Getting the Word Out

How to publicize and disseminate your work at NWIC

Plan for the morning• Brief discussion of what research is and

different types• Why is dissemination important?• How is NWIC now sharing results of research?• What can be done in the future to disseminate

better? • Getting published• Finding your voice • Lunch and next step planning

Why we’re here – strategic planCORE THEME ONE: ENGAGE INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE GOAL 3: NWIC actively engages faculty and students in

research and scholarship in support of the college’s mission and programs– Objective 1: Increase the indigenous body of knowledge

through a supportive environment for scholarship and research.

– Objective 2: Increase capacity for research and scholarship, particularly among students and Native scholars

– Objective 3: Publish and disseminate research

Academic Freedom & Responsibility

  In order to promote the condition whereby both the students and the instructor may have the freedom to search for the truth and its free expression, Northwest Indian College adopts the following principles expressed by the American Association of University Professors: 1. The College instructor is entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing his/her subject matter, but he/she should be careful not to introduce into his/her teaching controversial subject matter, which has no relation to his/her subject. 2. The College instructor is a citizen, a member of a learned profession, and an officer of an educational institution. When an employee of the College speaks or writes as a citizen, he/she should be free from institutional censorship or discipline, but his/her special position in the College community imposes special obligations. As a person of learning and an educational officer, he/she should remember that the public may judge their profession and their institution by their utterances. Hence, he/she should show respect for the opinions of others, and should indicate that he/she is not an institutional spokesperson. 

Academic Freedom & Responsibility -2

 In addition, Northwest Indian College adopts a policy of respectful

practice and responsibility regarding cultural information, which requires all instructors and students to refrain from:

1. Inappropriate use of culturally sensitive information, especially spiritual information;

 2. Unauthorized commercial or other exploitive use of

tribal/cultural information; 3. Unauthorized infringement of individual, family, or group

ownership rights for songs, stories, or other information; and 4. Potential conflicts or harm resulting from cultural research,

specifically coming from inappropriate interpretation of cultural information, inappropriate intrusions into community life, and breaches of confidentiality and friendship (adapted from Tribal College Journal, Fall 1996, p. 19).

Source: NWIC Faculty Handbook (p. 23) and has been included in the NWIC Self-Study for 2010 (pp. 140-141)

What is research?

Scientific research• Water pollution• Fish populations• Health, such as diabetes

Cultural research• Oral stories• Traditional food gathering and preparation

Academic research on teaching and learning – what works? • Action research • Teaching math

Institutional research – yours are listed on your website: • Indicators of student learning outcomes, direct and indirect• Achieving the dream – nationwide initiative about improving student success by collecting and evaluating

data. • AIMS• IPEDS• enrollment• Tracking alumni

www.nwic.edu/institutionalresearch

Why is dissemination important?

Why is dissemination important?

• Funders• Community support• Recruitment• Sharing best practices with other educators

How are you now sharing the results of your research with a

wider audience?

NWIC dissemination in the past

•Tribal College Journal – food issue•Newsletters, such as Evergreen State College’s Washington Center newsletter•Handbook for Facilitators (self published book distributed at workshops, mailed to other tribal college faculty and shared online) •Newsletters, such as the Washington Center’s newsletter, which focuses on learning communities.

Could the audience be bigger?

What can you do in the future to disseminate?

Future dissemination options

• Professional meetings/ conferences –examples?• Community• Websites, blogs• Publications -- What do you read? (see handout)• See table of samples and NWIC library’s samples• Your own press?

Getting Published(see handout)– Decide what subjects you want to share.– Who is desired audience? Choose the publication

accordingly– Research the publication writers guidelines and read a couple

of issues to determine their style (academic? Journalistic? Do they accept opinion pieces too?). For example, Yes magazine likes positive news. Native Peoples likes people-centered pieces. Tribal College Journal uses themes for each issue.

– Call the editor to discuss your idea– If appropriate, submit your paper.

Next Steps

• Over lunch, we hope you will talk and think about what you might do next to move closer to dissemination of your best practices

• Write it down