| Abstract: |
Knowing and understanding the principles and tenets underlying dissemination, utilization, and impact collection facilitate the "how." Dissemination is a communication process involving interactional relationships among individuals. Involvement of multiple agencies gives rise to networking. Disseminating is also a major facet of planned change, one stage of which is acquisition--a concern of the National Network for Curriculum Coordination in Vocational and Technical Education (NNCCVTE). The concept of utilization demands that both product and process impact assessment be considered. Nine major problems hinder the acquisition of sound impact data: problems in aggregating data, the myth of theory, inaccurate or incomplete specification of an instructional model, error of measurement, inappropriateness of certain models, neglect of the dissemination component by instructional materials developers, by neglect of the communication systems model, variations in source credibility, and improper funding for dissemination activities. NNCCVTE dissemination personnel concerned with impact assessment must focus on these questions: Are minimal conditions present for impact to occur?, What factors are important in determination of program consequence?, Are followup studies important?, What is the place of experimental designs?, What are major purposes of impact assessment?, and What facts influence impact data in program planning based on manpower data? (YLB) |