Knowledge Mobilization - Publications

Publications

One of the main seminal works in this field was published in 1979 by Carol Weiss in the journal Public Administration Review. Knowledge mobilization (under the title "research utilization") is described as a means or tool to be utilized by social scientists in the inclusion of research in social policy.

There are many excellent research articles examining research utilization. Recently Sandra Nutley and colleagues from the Research Unit for Research utilization (http://www.ruru.ac.uk/index.html) at the University of Edinburgh published "Using Evidence: How Research Can Inform Public Services" (Nutley, Walter and Davies, Policy Press, 2007). This book provides an extensive review of the literature on research utilization from traditional constructs to contemporary design, from the practice and policy perspectives, and examines strategies to enhance research utilization and measure the impact of research use.

Another organization supporting and promoting knowledge mobilization, as it relates to education, is the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL). Its mission is "Informing Canadians about the state of learning in Canada; Fostering quality research on learning; Facilitating evidence-based decisions about learning through knowledge exchange to ensure that success stories are shared and repeated; and Becoming Canada’s authoritative resource on learning issues."

United Way of Canada also became active in knowledge mobilization by developing working relationships with Universities and Colleges. It is a win-win strategy that provides access to knowledge and expertise that is mutually valuable. Researchers and students have an opportunity to work with real life situations in the community. The community practitioners are not only able to contribute to the success of the research but also develop connections that provides access to the body of knowledge that exists within the educational institutions.

Through the Killick Centre for E-Learning Research, the Faculty of Education at Memorial University, Newfoundland, Canada has been promoting knowledge mobilization as part of a Community University Research Alliance (CURA) on e-learning. A video on knowledge mobilization created in the context of this project is available on YouTube: Knowledge Mobilization, with transcripts of the interviews available. In 2008, the Harris Centre at Memorial University sponsored a conference on knowledge mobilization, Knowledge in Motion 2008. A report on the conference is available: Knowledge in Motion/08 Conference Strategic Intelligence Summary Report (PDF)].

In the fall of 2012, the Networks of Centres of Excellence of Canada announced a Knowledge Mobilization (NCE-KM) initiative for 2013, to support "networking and collaboration among well-established research teams and knowledge users to further the application and mobilization of knowledge."