymakers, and business/industry/labor.

To carry out brokering's mission of providing access to a variety of information services and products, the Dissemination Program will

The Dissemination Program maintains an 800 number for brokering. The other major channel for brokering requests as well as responses is through electronic communications. This brokering capacity is achieved through VocServe and VOCNET as well as through membership in major electronic discussion groups.

Electronic Communications

Electronic communications is used to receive information requests, to respond to these requests, and to seek information for customers in need of such information for decision making. The Dissemination Program maintains its own public bulletin board system (VocServe); two listservs--VOCNET and DISSMN8; a file transfer protocol (ftp) archive; a gopher server; and a World Wide Web (WWW) server. Additionally, memberships are maintained in pertinent electronic discussion groups and other systems managed by other organizations.

Electronic communications are used in a number of ways to deliver information. For example, Center events and products (conferences, R&D reports, videotapes) are marketed via electronic media as well as described on the Center's web server; requests for information are received and answered electronically; and more extensive data in electronic form (e.g., datasets, texts of publications) are electronically archived, accessible to all users of an electronic network.

Knowledge Collaboration

Knowledge collaboration promotes the multiway flow of Center-produced knowledge. Electronic communications and linkages with other key knowledge transfer networks are the key implementing approaches the Center will use in encouraging this flow.

Electronic Communications

The Center promotes and facilitates the exchange of information among itself and its user communities by electronic means. The Center manages its own listserv, VOCNET, as well as participates in other Internet discussion lists and in existing practitioner networks in order to maintain contact with those user groups.

The VocServe System

The knowledge collaboration facilities of the VocServe system distribute knowledge; assist the Center's customers to access information; and result in shared experience in which the distinction between knowledge producer, translator, and user becomes irrelevant.

Internet

VOCNET provides a major forum for discussion of vocational education issues for Internet listserv users. The Dissemination Program staff also participates in relevant Internet discussion groups which deal with education and training issues. Through such memberships, the Center monitors discussions, participating as appropriate--drawing into the discussions interested Center staff.

Practitioner Networks

Through its participation in practitioner networks, the Center shares in user-driven discussions. The Center encourages such users to communicate directly with Center persons (via VocServe if possible), while simultaneously transferring outcomes of such discussions to relevant Center personnel, encouraging them to communicate directly with the practitioner networks. The Dissemination Program encourages collaboration among the state/regional systems themselves via VocServe.

Linkages with Other Key Knowledge Transfer Networks

The Center collaborates with other key knowledge transfer networks in order to more effectively integrate knowledge producers, transfer agents, and users into a shared effort at developing and using knowledge generated through formal dissemination activities.

The Dissemination Program will continue to maintain and strengthen linkages with the following entities:

Deliverables

Professional Outreach Program

Program Director:

Keywords:

NCRVE is committed to a Professional Outreach Program that will assist secondary and postsecondary educators and will offer researchers, policymakers, and practitioners from both vocational and academic programs the opportunity to develop their professional capabilities.

The Professional Outreach Program staff continues collaborative efforts between the Center and other national organizations involved in professional outreach activities at both the secondary and postsecondary levels. The following activities will extend the cooperative relationships in the Center's Professional Outreach Program network.

Skill Standards Conference

A Skill Standards Conference will be sponsored by the Center (See Skill Standards Invitational Conference description in "Other Dissemination and Training Projects"). The audience will be people working on skill standards and academic standards, representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Education, and the National Skill Standards Board (invited).

AACC Presession

A presession will be held at the annual American Association of Community Colleges Convention in April 1996. The presession is entitled "Linking Community Colleges to Work-Based Learning" and is an outcome from research conducted by Debra Bragg and Russell Hamm through the NCRVE site at the University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana. The purpose of the presession is to (1) discover why work-based learning, a strength of America's two-year colleges and a requirement of the School-to-Work Opportunities Act, is a powerful methodology as documented by the findings of a national research project; (2) acquire a working knowledge of the concept of work-based learning; (3) discuss successful work-based learning models; (4) interact with the nation's best work-based learning program leaders; (5) learn skills to implement a successful work-based learning program; and (6) obtain materials to guide a work-based learning program's development. The presession is cosponsored by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the National Council for Occupational Education (NCOE), and NCRVE.

Technical Assistance System

Technical assistance activities are combined efforts among all Center researchers, development personnel, program staff, and practitioner linkages. Requests for technical assistance are processed through the Professional Outreach Program Office. Program staff have compiled a listing of individuals at Center sites and NCRVE Urban Schools Network sites with their areas of expertise as identified by the National School-to-Work Office to better facilitate technical assistance efforts. In addition, program staff will oversee the Center's technical assistance activities as a vendor for the National School-to-Work Information and Learning Center.

The New American High School Conference

Program staff will provide technical assistance in planning the New American High School Conference to be held in Washington, DC, in May 1996. The purpose of the conference is to showcase outstanding examples of high schools offering career majors in the context of whole-school reform and to increase policymakers' awareness of these career-related school reform efforts. The audience for this conference is invited policymakers. The sponsors are NCRVE and the U.S. Department of Education. The sponsors are in the process of inviting over 30 national organizations to cosponsor this event.

Calendar of Events

Program staff will compile a 1996 Calendar of Events listing all conferences sponsored and cosponsored by the Center. In addition, program staff will continue to maintain a computerized database of a National Calendar of Events related to work-related education conferences/workshops/meetings. The National Calendar will be accessible through the NCRVE Web server.

NCRVE Urban Schools Network Technical Assistance

Program staff will provide technical assistance to the NCRVE Urban Schools Network as requested by the Urban Schools Network Director.

Community College Network

During 1996, program staff will plan and conduct an advisory meeting to organize a community college network based on the concept of the Center's Urban Schools Network. Program staff collaborated with Norton Grubb and Norena Badway at the NCRVE site at the University of California at Berkeley, and Debra Bragg, NCRVE site at the University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana, in writing and submitting a preproposal to the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education to further fund the Community College Network.

Professional Linkages

Program staff will continue establishing professional linkages with other organizations throughout the nation. Linkages with more than 30 national organizations will be nurtured through inviting these organizations to cosponsor The New American High School Conference to be held at The Capital Hilton in Washington, DC, in May 1996. A meeting of the cosponsoring organizations will be held in Washington, DC, in the spring of 1996. In addition, program staff have scheduled presentations by Center researchers during 1996 at the following conferences: National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP); National School Conference Institute (NSCI); Integration of Academic and Vocational Education Conference in Beaver Creek, Colorado; American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Conference; Careers Conference sponsored by the Center on Education and Work; and the American Vocational Association (proposal submitted). Program staff will continue to submit proposals for presentations at additional conferences.

Deliverables

Office of Student Services

Program Director:

Keywords:

NCRVE's Office of Student Services (OSS)--the former Office of Special Populations--works to promote quality programs and services that assist all students at the secondary and postsecondary levels, including members of special populations, to successfully transition from school to work. The 1996 goals of the Office of Student Services are to

Activities

The following activities, listed by objective, have been suggested by the OSS Advisory Committee and adopted by OSS staff:

  1. Encourage systems change so that student services, which are based on the developmental career needs of all students, become an integral part of the educational process.

    1. Design and conduct professional development workshops that assist educators in developing and implementing a comprehensive student services program in their schools. Target audience will be participants to the NCRVE Urban Schools Network summer institute, those attending the American Vocational Association Annual Conference, and at least one other major national conference. (See corresponding Activity 3.1.)

    2. As a part of the OSS national search for exemplary career guidance and counseling programs (see corresponding Activity 2.1), the staff will continue to identify and disseminate model programs that use Individual Career Plans (ICPs) or career portfolios, especially those that include a section for listing the services necessary for the student to reach her or his career goal.

  2. Promote exemplary program activities and the adoption of model practices.

    1. The OSS staff, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education and the State Supervisors of Guidance and Counseling, will conduct a search for exemplary career guidance programs in 1996 and 1997.

      A one to two day national conference for counselors, teachers, administrators, and other professionals will be conducted prior to or during an appropriate national conference or as a preconference to the American Counseling Association Conference. This conference will feature exemplary career guidance and counseling programs identified through the search.

    2. Information about exemplary programs (e.g., program descriptions and contact information) will be disseminated through (1) news releases distributed to state directors, state career guidance and counseling coordinators, personnel responsible for special populations, guidance counselors and members of other associations that OSS collaborates with, and other relevant federal and national agencies on the OSS' mailing list; (2) a monograph developed by staff and made available through the NCRVE Materials Distribution Service describing the named exemplary programs; (3) materials and other handouts distributed through the Office of Student Services; (4) announcements submitted to over one-hundred newsletters subscribed to by career guidance professionals, and to relevant electronic bulletin boards and listservers; and (5) programs presented by staff at regional and national conferences.

    3. The OSS staff, in collaboration with network facilitators, will conduct site visits to at least two member schools of the NCRVE Urban Schools Network to observe and record barriers and facilitators to delivering student services. (The sites will be carefully selected for their ability to deliver services.) The staff will compile information from the site visits to be used in the workshop(s) as well as a handbook of student services. (See corresponding Activities 1.1 and 3.1.)

    4. The OSS staff will develop an OSS BRIEF that highlights a model school-to-work transition program for students who are at risk.

  3. Identify and/or design and implement effective methods of communication and dissemination.

    1. Develop and field test in the NCRVE Urban Schools Network a handbook (in loose-leaf format) of student services practices that work, including an evaluation instrument (e.g., checklist) of student services systems targeting administrators, teachers, and counselors. (See corresponding Activity 1.1.)

    2. In collaboration with the Center for Law and Education and/or other interested parties, the staff will develop an OSS BRIEF on the use and management of state block grants.

    3. The OSS staff will monitor electronic bulletin boards, discussion groups, and approximately 200 newsletters relevant to student services for information on new program improvement resources on an ongoing basis. The staff will select, acquire, and annotate relevant resources and prepare this information for entry into the OSS' computerized information database. This database is also available on-line and through the World Wide Web. Persons interested in the information can conduct their own searches or download previously prepared lists of resources. Those who do not have access to computers or the Internet can obtain the same information by requesting it via mail, telephone, or fax.

      The staff will continue to respond to information requests related to student services and vocational education for special populations. (Presently, most requests come from conference participants, telephone contacts, written requests, and electronic networks monitored by staff.) This free resource service will continue to be widely publicized. Upon request, clients will be provided with up-to-date annotated listings of publications and human resources on a variety of topics including the current year's focus.

    4. Current evaluation methods of the resource service will be continued. These include (1) a boxed note in the cover letter accompanying materials/resources requested asking for feedback on materials received and (2) a separate feedback form to be sent at random to those making requests.

  4. Foster collaboration through networks of professionals and teams of educators.

    1. The OSS will continue to serve as a hub for a network of the state personnel responsible for special populations programs, the state directors of career guidance and counseling, and other student services professionals. The network's purpose is to share information on state activities and resources related to program improvement (e.g., research project reports, state plans, local planning guides, parent involvement materials, staff training resources, curriculum models, and model program descriptions) and to reduce duplication of state efforts.

      Relevant materials, resources, and other information obtained from network members and from other sources will be highlighted in four networking letters each year. The Networking Letter will be disseminated quarterly to each state administrator of vocational special needs programs and to state career guidance and counseling personnel with copies to the state directors of vocational education. Other appropriate state personnel (e.g., persons in charge of student services) will be identified and added to the network. Each letter will be 6-8 pages long.

    2. Collaborate with the U.S. Department of Education, the State Guidance Supervisors, and the American Vocational Association to identify exemplary programs. (See corresponding Activity 2.1.)

    3. The staff will work with regional and national organizations that promote student services activities (e.g., American Counselors Association, Career Development and Transition Division of the Council for Exceptional Children, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators). Collaborative activities will include but not be limited to the following: (1) co-sponsorship of conferences, (2) model program identification, and (3) dissemination of materials.

    4. The staff will work with the NCRVE Network Teams. (See corresponding Activities 1.1, 2.3, and 3.1.)

  5. Promote program accountability based on the wise use and management of information.

    1. Using a local education agency (LEA) as an example, write an OSS BRIEF about accountability that focuses on insuring all students are receiving required services.

Deliverables

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