The research carried out within the DESIRE project identified the following needs for dissemination, as expressed by several target groups (project managers, researchers, teachers, policy makers, science communicators and science event organisers):

1. Time constraints
2. Resource constraints (e.g. funding, technology, human)
3. Lack of active involvement of the target audience
4. Underuse of already existing resources or networks
5. Low reach of the target audience (i.e. number or variety)
6. Language barriers
7. Barriers related to the style of dissemination channels
8. Lack of support from partners in the project
9. Lack of support from colleagues in one’s own context

The DESIRE Reach Out Toolkit includes recommendations based on the aforementioned needs. These recommendations constitue a synthesis of the suggestions coming from the different consulted target groups. Examples of these recommendations are the following:

1. Projects devoted to produce outcomes might be followed by projects specifically addressed to disseminate and exploit those results
2. Incentives (e.g. remuneration, recognition, training, equipment for school) should be provided to teachers and other stakeholders so that they engage in reaching and using projects’ outcomes
3. Stakeholders should be involved as intermediaries, ambassadors or members of an steering committee from the beginning of a project to act as multipliers at a regional/national level
4. Strong contact and cooperation should be established with local teacher training institutions and programmes, reference centres, databases (e.g. Scientix), and networks addressed to similar topics (e.g. ProCoNet). New teachers’ networks should be potentiated after the end of a project for scaling up
5. Mass media (e.g. newspapers) and social networks (e.g. local and international) should be used more often in order to have a larger impact among teachers. Conferences, seminars and workshops are one of the best ways to gain new knowledge and inform teachers and policy makers about projects.
6. Dissemination materials should be provided in other languages than English and more dissemination initiatives (e.g. conferences) should be organised at a local or regional level
7. Projects should document experiences and present them in a flexible way (e.g. case studies, scripts for teachers, movies of educational activities, evidence-based books for teachers) in order to spread good practice and generate adaptive processes so that stakeholders can learn from past experiences. Brief and concise messages may facilitate the communication between researchers and other stakeholders. The usability of some dissemination channels (e.g. websites) should be improved so that people do not get lost
8. Guidelines and support should be provided to stakeholders so that they can use what has been disseminated. These guidelines should take account of the curriculum, school organization, teachers’ current practices, etc.
9. Local consulting commissions should be developed involving teachers, researchers, students’ families, school principals and administrators, and other relevant actors

Do you consider they are applicable? Tell us your experience implementing any of these dissemination and exploitation strategies.