Dissemination and Translation of Research-to-Practice

Investigators: Pam Winton (winton@mail.fpg.unc.edu)

Project staff: Loyd Little, Gina Harrison, Garry Halstead, Jay Hargrove

Project goals:

• implement a comprehensive dissemination plan
• link with other early childhood agencies to maximize effectiveness and leverage resources, especially in the dissemination of information
• develop and disseminate consumer-friendly products and information to multiple audiences (researchers, policy-makers, practitioners, families, general public) at multiple levels of impact, using a variety of electronic, print and media strategies
• support the involvement of constituents in all aspects of NCEDL research and dissemination (see separate summary on Constituent Participation)
• develop, implement and evaluate different materials, strategies, and models for bringing about changes in early childhood programs, practices and policies (see separate summaries on Case Studies and Community-based Study for Involving Families in Changing Early Childhood Policies and Practices for information)
• evaluate the effectiveness of our research-to-practice efforts

Project accomplishments, findings:

A comprehensive dissemination infrastructure was developed, implemented and evaluated. The major components of our dissemination infrastructure are the following line of products: website, ENewsletter (electronic newsletter sent to approximately 9,300 subscribers), Spotlights (one-page summaries of research findings), technical reports, research briefs and Early Developments (national magazine sent to about 8,000).
Records and statistics are kept so that we are able to evaluate the effectiveness of various components of our infrastructure. Table 1 provides a summary of website statistics from February, 1998- March, 2001. These data indicate the following: use of the website by consumers has grown over time, is quite high, and usage peaks around certain key events, such as press conferences or large meetings. A website usability study conducted in November- December, 2000 with early childhood teachers and consultants provided valuable information about how to improve navigability of our website. The website is constantly being refined.

Table 1. NCEDL Web Statistics as of 3/31/01 Source: By hand from raw web data
Year, month	Average per day			Average per day
1998			2000
Feb	60		Jan	637
Mar	72		Feb	1,153
Jul	103		Mar	949
Aug	97		Apr	928
Sep	120		May	904
Oct	122		Jun	896
Nov	168		Jul	952
Dec	133		Aug	723
			Sep	888
			Oct	1,058
1999			Nov	547
Jan	182		Dec	2,677
Feb	202
Mar	338		2001
Apr	221		Jan	935
May	533		Feb	1,519
Jun	1,093		Mar	1,400
Jul	521
Aug	546
Sep	570
Oct	643
Nov	621
Dec	421

Table 2 provides comparative data on strategies for dissemination of some of our key products. Notable findings include: a large number of products are being directly disseminated by our researchers and staff through presentations, meetings, electronic distribution, and mailings; other individuals, including our dissemination partners (see next section for more about this) are assisting us with dissemination; and the website has become an excellent dissemination vehicle as consumers take advantage of the opportunity to download products.

Table 2. NCEDL Dissemination by Product as of 3/31/01 Sources: All other files… all entered via links, except for CQO data which is entered by hand from raw stats
	Directly disseminated by us to date	Printed and disseminated by others to date	Downloaded from web site	Total disseminated
Early Developments	85,996		50,891	136,887
Spotlights	18,677	86,100	49,663	154,440
Enewsletters	47,311			47,311
CQO study	62		21,046	21,108
KT Trans. Manual			3430	3,430
OME brochure	1,350	46,300	3,543	51,193
TR2: State initiatives	100		10,028	10,128
Totals	153,496	132,400	138,601	424,497
Dissemination of OME brochure by others:
	NACCRA	1800
	ASHA	40000
	TOPS	3000
	Head Start	1500
		46300

Table 3 provides information on the relative popularity with our website consumers of different issues of our national magazine, Early Developments. Note that the transition issue was our most popular. It is also interesting to note that the shelf life of our early issues has extended over time. Issues published in 1999 are still being downloaded today.

Table 3. Totals of Downloaded EDs from Mid-1999 Updated as of Mar. 31, 2001
	1999	2000	2001	Totals
First issue	2,020	4204	1361	7,585
Inclusion	1,015	2241	849	4,105
Policy	859	1063	471	2393
Global research	1,052	1156	661	2,869
Health	858	1615	679	3152
Transitions	6,676	9,867	548	17,091
Family	2,998	3,777	582	7,357
Process		1,564	495	2,059
Child care		2248	951	3,199
Improving CC		2332	1081	3,413
Outreach			1026	1,026
Total	15478	30067	8704	54,249

Table 4 provides information about how our Spotlights have been disseminated. Note that our most effective dissemination of Spotlights has been through our embedding strategy whereby publishers of statewide, regional and national newsletters publish our Spotlight information in their own newsletters, which are then distributed to their networks. Also note that the transition topic is a popular one.

Table 4. Spotlights disseminated as of 3/31/01 Sources: Daily log; links to "Totals of downloaded products from mid-1999"
Number	Date	Disseminated by us	Disseminated by others*		Downloaded from web	Totals
1	Jul '98	2420	10,900	a	1728	15048
2	Aug '98	2015	900		3178	6093
3	Sep '98	1,055	400		1893	3348
4	Oct '98	775			1401	2176
5	Nov '98	560	19000	b	1269	20829
6	Dec '98	825	400		3875	5100
1A	Jan '99	705	400		693	1798
7	Feb '99	570	400		4207	5177
8	Mar '99	370			693	1063
9	Apr '99	380	400		651	1431
10	May '99	2,125	400		3638	6163
11	Jun '99	1,050			907	1957
12	Jul '99	260			1233	1493
13	Aug '99	640			2860	3500
14	Sep '99	190	900		912	2002
15	Oct '99	150	5,000		1717	6867
16	Nov '99	230			1125	1355
17	Dec '99	325	45,000	c	2116	47441
18	Jan '00	780	2,000		2852	5632
19	Feb '00	475			2263	2738
20	Mar '00	175			953	1128
21	Apr '00	205			904	1109
22	May '00	150			1569	1719
23	Jun '00	225			1432	1657
24	Jul '00	100			820	920
25	Aug '00	225			1082	1307
26	Sep '00	250			1060	1310
27	Oct '00	310			322	632
28	Nov '00	850			701	1551
29	Dec '00	287			1,609	1896
30	Jan '01
31	Feb '01
	TOTALS	18677	86,100		49663	154440

A dissemination plan that uses all components of the infrastructure is developed, implemented and evaluated for each major NCEDL product or study. Table 5 provides an example of how the infrastructure worked for disseminating the findings from the study of five states’ pre-K initiatives.

Table 5. Dissemination plan for NCEDL Technical Report # 2: Five states’ EC preschool programs

Technical report will be posted to web site. Executive summary will be posted to web site. A "highlight" on the report will be posted to the opening NCEDL page. Spotlight will be prepared. Next ENewsletter will cite the report. Copy of technical report will be posted to ERIC archives. (We have a standing agreement with ERIC re: all NCEDL reports.) The report will be highlighted in an article in the next Early Developments. 100 copies of the full report will be printed. Demand quickly exceeded supply and another 100 have been ordered. 100 copies of the executive summary will be printed. Demand quickly exceeded supply and an additional 500 have been ordered. Initial evaluation of dissemination Web downloadings: During the first two months (Feb. and Mar. ’01), we recorded these downloads: Full technical report # 2: 5,094 Executive summary # 2: 3,328 Spotlight: 1,606 TOTAL: 10,028 Note: These figures far exceed expectations and also set records for individual products downloaded in a single month. It is significant to note that most of the time "summaries" or "executive summaries" of studies are downloaded more often that full reports. However, with our pre-K initiatives report, the reverse has been true. We feel that this is a strong indication that the report is of great interest to state administrators and policymakers. And, that we are reaching this audience. Press coverage: Education Week has already written a lengthy article about the report. Other media (including the Christian Science Monitor) have interviewed Dr. Gallagher and/or contacted NCEDL about possible stories.

Our links with other organizations have been very important to our product development and dissemination successes. Selected examples include:

• The OME brochure has reached a very large number (almost 50,000) of parents, child care providers and SLPs via dissemination partners ASHA, NACCRA and Head Start.
• We have published the National Directory of Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Institutions (4th Ed.) in collaboration with the Council for Professional Recognition [http://www.cdacouncil.org/]. This document is available in print and online from their website. The data in the directory came from our survey of early childhood teacher preparation programs.
• In collaboration with the Regional Educational Laboratories Early Childhood Network we have developed, field-tested, and disseminated a training curriculum,Continuity in early childhood: A framework for home, school, and community linkages -Trainer's guide.

• Of that total, 132,400 or 32% were disseminated (even printed in some cases) as a result of collaborations with other centers, agencies, or groups. Our ability to form partnerships and build collaboration across many groups and institutions has been critical to our success.
• Of that total, 138,601 or 33% were downloaded from the NCEDL website. The website has been of major importance in reaching our audience and making our products accessible and free.
• Thus, 65% of our product dissemination was quite cost effective and reached audiences that we would not have been able to reach if we had relied solely on our own efforts. In addition, NCEDL made striking use of new technology to reach our target audiences.
• The fact that we have been particularly successful reaching an audience that has a strong interest in pre-kindergarten initiatives (as evidenced by the response to Technical Report #2) and kindergarten transitions (as evidenced by the response to the Spotlights and the issue of Early Developments on that topic), is encouraging. It increases our confidence that our dissemination infrastructure is in good shape in terms of the next 3 years when our focus will be almost exclusively on pre-kindergarten issues.

Publications, products:

National Research Centers: Advancing U.S. Education. (2000). Collaborative with 11 other national research centers. Washington, D.C: Office of Education Research and Improvement.

NCEDL Policy Brief No.1: Quality in early childhood centers. (1997) Washington DC: U. S. Dept. of Education.

NCEDL Policy Brief No.1 Fact Sheet: Quality in early childhood centers. (1997) Washington DC: U. S. Dept. of Education.

National Center for Early Development & Learning. Articles in Early Developments, Vol. 1, No. 1: 1) NCEDL-An Introduction to Our National Center. 2) Article on Quality Care. 3) Article on Policy Brief # 1. Chapel Hill, NC: author.

Press release -- NCEDL's new study focus

Press release -- National Readiness Conference

Press release -- NCEDL's new study focus

Press release -- NCEDL researchers at teleconference