How we do KTE

KTE: what is it and how is it done?

As recently as two decades ago, scientists were generally only expected to share their research findings by publishing in peer-reviewed journals and presenting at conferences to other scientists. Apart from the occasional media interview, there were few approaches in place to reach non-research audiences who might use scientific knowledge.

In recent years, a new and energized way of sharing and applying research results has emerged: knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE). The Institute for Work & Health (IWH) has been a pioneer in developing KTE strategies, and KTE has become an integrated and well-respected part of IWH’s research process.

“Knowledge transfer has evolved significantly over the past while,” says Jane Gibson, director of the Institute’s KTE department. “Eight years ago, IWH scientists didn’t know what KTE was or how it could benefit their work. Now, scientists include KTE at the research proposal stage. We’re very proud of how integrated research and KTE have become at the Institute.”

What is KTE?

At IWH, the aim of knowledge transfer and exchange is to put research findings into the hands of key decision-makers in a timely, accessible and useful manner. The decision-makers could be workers, employers, OHS professionals, policy-makers, clinicians or other researchers. Additionally, KTE staff ensures that stakeholders are either involved in or informed of research projects that may be relevant to them.

For instance, even before IWH scientists embark on a new research project, they might meet with KTE staff to determine which external parties should be involved in the study and to identify potential products stemming from the research. Once the study is done, the KTE team can help to extract key messages from results, test them with key stakeholders and suggest the best ways to “transfer” the findings more broadly.

It’s vital for Institute staff to develop and sustain relationships with stakeholders. Their feedback and insight ensures that our research is useful and accessible.

The Institute’s public profile

The Institute also focuses on creating useful products and tools for external audiences based on our research, including a quarterly newsletter and research highlights or summaries of studies.

“Our newsletter, At Work, is very valued by its readership,” says Gibson. “Plus our website presents important health and safety information, which stems from our research in a format that is useful for the research users.”

Tool development is key

Once the research has matured and messages are developed, KTE staff help to develop and design evidence-based tools. Although this is a relatively new field for KTE, it has already showed promising results. In concert with IWH researchers and staff from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, KTE staff helped to create the Seven Principles for Successful Return to Work. This tool has been downloaded thousands of times from the IWH website and has garnered praise for its usefulness.

Helping others understand research

Another goal of the KTE department is to help external audiences understand research. In addition to holding workshops and seminars explaining research processes, KTE staff also produces a newsletter column called, What Researchers Mean By…. This column explains what researchers do and the language they use when reporting their findings. Read this column to see what we mean when we say “statistical significance” or “confounding variables.”