Sharing Your Stories Pilot Project

1
Sharing Your StoriesPilot Project
Presented by Bruce Wallace Jennifer Kaban
Innovation Management Committee Meeting The
Banff Centre October 27, 2008
2
Stage 1 Planning (April 2008)

• Hired Mount Royal College graduate as Project
  Coordinator/Editor
• Formed Oversight Advisory Committee
• Gathered information from SPARK - Student
  Promoting Awareness of Research Knowledge (
  University of Guelph)
• Outlined objectives / developed a work plan

__________________________________________________
_____________________________Alberta Association
of Colleges Technical Institutes
3
Stage 2 Engagement (May 2008)

• Discovered there was enthusiasm towards the
  project from all colleges and technical
  institutes
• Asked IMC members to find mentors, and mentors to
  find students
• Recruited mentors hired 13 student contractors
• Sent student contractors guidelines and training
  material for writing stories
• Helped students get started with interviews and
  story writing

__________________________________________________
_____________________________Alberta Association
of Colleges Technical Institutes
4
Stage 3 Execution (June 2008)

• Mentors and Project Coordinator/Editor guided
  production process
• Students produced 26 written stories, 5 videos, 5
  podcasts, 4 slideshows (trialing mediums)
• Developed sign-off documents for students and
  interviewees
• Gathered feedback from students, mentors,
  interviewees, IMC members
• Reported to Oversight Committee

__________________________________________________
_____________________________Alberta Association
of Colleges Technical Institutes
5
(Stage 4 Editing Wrap up)September/October
2008

• Gathered intelligence about stories from a
  professional editor and SPARK contact
• Students and Project Coordinator/Editors
  completed follow-up interviews with new edit
  suggestions
• 18 of the written stories have been brought to
  publishing quality interviewees to now sign-off
• Stories to be posted on AACTIs website, and sent
  to communication departments where the story was
  produced

__________________________________________________
_____________________________Alberta Association
of Colleges Technical Institutes
6
Learnings about Process

• Engaging students as contractors is feasible.
  Also there is a potential opportunity to
  integrate within curriculum.
• Strong mentors are essential source stories
  guide students keep focus on publishing outcome.
  
• A central editor is essential to maintaining
  continuity between the stories.
• Content from pilot project will help shape future
  message objectives, provide task clarity, entice
  more stories.

__________________________________________________
_____________________________Alberta Association
of Colleges Technical Institutes
7
Learnings about Engagement

• Impacts the image of the institution - students
  are very enthusiastic - amazed at the stories
  happening at their schools
• Communications students are able to produce
  stories for a general audience.
• For research audience, we need to consider a two
  student team from communications / subject matter
  area.
• Consider a core team of students, supported by a
  pool of freelance student contractors.
• Applied researchers are very willing to be
  interviewed - they want to share their stories
  and support the students effort

__________________________________________________
_____________________________Alberta Association
of Colleges Technical Institutes
8
Insights to Guide Next Steps

• Inquiries this fall regarding participating in
  post-pilot actions
• Students enjoy producing stories about applied
  research
• Applied researchers are very willing to be part
  of the project
• Applied researchers throughout our system want to
  improve the lives of others and advance
  innovation - these stories need to be told.

__________________________________________________
_____________________________Alberta Association
of Colleges Technical Institutes
9
Oversight Committee

• Trevor Davis Associate VP of Applied Research
  and Innovation, Mount Royal College (IMC)
• Sherrill Brown College Research Officer, Grant
  MacEwan College (IMC)
• Brian Traynor Technical Writing Instructor,
  Mount Royal College
• Lucille Mazo Professional Writing Instructor,
  Grant MacEwan College
• Robert Bragg Journalism Instructor, Mount Royal
  College
• Jennifer Kaban Project Coordinator/Editor
• Bruce Wallace (AACTI)

__________________________________________________
_____________________________Alberta Association
of Colleges Technical Institutes