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Research for Impact
  • Level Foundation
  • Duration 20 hours
  • Course by University of Cape Town
  • Offered by

About

This course is about the Research for Impact approach - a set of principles and practices that will help you to make your research more impactful. Traditionally, the goals and outcomes of research projects were to contribute knowledge and communicate this knowledge through academic publications and journal articles. But If we truly want our research to have an impact, we need to do research differently. Research that influences change in policy, practice, behaviour, and attitudes. On this six-week journey, Jesse DeMaria-Kinney and Mark New share their experience of the Adaptation at Scale for Semi-arid Regions (ASSAR) Project, where they developed and refined the Research for Impact approach. They are joined by researchers and practitioners who followed this approach in their research. Together you will explore the five elements of the Research for Impact approach, i.e. Theory of Change; Stakeholder Engagement and Strategic Partnerships, Strategic Communication, Capacity Development; and Influencing. You will also get opportunities to hear from researchers and practitioners on the ground who followed this approach and hopefully become inspired and equipped to incorporate these principles into your own research projects. The course is free to enroll and take. You will be offered the option of purchasing a certificate of completion, which you become eligible for if you successfully complete the course requirements. This can be an excellent way of staying motivated! Financial Aid is also available.

Modules

Course welcome

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
Show info about module content

1 Discussions

  • Introducing yourself

2 Videos

  • Welcome to the course
  • Bringing about change

1 Readings

  • Meet the course team

Welcome to Week 1

    • 1 Readings
Show info about module content

1 Readings

  • What to expect in Week 1

Climate change: A complex and wicked problem

    • 2 Videos
    • 3 Readings
Show info about module content

2 Videos

  • Climate change and complex systems
  • Wicked problems and adaptation research

3 Readings

  • Dancing with systems
  • Adaptation is a wicked problem
  • Research ethics, principles and practice

Research for Impact

    • 3 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Research for Impact approach

3 Videos

  • What is Research for Impact?
  • Elements of Research for Impact
  • Why researchers use Research for Impact

1 Readings

  • Research impact

Case studies

    • 3 Videos
    • 2 Readings
Show info about module content

3 Videos

  • Case study: India - Adaptation along the rural-urban continuum - Chandni Singh
  • Case study: Botswana - Climate change adaptation: Perceptions vs. reality - Hillary Masundire
  • Case study: India - How vulnerability and climate change impacts migration from the deltas - Sumana Banerjee

2 Readings

  • Case study: India - Adaptation along the rural-urban continuum - Chandni Singh
  • Case study: Botswana - Climate change adaptation: Perceptions vs. reality - Hillary Masundire

Activities and assessments

    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Week 1: Research for Impact

Resources

    • 3 Readings
Show info about module content

3 Readings

  • Learning guide tips
  • Week 1 resources
  • Glossary of Acronyms

Introduction to Week 2

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • Introduction to Week 2

1 Readings

  • What to expect in Week 2

Social change and complexity

    • 1 Videos
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • Social change and complexity

Theory of Change

    • 4 Videos
    • 2 Readings
Show info about module content

4 Videos

  • Planning for change with a complexity lens
  • Impact pathways in Research for Impact
  • Understanding the system you want to influence
  • Choosing your strategies

2 Readings

  • Theory of Change
  • Gender

Adjusting your course

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Adjusting your course

1 Videos

  • Observing, reflecting and adjusting

1 Readings

  • Monitoring and learning

Case studies

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
Show info about module content

1 Discussions

  • Planning for Impact

2 Videos

  • Case study: Ethiopia - Mitigating the effects of Prosopis Juliflora - Mark Tebboth
  • Case study: Ethiopia - Mitigating the effects of Prosopis Juliflora - Alemayehu Zewdie

1 Readings

  • Case study: Ethiopia - Mitigating the effects of Prosopis Juliflora

Conversations, resources and assessments

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 PeerReview
Show info about module content

1 Peer Review

  • Week 2: Theory of Change

1 Videos

  • In conversation with Marta

1 Readings

  • Week 2 resources

Introduction to week 3

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • Introduction to Week 3

1 Readings

  • What to expect in week

Strategic partnerships

    • 1 Videos
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • Strategic partnerships

Why stakeholder engagement

    • 2 Videos
Show info about module content

2 Videos

  • Why should I work with stakeholders?
  • Who are my stakeholders anyway?

Principles and methodologies of stakeholder engagement

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Readings
Show info about module content

2 Videos

  • Principles of stakeholder engagement
  • Stakeholder engagement methodologies

1 Readings

  • Participatory processes

Stakeholder engagement and power relations

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Stakeholder engagement and power relations

1 Videos

  • Power and politics in climate change research and action

1 Readings

  • Introducing power analysis

Case studies

    • 3 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
Show info about module content

1 Discussions

  • Engaging and partnering

3 Videos

  • Case study: Ghana Using Transformative Scenario Planning to identify community problems and collaboratively develop solutions - Prince Ansah
  • Case study: Botswana - Using Transformative Scenario planning and Vulnerability Risk Assessments to include community knowledge in policymaking - Chandapiwa Molefe
  • Researchers share their practical challenges in using the Research for Impact approach

2 Readings

  • Case Study: Ghana - Using Transformative Scenario Planning to identify community problems and collaboratively develop solutions - Prince Ansah
  • Case Study: Botswana - Using Transformative Scenario planning and Vulnerability Risk Assessments to include community knowledge in policymaking - Chandapiwa Molefe

Conversations, resources and assessments

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Week 3: Engaging and Partnering

1 Videos

  • In conversation with Daniel

1 Readings

  • Week 3 resources

Introduction to week 4

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • Introduction to Week 4

1 Readings

  • What to expect in week 4

Why strategic communications

    • 2 Videos
Show info about module content

2 Videos

  • Why strategic communications?
  • Strategic communications and the Research for Impact elements

Planning for effective research communication

    • 3 Videos
    • 3 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
Show info about module content

1 Discussions

  • Developing communication strategies

3 Videos

  • Planning for effective research communication - Part I
  • Planning for effective research communication - Part II
  • Planning for effective research communication - Part III

3 Readings

  • Know your audience and craft your message
  • Channels - getting the message across
  • The elevator pitch

Knowledge systems

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Research communications and knowledge systems

1 Videos

  • Knowledge systems, management, analysis and brokers

Case studies

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • Case study: Ghana - Strategic communications for impact - Kwasi Appeaning Addo

1 Readings

  • Case study: Ghana - Strategic communications for impact - Kwasi Appeaning Addo

Conversations, resources and assessments

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 PeerReview
Show info about module content

1 Peer Review

  • Week 4: Strategic communications

1 Videos

  • In conversation with Prathigna

1 Readings

  • Week 4 resources

Introduction to week 5

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • Introduction to week 5

1 Readings

  • What to expect in week 5

Why develop capacities?

    • 1 Videos
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • Why do we need capacity development?

Whose capacities need to be developed?

    • 4 Videos
    • 1 Readings
Show info about module content

4 Videos

  • Developing researchers' capacities
  • Developing others' capacities
  • Different types and aspects of capacity development - part 1
  • Different types and aspects of capacity development - part 2

1 Readings

  • Whose capacities need to be developed?

How do we develop capacities?

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Capacity Development

1 Discussions

  • Developing capacities

2 Videos

  • How to develop capacities
  • Dealing with challenges

Case studies

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • Case Study India - Developing Stakeholder Capacity through games and 3D models - Renie Thomas

1 Readings

  • Case Study India - Developing Stakeholder Capacity through games and 3D models - Renie Thomas

Conversations, resources and assessments

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Week 5: Capacity Development

1 Videos

  • In conversation with Edmond and Amadou

1 Readings

  • Week 5 resources

Introduction to week 6

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • Introduction to Week 6

1 Readings

  • What to expect in week 6

Power and Influence

    • 3 Videos
Show info about module content

3 Videos

  • What is Power and Influence
  • Influence in Research for Impact
  • Who Are We Trying To Influence?

Building an influencing strategy

    • 2 Videos
    • 3 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
Show info about module content

1 Discussions

  • Planning influential activities

2 Videos

  • How to build an influencing strategy
  • Linking the elements in an influencing strategy

3 Readings

  • Planning for Influence
  • Using evidence to influence policy
  • Killer facts

Case Study

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Readings
Show info about module content

2 Videos

  • Case Study: Ghana - Diversifying capacity development activities to influence diverse stakeholder groups - Adiku Prosper Yaw
  • Researchers share their practical tips for using the Research for Impact approach

1 Readings

  • Case Study: Ghana - Diversifying capacity development activities to influence diverse stakeholder groups - Adiku Prosper Yaw

Conversations, resources and assessments

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Week 6: Influencing

1 Videos

  • Course wrap-up and reflections

1 Readings

  • Week 6 resources

Final Quiz

    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Week 6: Research for Impact

Auto Summary

"Research for Impact" is a six-week course in Personal Development led by Jesse DeMaria-Kinney and Mark New. It focuses on making research impactful by influencing policy, practice, behavior, and attitudes. Learners will explore five key elements: Theory of Change, Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Communication, Capacity Development, and Influencing. Featuring insights from experienced researchers, the course is free with an optional certificate purchase. Ideal for individuals looking to enhance their research's real-world impact.

Mark New
Instructors

Mark New

Jesse DeMaria-Kinney
Instructors

Jesse DeMaria-Kinney