One of the most frustrating things about conducting research is the difficulty of making your findings available to those who could use them. To the extent the results of your studies are relevant to those who also are conducting research, there is a clear mechanism for disseminating what you have learned--peer reviewed journal publication. But ultimately, the point of research is to benefit the population studied. Here, the mechanism is far less clear.
At the Beach Center on Disability, we always try to ask the "so what?" question. In other words, we always ask ourselves what difference our activities make in the real world. How does it help people with disabilities or their families? What difference does our work make? One way to answer this question is to involve people with disabilities and their families in the planning and conduct of our research--as partners as well as participants. A second approach is to make sure what we learn from research is provided in a format that is accessible, understandable, and useful to families as well as professionals.
I think that the Beach Center has, to a great extent, been a leader in the field when it comes to both participatory action research (involving families in our work) and translating research knowledge into usable tips, trainings, and resources for families. But we also believe that increasing use of the internet and emerging internet technologies have the potential to increase our ability to partner with families, distill practical knowledge from research, and share that knowledge. We intend to make the most of these opportunities.
This blog is a part of that effort. Blogs are fast, flexible, and easy to use--an ideal medium for providing up to date, free information for families. We can post family friendly research summaries, talk about developments in disability law and policy, post tips and real stories, or highlight other resources by using links to our website and those of others. Additionally, you--our readers (as well as participants in our CoP)--can let us know whether what we post really captures the spirit of the "so what" question. You can suggest other things to post about or just share your comments. Please feel free to do so.
I think that the Beach Center has, to a great extent, been a leader in the field when it comes to both participatory action research (involving families in our work) and translating research knowledge into usable tips, trainings, and resources for families. But we also believe that increasing use of the internet and emerging internet technologies have the potential to increase our ability to partner with families, distill practical knowledge from research, and share that knowledge. We intend to make the most of these opportunities.
This blog is a part of that effort. Blogs are fast, flexible, and easy to use--an ideal medium for providing up to date, free information for families. We can post family friendly research summaries, talk about developments in disability law and policy, post tips and real stories, or highlight other resources by using links to our website and those of others. Additionally, you--our readers (as well as participants in our CoP)--can let us know whether what we post really captures the spirit of the "so what" question. You can suggest other things to post about or just share your comments. Please feel free to do so.
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