Category: Blog

Digital technologies have the potential to have a significant impact on the world’s most pressing issues, ranging from poverty and hunger to inequality and environmental damage. Mobile technology, for example, has altered how we deliver health care, financial services, and education to remote and marginalized communities. Digital solutions are transforming the way farmers work in agriculture, providing them with the knowledge they need (weather forecast, disaster preparedness, etc.) to make better decisions and linking them with markets where they can sell their produce.

Despite the great potential of digital technologies, the international development industry has been unsteady in embracing them as a core competency. Many development organizations still regard digital technology as one of many tools they utilize to achieve their objectives, rather than seeing it being critical to their work. They prioritize doing business as usual above embracing change or challenging the status quo. This mindset is impeding the sector’s ability to develop and embrace transformative solutions and fully use the potential of digital technology to promote growth.

Recognizing the value of digital technologies in development work and taking the required measures to integrate them into all elements of an organization is what it means to embrace the concept. This involves everything from program design and implementation to data collection and monitoring & evaluation, as well as how organizations communicate and exchange information.

This entails interacting with communities to understand their needs, creating trust, and ensuring that the technology utilized is culturally and socially appropriate. It entails incorporating local communities in the design and implementation of digital solutions, as well as providing them with the necessary training and support to utilize and maintain these technologies.

Developers and businesses must learn, promote, network, and collaborate in order to encourage the dissemination of this beyond conventional frames of reference and to help preserve the international discourse of design and its role in socio-cultural development. Here are ten digital socially responsible design recommendations:

1. Create experience centered on the requirements of people living in various environments;
2. Connect with international organizations and enterprises to demonstrate the importance of design;
3. Participate in multidisciplinary initiatives in which designers play a crucial role in the development of entrepreneurship and innovation;
4. Work on creative publications, events, exhibitions, and competitions in partnership with design bodies from different parts of the world, presenting international design works and cultural development efforts;
5. Promote the power of digital design in a cultural setting by arranging workshops and seminars, as well as encouraging cross-cultural design initiatives;
6. Examine the quality of design education around the world and contribute to the development of design curriculum for the developing countries;
7. Learn from professional organizations that may provide expertise, knowledge, direction, and relationships, as well as assure a worldwide perspective and design representation;
8. Enable open sources of information on design techniques in collaboration with public/private partners all over the world;
9. Create new platforms for individuals and professional groups to exchange best practices and chances for designers to collaborate on a global scale;
10. Knock and explore opportunities and partnerships that have never been opened.

It is not the responsibility of development agencies to assess whether or not people are ready for technology. The goal is also to provide all people with options so that they may make their own decisions and choose how to proceed. To make this work, we must use a strengths-based strategy that prioritizes individuals’ and communities’ capacity, skills, knowledge, connections, and potential. Development organizations can help to build local capability, stimulate local inventiveness, and generate truly sustainable solutions by using this approach. This benefits not just local communities, but it also improves the impact of development initiatives and adds to the long-term success of the digital revolution in developing countries.

To fully realize the potential of these technologies to create progress, the development sector must embrace digital technologies as a core competency. This necessitates a mentality shift, investments in skills and competencies, and an emphasis on integration at all levels of the organization. The international development sector, with the correct strategy, may use digital technologies to generate revolutionary ways and have a long-term impact on the world’s most pressing challenges.

ASSIST Asia is here to work around approaches that focus on understanding the target audience for identifying solutions. Contact us now! 

References:

The importance of digital transformation in the development sector. Catalpa International. (n.d.). https://catalpa.io/blog/digital-transformation-development-sector/ 

Sasaki, S. (n.d.). The Role of Graphic Design in International Development. The Role of graphic design in international development | International Council of Design. https://www.theicod.org/resources/news-archive/the-role-of-graphic-design-in-international-development 

Online learning is a cost-effective way for learners to benefit from training and development, as well as a practical means for businesses and educators to offer it. With more and more technologies making it simple to design or author online courses and with internal or external media channels supporting its promotion and delivery, e-learning is expanding across all possible domains from public to private to institutional.

E-learning is defined as a standardized learning system that relies on electronic devices for delivery. It can also be defined as an ecosystem powered by a network for the transmission of skills and knowledge, in which content is delivered from the instructor to the learners simultaneously or sequentially. E-learning appears to suit current society’s informal approach as well as the contemporary expectations of being able to get the information required when needed. With jobs becoming more complex and competitive, more than in the past, learning must be lifelong and consistent to ensure that learners are more adaptable at work and contributing to their and the institution’s growth.

There are several factors driving the e-Learning market particularly in developing countries. For example, e-Learning helps to reduce infrastructure costs and expenditures, such as the cost of space as well as operational purchase or rentals, resulting in lower costs for learners and facilitators who are imparting the training. Furthermore, online learning eliminates logistics issues caused by transportation and road infrastructure in developing nations.

PowerPoint presentations, PDFs, screen recordings, authored eLearning, and other training resources are examples of basic and static eLearning content. When creating effective and engaging learning content today, there are many factors to take into account. Interactive learning within learning experience platforms that empower adaptive learning, AR/VR-based learning, and mobile responsive application-based learning are a few examples that are currently in trend. Hence, understanding the actual learning gap and the needs necessitates a greater understanding of how it operates and how this translates to smarter, savvier, and more productive learners. 

Here is a closer look at the most important trends to consider while designing an online course.

Adaptive Learning

Empowering learners to determine their own pace as well as time is what adaptive learning is all about. This is gaining popularity and is frequently advised by top eLearning content production businesses as it gives learners greater control, allowing them to tailor their learning to their busy schedules and learning styles.

Gamification

Gamification continues to be an excellent approach to increase engagement. It can assist learners in competing with themselves or with others. This motivates learners and offers them goals to strive for. 

One of the most well-known examples of gamification in eLearning are language learning applications. After all, you accumulate points, progress through levels, and accumulate learning streaks. Giving learners points for completing lessons or allowing them to level up can enhance interest.

Interactive Self-Paced Learning

The goal of the interactive learning technique is to actively include students in the learning process. This contrasts with more passive strategies like the conventional lecture. Despite the fact that some people find the technological aspect of interactive learning intimidating, it’s crucial to keep in mind that technology exists to help pedagogy. Therefore, educators should assess educational technology with an eye toward solutions that expand the horizons of their lessons and improve student learning. 

An effective interactive self-paced course will include, (1) Modules and materials that are simple to find, with links between sections that are easy-to-find. (2) A completion period that is explicitly defined; no component should last too long. (3) Tasks that are well-defined, with easy access to advice if learners encounter difficulties.

Microlearning and Mobile Learning

Both mobile learning and microlearning offer bite-sized content that is available to end users whenever and wherever they are, as well as rich media formats to make learning more engaging. These smaller pieces also allow learners to pick how much they want to study at one time, allowing them to work at their own pace.

Mobile learning strives to address knowledge gaps and provide fast access to information that can assist managers in making well-informed decisions or assist staff in doing their duties effectively. The new method of information delivery known as microlearning, on the other hand, is based on the learning and retention requirements of a younger generation that prefers knowledge that is more condensed, has more real-time contexts, and can be consumed while traveling or in the comfort of their own home.

Social Learning

While some people learn better alone, many people learn best in groups or by engaging with others. Here is where social learning comes into play. File-sharing, forums, and chat rooms are all examples of social learning. 

Video-Based Learning

When it comes to eLearning material development, videos are frequently used. Many eLearning courses used to be primarily text-based, but this is changing. The pandemic accelerated the transition because video-based learning was a natural extension of remote or virtual learning. Most learners nowadays prefer to watch videos over other sources of content. Video-based learning can be used for lectures, seminars, demos, and other purposes.

Artificial Intelligence

Another tool that is becoming increasingly popular is artificial intelligence. AI is utilized to detect learners who are struggling with specific concepts and assist them in determining which one would best suit their needs. This could be based on skill, strength, weakness, or even interests.

An application of AI is the incorporation of chatbots into eLearning courses and platforms. This is an excellent approach to deliver personalized attention and answer simple queries. The use of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies in the education and training sector has also grown recently as a result of their effectiveness as aids for boosting the learning process. AR and VR are revolutionizing eLearning because they can provide an immersive and dynamic learning environment. The way to approach development and training could be revolutionized by AR and VR, giving learners a more engaging, effective, and cost-efficient learning experience.

E-learning is here to stay. As computer ownership spreads around the world, e-learning becomes more viable and accessible. Internet connection speeds are improving, which opens up new potential for multimedia training approaches.

ASSIST Asia is here to turn almost any space and time into an opportunity for development. Contact us today to guide you in using these trends to enhance your eLearning program!

References:

ReportLinker. (2021, July 13). Global e-learning market to reach $457.8 billion by 2026. GlobeNewswire NewsRoom. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/07/13/2262081/0/en/Global-E-Learning-Mar

Simoudis, H. (2022, October 4). Elearning content development: The most important trends. eLearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/elearning-content-development-the-most-important-trends

Why e-learning is one of the world’s fastest-growing industries. Toppan Digital Language. (2018, June 1). https://toppandigital.com/translation-blog/elearning-worlds-fastest-growing-industries/ 

Micro-credentials have emerged as a valuable tool for showcasing and validating specialized skills and knowledge through digital certifications that offer targeted recognition of competencies obtained through focused learning experiences.

Micro-credentials provide a way for people to have control over their learning experiences by providing them with customizable and focused learning experiences. These experiences are short and evidence-based, allowing learners to showcase their achievements in a verifiable and accessible way. Micro-credentials provide a flexible and efficient alternative. They enable learners to choose the skills they want to develop and offer concise, up-to-date content that aligns with rapidly changing market demands.

Benefits of Micro-Credentials

• Flexibility and Relevance
  
  Micro-credentials provide learners with the flexibility to choose the skills they want to develop, allowing for personalized learning pathways. They offer up-to-date and industry-relevant content that aligns with rapidly changing market demands.

• Time and Cost Efficiency
  
  Compared to longer-term degree programs, micro-credentials require less time and financial investment. Learners can focus on acquiring specific skills that are directly applicable to their professional goals.

• Skill Validation
  
  Micro-credentials offer a tangible proof of competency, empowering individuals to showcase their expertise in specific areas. This validation can significantly enhance career prospects and credibility in the job market.

Designing Effective Micro-Credentials

Micro-credentials offer opportunities to connect learning and work. However, this vision can only be achieved through intentional strategy and design processes that are centered around real world applications when it comes to upskilling and cross-skilling. To create successful micro-credentials, it is necessary to keep these steps in mind:

1. Identifying Target Skills
   
   Start by conducting a thorough learning needs analysis to determine which skills are most valuable and in-demand within your industry or organization. Consider the specific competencies that would benefit learners and align with their growth aspirations.

2. Defining Learning Outcomes
   
   Clearly articulate the expected learning outcomes for each micro-credential. These outcomes should be measurable and tied to real-world applications, ensuring the relevance and practicality of the credential.

3. Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment Methods
   
   Develop assessment methods that accurately evaluate learners’ mastery of the targeted skills. This can include projects, simulations, online quizzes, and performance-based evaluations. Authentic assessments should provide learners with opportunities to apply their knowledge in practical scenarios.

4. Collaboration with Experts
   
   Collaborate with industry experts, educators, and practitioners to ensure the credibility and accuracy of the micro-credential. Their input can help shape the content, assessment criteria, and overall quality of the credential.

Implementing Micro-Credentials

1. Technology and Platforms
   
   Leverage learning management systems (LMS) or specialized micro-credential platforms to deliver and manage the credentialing process effectively. These platforms can streamline enrollment, assessment, and issuing of micro-credentials.

2. Integration with Existing Programs
   
   Integrate micro-credentials into existing professional development initiatives, educational programs, or talent management strategies. This will enhance the value of your offerings and promote a culture of continuous learning within your organization.

3. Recognition and Portability
   
   Ensure that micro-credentials are recognized within and by industries or sectors. Explore partnerships with industry associations, employers, or educational institutions to foster wider recognition and acceptance of these credentials. Additionally, make the micro-credentials portable by using open standards such as Badges, enabling learners to showcase their achievements across different platforms.

Micro-credentials have revolutionized the way skills are recognized and valued in the modern professional landscape. By providing individuals with targeted and relevant recognition of their competencies, they empower career growth and open new opportunities. For organizations, micro-credentials allow the creation of a talent pool of specialized experts, ensuring a workforce that meets the evolving demands of the industry. 

From defining clear learning outcomes to developing authentic assessment methods, ASSIST Creativelab takes a meticulous approach to designing effective micro-credentials that enable the cultivation of a skilled workforce, poised to meet the ever-changing demands of the dynamic and competitive world of work.

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Personalized learning refers to instruction that is paced to learning needs, tailored to learning preferences, and tailored to the specific interest of different learners. Personalization allows learners to have ownership over their learning progress and to take control of how they demonstrate the skills and knowledge they obtain. Personalized learning has gained considerable attention among organizations seeking to drive innovation, productivity, and overall growth as it not only equips individuals with valuable knowledge and skills but also ensures that each learner is seen and understood by their educators for their strengths and assets, as well as their developmental needs and challenges.

Cohorts provide a manageable model for implementing personalized learning. Focusing on small groups of learners allows for a more focused, less resource-intensive support; educators can provide more personalized support to each learner. Cohorts also provide a sense of community and belonging for students, as they are able to interact with their peers and build relationships within their cohort.  This sense of community can lead to increased student engagement and motivation, as learners feel supported and connected to their peers and educators. Furthermore, cohorts can provide opportunities for collaborative learning and peer-to-peer teaching, as students work together towards common goals. This can lead to deeper learning and a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.

Creating a Personalized Learning Environment

Personalized learning cohorts are designed to encourage collaboration through engagement among diverse learners who have the same set of goals from the learning content and environment. Here are some key elements that contribute to fostering collaboration and engagement through this modell:

• Active Engagement
  
  Participants actively engage with each other, sharing insights, perspectives, and experiences. This collaborative engagement helps create a sense of community, where individuals learn from one another and build valuable professional relationships.

• Structured Group Activities
  
  Personalized learning cohorts often include group activities such as case studies, workshops, and project-based assignments. These activities prompt participants to collaborate, brainstorm ideas, and work together towards a common goal. Through collaboration, participants gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter and develop critical problem-solving skills.

• Regular Feedback and Reflection
  
  Personalized learning cohorts encourage regular feedback and reflection sessions. Participants provide constructive feedback to their peers, fostering a supportive environment for growth and improvement. This feedback loop not only enhances learning but also strengthens collaborative skills such as active listening and empathy.

Advantages of Personalized Learning Cohorts

Implementing personalized learning cohorts in your organization can yield several benefits, including:

• Enhanced Problem-Solving
  
  Cohorts provide diverse perspectives and approaches to problem-solving. By working with peers from different backgrounds and experiences, participants learn to think critically, adapt to new perspectives, and develop innovative solutions to complex challenges.

• Improved Communication Skills
  
  Personalized learning cohorts require effective communication among participants. Through discussions, presentations, and group projects, individuals enhance their verbal and written communication skills, which are vital for successful collaboration in any professional setting.

• Building a Supportive Network
  
  Personalized learning cohorts foster the development of a strong professional network. Participants often form lasting connections with their peers, providing ongoing support, knowledge sharing, and potential collaboration beyond the learning program itself.

Personalized learning has emerged as a powerful educational model that not only imparts valuable knowledge and skills but also cultivates individual strengths and assets within organizations. By actively engaging participants, providing structured group activities, and promoting feedback and reflection, personalized learning creates an environment conducive to collaboration. Discover how ASSIST Creativelab can help you create a customized learning experience that is tailored to the needs of your workforce and tap into the collective intelligence and creativity of your teams to foster collaboration and drive success in today’s dynamic business landscape.

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Every industry domain has experienced an advancement in technology in recent decades, and the education technology industry is no exception. Creative approaches are revolutionizing teaching strategies that are mainly reliant on textbooks and lectures. Immersive and interactive learning pedagogies that transcend the bounds of conventional education have emerged as a result of this transformation. As a result, Artificial intelligence tools like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have fundamentally changed how we engage with learning content. With the help of these revolutionary technologies, learners will actively explore, participate in conversations, and learn in ways that were never possible until now.

The problem of disengagement and passive learning, which frequently arises in traditional educational approaches, now can be addressed through embedding  AR and VR within the instructional pedagogy of the content.  Adapting to AR and VR will make  the content more immersive, interactive, and experiential, tackling the issue of disengagement and turning passive learning into active involvement. This will give learners the chance to investigate and engage with virtual environments, situations, and simulations, creating a deeper comprehension and memory of the content . When the learners are engaged with the content and actively involved, it also improves understanding, recall, and critical thinking skills by allowing learners to visualize complicated topics. Additionally, AR and VR boost accessibility by providing virtual experiences that can be accessed from anywhere, circumventing geographical limits. This inclusive approach ensures that all learners have equal access to immersive and engaging learning experiences.

Advantages of AR- and VR-based Trainings in Organizations

Protected Learning Environment
VR based training is a personalized learning environment, where the learning outcomes provide an opportunity to the learners to perform a self-evaluation and take corrective measures till desired / required results are achieved. Learners have the flexibility  to test their skills through assessments with multiple attempts and options to restart, allowing them to apply their knowledge. This g format of learning pedagogy helps the learner to maximize their learning intake by providing endless opportunities and freedom.

Experience-based Learning Environment
By actively engaging learners through experienced based real-world simulations, virtual scenarios, and interactivities,   takes the learning experience above and beyond the approaches that were used in the past. Learners are seen to be more motivated and engaged with the content, which enhances knowledge retention, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities, hence making the learning goals assessment more qualitative and achievable.

Theory to Practice
The gap between academic understanding and practical application is filled via interactive training. Realistic simulations and hands-on learning opportunities help learners prepare for real-world problems and maximize the transfer of skills and knowledge.

Time and Cost
AR and VR-based training drastically increase time and cost efficiency in organizational training programs. Streamlined processes and the elimination of physical intervention reduces training time and expenses along with giving the flexibility to the learners of learning anywhere at any time . Scalability and remote accessibility lowers the cost when the learning programs are rolled at a large scale. When it comes to adapting to an AI based learning model, the initial investment may be a bit high but these are one-time investments where the training can be used and re-used for the foreseeable future without incurring additional costs towards development and roll-out.  

We can expect a future where these technologies will become progressively widespread in the learning and development landscape as organizations continue to embrace AR and VR-based interventions. More immersive and realistic training experiences will be possible because of improvements in technology and platforms. Programs for training that are individualized and adaptable will be made possible by the merging of artificial intelligence and data analytics. Additionally, social and collaborative components will improve team-based learning and information sharing. With constant advancements, AR and VR will change interactive learning experiences and enable businesses to maximize the potential of their employees.

At ACL, our goal is to improve learning methods by focusing on the retention of information and interaction. Our lessons and programmes are created to encourage involvement, comprehension, and actionable results. You can maximize the educational process at your organization by partnering with ASSIST Creative Lab. Together, we will design transformative learning opportunities that inspire achievement in learners.

Contact us now!

Reference:

Talespin – The advantages of virtual training.
https://www.talespin.com/blog-post/the-advantages-of-virtual-reality-training

Programace – Augmented Reality in Corporate Training: Save Resources While Increasing Performance. https://program-ace.com/blog/augmented-reality-in-corporate-training/

Education technology has evolved considerably over the past decade and has seen multiple shifts in order to provide a great online learning experience to learners and ease of facilitation for the educators / administrators. We have been witnessing a shift from traditional desktop / laptop based learning to learning on mobile devices made possible because of the advanced development infrastructure and authoring platforms. While the technology has evolved that has helped the facilitators to provide learning on the go, so have the learning interventions. Learning pedagogies such as microlearning, content gamification, AR/VR (augmented and virtual reality) and adaptive paths, have been seeing high adoption rate due to its extremely popular and effectiveness in meeting the learning objectives.   

With advanced learning techniques being used to capture learner attention, it is still imperative that educators, and authors provide the learners with what they need based on their roles and growth requirements. While organizational learning is high on the agenda for every institution, there are certain challenges every company faces when it comes to  providing personalized and hands-on learning given the constraints towards availability of time and resources both from the side of learners and developers. To overcome these challenges, adaptive learning was seen to be the perfect counter due to its ability to personalize content from the get go which allowed trainers to meet the diverse needs of learners without investing too much time on curating the content or setting up advanced infrastructure.

Adaptive learning is an innovative educational approach or pedagogy that makes use of technology to develop customized learning paths for the learners based on their learning requirements. It curates the learning path based on  learners’ requirements, preferences, role, growth needs, and maturity level, enabling them to learn at their own pace and in the manner of their choice. Adaptive learning systems use artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to assess learner data and deliver timely feedback, direction, and pertinent information that is in line with each of their strengths, limitations, and learning goals. Adaptive learning is built around the concept of providing individualized learning experience for each user by having them integrated in the decision process. The system reacts to user choices and needs, and then curates the best possible learning path to help learners meet their objectives. 

Here are some benefits why organizations should look into pivoting to an adaptive learning infrastructure. 

Customized learning paths
Adaptive learning recognizes that every learner is unique and learns in their own unique way. By offering personalized learning paths and content, it accommodates diverse learning styles and preferences, enabling learners to engage with the content in a manner that suits them best. This personalized learning path fosters better understanding, retention, and application of knowledge.

Personalized content
Adaptive learning identifies areas where learners struggle or excel and provides personalized content accordingly. It helps address knowledge gaps and provides additional support to learners who need it, ensuring that they grasp foundational concepts before progressing to more complex topics.

Improves engagement
Traditional one-size-fits-all teaching methods may fail to engage learners effectively, leading to disinterest and disengagement. Adaptive learning, on the other hand, promotes active participation and motivating the learners  by delivering content that aligns with learners interests and abilities. It provides interactive and dynamic learning experiences through gamification, simulations, and multimedia, making the content more engaging and enjoyable.

Personalized insights
Adaptive learning systems continuously collect and analyze data on learner performance, allowing for real-time feedback and progress tracking. Learners receive immediate feedback on their strengths and weaknesses, enabling them to focus on areas that require improvement. Educators also benefit from these insights, enabling them to identify trends and provide timely interventions and support.

How your organization can harness the potential of adaptive learning

Assess organizational goals
Assess the requirements and goals of your organization before you begin. Define the specific challenges or areas in which adaptive learning could make an impact. Determine the training goals you have and how adaptive learning might help you reach them.

Identify learners
Define the group of learners who can benefit from adaptive learning. Identify the preferred methods of learning, and learning goals of this audience. With this knowledge, the adaptive approach to learning can be personalized to their individual requirements.

Choose the right adaptive learning system/ partner
Consider your organization’s needs and goals while selecting an adaptive learning platform. Consider factors like the platform’s track record for delivering personalized learning experiences, adaptability, compatibility with existing systems, security of data, and more.

Implement pilot programs
To measure the impact of adaptive learning within the company, start with pilot attempts. To implement adaptive learning, identify a set of learners for a specific course and collect opinions from learners as well as educators. Use this information to improve the adaptive method of learning.

Monitor and evaluate
Monitor learning goals and objectives to analyze the outcomes of learners’ progress. Gain insights into learner performance, participation, and engagement through analyzing the data collected by the platform. Use this data to make well informed decisions when it comes to learning path, content delivery, better user engagement and learner retention. 

Challenges and future directions

Adaptive learning has a lot of potential, but it also has limitations. Factors that are essential to take into consideration include privacy issues, data security, and ensuring the ethical use of learner data. Additional research and development are required to hone algorithms, raise the caliber of content, and boost the efficiency of adaptive learning systems. To solve these issues and realize the full potential of adaptive learning, collaboration between educators, academics, and technology is essential. Partner with ASSIST Creativelab to unleash the potential of your organization’s educational process.

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Videos for advocacy have a clear purpose – to drive awareness and inspire tangible actions. Videos create a powerful emotional impact by connecting viewers to personal stories, illustrating stark realities, and providing direct visual evidence of social issues. They are accessible and versatile, allowing you to reach diverse audiences across various platforms. As videos offer a simple and efficient way to convey a message or idea to the masses, integrating videos into an advocacy campaign allows for a more streamlined process to increase visibility and expand the reach of your campaign.

That said, a video is only as consequential as its capacity to leave an impression on its audience and galvanize them into action. Using a video to create awareness is one thing, but inspiring your audience to take action is how you create a movement and attain the results you want. Thus, creating a successful video advocacy campaign requires thorough planning and execution. 

It is important that you define your objectives, understand your audience, create engaging content, and promote your video through the right channels to reach relevant and wider audiences. Basic ethical principles must also always be considered and taken into account in video production. You must always strive to ensure that your video provides accurate and unbiased information and inclusive content.

If you want to integrate videos into your advocacy campaigns, consider these five main steps:

1. Define your goal
   Before you start creating your video, define your goal. What do you want to achieve with your campaign? Do you want to raise awareness about a particular issue, change public opinion, or influence policy? Once you have a clear idea of your goal, you will be able to create a video that’s tailored to achieve it.

2. Know your audience
   Knowing your audience is key to creating an impactful video advocacy campaign. Who are you trying to reach with your message? What are their interests and concerns? What kind of content do they like to watch? By answering these questions, you can create a video that resonates with your target audience.

3. Keep it short and engaging
   People have short attention spans, so it’s important to keep your video short and engaging. Aim for a video that’s no longer than three minutes, and make sure it’s visually interesting and emotionally compelling. Use compelling music, detailed graphics, and coherent animations to keep viewers engaged.

4. Use a call to action
   Your video should have a clear call to action that tells viewers what they can do to support your cause or get involved. This might be signing a petition, making a donation, or sharing the video on social media. Make sure the call to action is easy to understand and simple to follow.

5. Promote your video
   Once you’ve created your video, you need to promote it. Share it on social media, post it on your website, and send it to your email list. Encourage your audience to share the video with their networks.

6. Measure the impact
   Measuring the impact of the video is important to understand if the campaign was successful or not. You can use various metrics such as views, shares, engagement, and conversions to measure the impact of the video. Analyzing the metrics will help you to understand what worked well and what did not, and make improvements for future campaigns.

Video advocacy campaigns have become vital in keeping audiences informed, engaged, and inspired to act in today’s technology-driven world. That is why ASSIST Creativelab delivers customized powerful video content for advocacy campaigns – from animation and motion graphics to comprehensive live-action shoots –  that can help you reach your goals.

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Exchanging information is only one aspect of effective communication. Understanding the emotion and intentions underlying each subject matter is important. Knowing your audience, how to reach them, and how to individualize your message so your target users can relate to them and understand them are all necessary for effective communication tactics. Therefore, it’s crucial to be clear about the messaging, the audience being targeted, and the best way to reach them. 

To be able to communicate with your target audience through  the use of compelling and relatable stories is a skill that successful leaders in business, non-governmental organizations, and philanthropy have mastered. Given the current technology trend where everyone is consuming content through social channels, and digital media, it has become imperative that businesses and organizations differentiate themselves so they can stand out from their peers or competition. This is where Digital storytelling comes in. Through the power of storytelling, organizations can now  create impact, communicate key messages, drive suitable actions, and establish relatability with their target audience.

With the advancements in digital technology, content authoring and curation has now become extremely easy, resulting in a massive amount of content inflow. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that every piece of story or content that is produced is relevant and high quality. With an increasing amount of content to consume there is also an increase in noise, resulting in content fatigue for the users… Which makes it increasingly difficult for organizations to stand out, grab people’s attention, and influence them in meaningful ways. To counter this, it is important that authors follow three Cs of content development —compelling character, catchy opening , and clear call to action and apply it to their stories and narratives.

Compelling Character:
Stories should have a single, distinctive subject that the audience can identify with. A “Story,” which is defined as “a description of an event or something that happened to someone”, should focus on a subject and position the organization as the “enabler” rather than the protagonist. According to the study Stories Worth Telling from Georgetown University’s Center for Social Impact Communication, a subject is effective if it exhibits the following four aspects:

1. A universal need: The universal needs of the subject matter, such as hope, self-respect, and growth, must be expressed through stories.
2. Relatable: Stories must highlight the characteristics of your subjects that make them similar or relatable to the audience, such as being a part of a community or going through a particular phase of life.
3. Three-dimensional: To be more engaging and authentic, stories must present a 360-degree view of the subject by incorporating different perspectives.
4. Charismatic: Stories must build on and encourage the subject to recollect and relate specific details, memories, and feelings in their own words or perspective.

Catchy Opening:
According to Facebook research, the average duration of a video published on the platform in 2017 was 3 minutes and 48 seconds, but the average time spent watching was just 10 seconds, or 4% of the total video length. How does this affect digital storytellers? This means that writers and strategists only have a few seconds to catch the audience’s attention, especially with videos, therefore what is truly needed is a catchy opening – like a ‘hook’. A hook can be demonstrated in a variety of ways, such as showing what’s at risk and how it relates to the viewers, introducing an issue or question, and then offering a solution at its conclusion.

Clear Call-to-Action:
Storytelling can only help an organization advance its goals if it inspires and encourages individuals to take an action toward the same goal. Therefore, storytellers must be strategic in order to achieve the desired impact. A clear call-to-action may entail including a phrase or an actionable task at the conclusion that states what you want your audience to do. The most popular call-to-action among the organizations studied in the Stories Worth Telling study by Georgetown University’s Center for Social Impact Communication was to donate (77%), followed by volunteer (50%), and sharing the story (5%). When it comes to digital storytelling and social impact, well-crafted calls to action are crucial, while they may also be creative to easily catch attention.

Web-based platforms, and social media networks in particular, are being used to promote rapid and extensive knowledge sharing. It is inevitable that digital storytelling will become a more powerful and relied-upon instrument for outreach, service delivery, and social impact as more people use social media to remain informed and engaged. It is a powerful strategic outreach tool that when used to its full potential has the ability to deliver a message that is meaningful, enlightening, engaging, and mobilizing. Through this, viewers are impacted by the message and moved to take action.

The process of creating a digital story, which was formerly confined to desktop computers or laptops, is now available with less expensive and easier to use mobile devices and web-based tools that practitioners of all ages may utilize. The newly developed digital stories may be simply shared online with people all around the world and seen on computers, tablets, smartphones, and a variety of digital devices. It is expected that as digital storytelling spreads, more people and organizations will come up with creative, cutting-edge methods to incorporate it into lessons and other teaching and learning activities. 

Every organization has a story to tell. If you feel that your organization needs assistance in effectively communicating their narratives through digital storytelling,  there is someone to help. ASSIST Creativelab offers services that can provide for the overwhelming need for thought leadership, capacity building, and resources to strengthen storytelling in the field. Through strategic guidance and capacity-building tools, your organization can leverage the power of narrative and the reach of networks to extend your reach and enhance your impact.

References:

Digital Storytelling for Social Impact (SSIR). (n.d.). (C) 2005-2023. https://ssir.org/articles/entry/digital_storytelling_for_social_impact

Great Valley Publishing Company, Inc. (n.d.). Social Work Today – The Power of Digital Storytelling. https://www.socialworktoday.com/news/enews_1015_1.shtml

Center for Social Impact Communication. (n.d.). Breaking through the noise: Digital storytelling for social impact – Center for Social Impact Communication. https://csic.georgetown.edu/magazine/breaking-noise-digital-storytelling-social-impact/

Gamification has emerged as a powerful tool for enhancing user engagement and retention. Its applicability ranges from training to marketing to mobile and website apps in various domains , such as but not limited to education, marketing, and human resources. The process of gamification involves incorporating game-like elements into non-game contexts in order to create experiences that are enjoyable, engaging, and memorable for users. This has proven to be beneficial in improving the rate in which a user processes and maintains information as well as in staying focused on a productive activity.

What is gamification?

Gamification is a strategy that leverages people’s inclination for socializing, learning, mastery, competition, achievement, and status through game design elements and principles. Some classic game elements are rewards, badges, and leaderboards. This ultimately makes tasks or activities more enjoyable as users are incentivized to engage with the content and motivated to achieve the desired outcomes.

How does gamification enhance user engagement?

Gamification can be used in user engagement strategies to address the challenge of retention and motivation. This is especially effective for improving learning outcomes by incorporating game-like elements such as quizzes, challenges, and simulations, designers can create interactive and engaging learning experiences. This results in increased retention and understanding of the material, hence keeping the users motivated to consume content and interact with the product. By creating a sense of progress and achievement through game-like elements, users are more likely to be more involved to complete tasks and reach desired goals. This can be especially effective in contexts where users are required to complete repetitive or mundane tasks without any administrative intervention. Here’s how it works:

1. Behavior Reinforcement
   
   Gamification can effectively reinforce user behavior. Incorporating game-like elements allows you to reward users for their actions, such as leveling up or earning points by completing specific goals. Rewards are a powerful way to incite enjoyment of an activity. As a result, users are more engaged and inclined to return.

2. Autonomy
   
   Gamification can enhance user engagement by giving the user a sense of control. By designing a campaign with compelling game design, it promotes exploration and allows users to make choices on how to proceed. When users have agency in how they play and interact, they are more likely to find the overall experience enjoyable.

3. Competition
   
   Gamification takes into account the fact that people are competitive by nature. Adding a competitive aspect to an activity means that once a user starts it, they will likely become committed out of a desire to win, or at least outrank others involved in the activity. Competition within oneself can also be encouraged by creating goals or best scores that audiences will want to beat.

4. Progress
   
   In game mechanics, players typically have a sense of their progress, such as their current level or how much further they have to go. One way to implement this is through progress mechanics like progress bars, levels and milestones. The use of progress mechanics not only helps players track their progress, it also enables them to gauge how close they are to achieving the top score in a competitive leaderboard.

That being said, it is important to note that gamification is not a one-size-fits-all solution. In order for gamification to be effective, it must be carefully tailored to the specific context and audience. Designers must also take care to ensure that the game-like elements do not distract from the core functionality of the product or service. Because strategy formulation in successful gamification is data-driven, ASSIST Creativelab captures relevant data and puts the strategic insights into action and makes products and experiences more enjoyable and engaging for users.

The best way to create a successful gamified experience is to collaborate with professionals. Contact us today to explore how we can collaborate with you!

Establishing a social impact brand profile for a nonprofit organization, business, government entity, or any other type of organization can prove to be far more challenging than developing a traditional brand profile due to its distinctive objective of creating impact and driving action. While a conventional consumer brand aims to establish familiarity, trust, and added-value of a business, a social impact brand aspires for more, such as promoting empathy for others, changing individual or group behavior, generating support for a cause, or inspiring continuous financial contributions to a particular cause.

Social impact brands acquaint themselves with the human experience and prioritize the beneficiary by putting them at the center of the process supported by stakeholders and partners to create a brand ecosystem. This process goes beyond logos, taglines, and organizational boundaries in order to ensure that campaigns, movements, or initiatives are not limited to a single system.

This is where strategic creativity comes in. Strategic creativity allows for the transformation of  ideas into knowledge and solutions by adding inspiration to experiences, narrative to texts, and insight to aspirations. It creates content for a brand, product, or service that stimulates emotions or provides value to your audience. If executed successfully, strategic creativity can help your social impact brand stand out from the digital noise and foster connection between your brand and your audience.

Strategic creativity serves as a catalyst for innovation. It requires a structured but visionary approach which involves utilizing a range of tools and techniques that lay the groundwork for successful initiatives which include impactful campaigns, narrative-driven content, purposeful branding, and immersive experiences that truly resonate with audiences. In the absence of strategic creativity, a social impact brand may hold appeal but lack the necessary impact to captivate, compel, and connect with the audience. 

The concept of strategic creativity may seem contradictory to many, akin to the concept of “organized chaos.” To the casual eye, strategy and creativity would appear to be at odds with one another, but both can, and should, coexist to foster innovation in any type of organization that implements social impact as part of its brand activities and brand story. While it may be tempting to prioritize strategic decision-making and downplay the role of creativity to minimize risk, relying solely on either deprives an organization of diversity of knowledge and experiences. ASSIST CreativeLab is committed to help organizations realize its full potential by adopting strategic creativity for its social impact branding that values both data-driven insights and outside-the-box thinking.

Get in touch with us today to explore how we can help and collaborate with you!

References:

“Strategic Creativity is Key to Novel Ideas.” IP.com. https://ip.com/blog/strategic-creativity-is-key-to-novel-ideas/

Poverty, educational inequality, and climate change are only a few of the social challenges that affect people globally. These continue to grow in complexity and increasingly require transnational coordinated efforts among countries, non-governmental organizations, communities, and individuals. These coordinated efforts work towards addressing these challenges sustainably, and there continues to be an important role for technology to deliver a widespread impact. Technology provides many opportunities for these institutions to streamline processes and improve efficiency that can further their efforts in addressing these social challenges.

One technological solution that has gained prominence in addressing social challenges is machine learning, a branch of artificial intelligence that leverages data and algorithms to identify patterns and make predictions or decisions with minimal human intervention. With the growing volumes and varieties of available data and cost-effective computational processing and data storage, advances in machine learning present an opportunity to build better tools and solutions to help address some of the world’s most pressing challenges, and deliver positive social impact. It is viewed to have potential across a range of social domains.

Poverty and Hunger
Machine learning is a growing trend in identifying poverty-stricken regions as scientists have been integrating machine learning into research designed to tackle poverty. They leverage the constant stream of photographs taken by satellites to get a feel for global economic activity. Stanford University economist Marshall Burke augmented this approach in order to identify places of near-poverty from those of absolute poverty. Using survey data from Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Malawi, and Rwanda, Burke and his team predicted the distribution of poverty throughout the countries. The algorithm could predict poverty 81 percent to 99 percent more accurately than a nightlight-only model. With this kind of information, policy makers could monitor economic wellbeing in various parts of the world and evaluate the effectiveness of antipoverty programs.

Educational Inequality
Several projects have recently contributed to the ways in which machine learning can help improve learning opportunities for students and management systems. IBM is using technology for poverty eradication through the “Simpler Voice: Overcoming Illiteracy” project. The initiative leverages machine learning to help adult learners who have low literacy skills or are illiterate in navigating content with more confidence by translating texts and presenting their basic meaning through visuals or simple spoken words. Geekie, an EdTech company in Brazil, developed an adaptive learning platform that received accreditation from the country’s Ministry of Education. Currently, over 5,000 schools in the country utilize the platform to offer customized learning experiences for students. Using machine learning, the software provides personalized content as the student interacts with it over time. Additionally, it can identify learning difficulties experienced by students, which human educators can use to determine appropriate interventions and provide targeted support.

Climate Change
As climate change continues to intensify storms, wildfires, and droughts, the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning is gaining attention as a means to predict and mitigate its impacts. Sipremo is a startup that employs artificial intelligence to enhance the safety, cleanliness, and sustainability of urban areas. The company developed an artificial intelligence model that can predict the time, location, and nature of climate change or disaster events that may occur in the future, providing an opportunity to take prevention actions. This can help reduce or even prevent the harmful environmental impacts that such events may cause. Kettle, a startup that uses machine learning to combat climate change, leverages deep learning techniques to create a more intelligent reinsurance model that can more accurately anticipate the catastrophic consequences of climate change. Their latest model successfully predicted wildfires in the top 20 percent of high-risk areas.

The application of machine learning will have far-reaching impacts on nearly every facet of people’s daily lives. Leveraging this technology efficiently and ethically can provide institutions and governments an advantage in addressing complex social challenges that require innovative solutions. 

As data-intensive analysis and knowledge-based management are essential components of machine learning initiatives, these tasks need the availability of specific expertise and high data quality. ASSIST Creativelab can provide your organization with these to enable machine learning implementation in your current organizational processes.

Contact us now!

References:

Bennington-Castro, J. (2017). AI Is a Game-Changer in the Fight Against Hunger and Poverty. Here’s Why. https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/tech/ai-game-changer-fight-against-hunger-poverty-here-s-why-ncna774696

Kalejs, E. (2022). 7 AI innovations helping to combat climate change. https://aiforgood.itu.int/7-ai-innovations-helping-to-combat-climate-change/

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2019). Artificial Intelligence in Education: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Development. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000366994/PDF/366994eng.pdf.multi

Information has never been easier and faster to access as it is today. The digital age, also called the information age, has made the release and distribution of information possible with only a few clicks. While this brings greater efficiency and convenience to the consumer, threats against information quality and accuracy also continue to surge as content becomes easier to manipulate.

Information disorder, which refers to the mishandling of information with or without the intent to do so, is one such threat. Information disorder can be classified into three types: misinformation, disinformation, and mal-information. Misinformation is false information shared without the intent to cause harm (e.g., making false connections and misleading content), disinformation is false information with the intent to cause harm (e.g., providing false contexts, manipulating and fabricating content), and mal-information is genuine information shared to cause harm (e.g., leaks, harassment, hate speech).

Information disorder is seen to be highly relevant and prominent in the topic of the climate crisis. An analysis of social media activity done by Graham Readfearn in 2016  found that the most shared article about climate change was an article claiming that climate change was a hoax. Another study by Constantine Boussalis and Travis G. Coan found that in recent years, mis- and disinformation targeting climate science has been increasing relative to arguments targeting climate policy.

The reality of the climate crisis is an undeniable truth: average global temperatures are increasing due to emissions of greenhouse gasses released by human activities. And yet, many conversations about the climate crisis remain aimless, where urgency is minimized and the science is called into question. 

The climate information disorder include deceptive or misleading content that:

• Undermines the existence or impacts of climate change, the undeniable human influence on climate change, and the need for corresponding urgent action;

• Misrepresents scientific data, including by omission or cherry-picking, in order to erode trust in climate science, climate-focused institutions, experts, and solutions; or

• Falsely publicizes efforts as supportive of climate action that in fact contribute to climate warming.

The benefits of knowledge management systems to climate action

Knowledge has become a critical asset and intellectual capital of any organization’s capacity.  If an organization is adept at capturing, sharing and building its internal knowledge – making this knowledge easy to access and apply – then the organization is more likely to be effective in designing, delivering and improving its work and contribution towards climate action. Organizations that demonstrate effective utilization and protection of knowledge can build trust among stakeholders, which has the potential to create competitive advantage in times where trust is fast depleting in the thick of climate information disorder. 

Thus, organizations must integrate knowledge security as a fundamental organizational activity, an inseparable part of a knowledge management approach, for organizations operating under the challenging circumstances in the climate crisis. 

Securing knowledge management systems

Knowledge security is defined as ‘the measures taken to protect knowledge from accidental or intentional disclosure to unauthorized persons and from unauthorized alteration’. In this definition, the significance of knowledge is highlighted based on the risks associated with its alteration; external threats are indicated; and the basic components of a risk management approach to knowledge security are laid.

In view of the climate information disorder, organizations need to account for emerging dynamics in order to secure their knowledge. Knowledge security has three dimensions: people, products, and processes. Along these dimensions, several implications can be extracted. 

First, with regard to people, capacity building is crucial in order to train them on how to recognize information disorder tactics through inoculation and prebunking, which involves an explicit warning of an impending disinformation attempt and a refutation of an anticipated argument that exposes its fallacy. One of the most effective ways to counter climate misinformation is to understand the five primary techniques used to spread it:

• False expertise: Presenting an unqualified person or institution as a source of credible information.
• Logical fallacies: Arguments where the conclusions don’t logically follow from the premises.
• Impossible expectations: Demanding unrealistic standards of proof before acting on the science.
• Conspiracy theories: Proposing that a secret plan exists to implement a nefarious scheme, such as hiding a truth.
• Cherry-picking data: Carefully selecting data that appear to confirm one position while ignoring other data that contradicts that position.

Second, when products are considered, for example, the explicit form of knowledge in the form of documents, organizations must ensure legitimacy and credibility. Knowledge products should be adequately resourced and referenced, in order to gain traction. This will allow stakeholders to vet the source of the product.

Third, in terms of procedures, knowledge communication needs to be established, especially in the case of relationships with stakeholders. A key piece of advice for building knowledge management systems is to capitalize on systems and processes that people are already using.

Every falsehood, distortion, and conspiracy theory about climate change is an obstacle to meaningful climate action—which is a collective effort that requires everyone’s agreement on a set of basic facts. ASSIST Creativelab works to aid organizations in securing organizational knowledge through knowledge management systems for the improvement of their climate adaptation work.

Engage with us today!

Source:

Cook, J. ( 2019). Turning Climate Misinformation into an Educational Opportunity. Climate Change Communication. https://www.climatechangecommunication.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Cook_2019_TMEO.pdf

Climate Finance Ready. (2020). Knowledge management: An ingredient for better climate adaptation. https://www.adaptation-fund.org/knowledge-management-an-ingredient-for-better-climate-adaptation/

Lindwall, C. (2022). How to Spot—and Help Stop—Climate Misinformation. Natural Resources Defense Council. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/how-spot-and-help-stop-climate-misinformation

Organizations engage in impact evaluation to acquire information about the observed changes or ‘impacts’ produced by an intervention or an organizational change. For many organizations, an impact evaluation is used to improve or reorient an intervention or to make better and more informed decisions about whether to continue, discontinue, replicate or scale up an intervention. With donors and taxpayers directing significant amounts of funds to aid in addressing some of the most pressing social issues through organizations’ programmes, understanding how that money is being utilized, the outcomes of those programmes, and their impacts on stakeholders cannot be undermined. 

In facilitating this, monitoring and evaluation of data and information on key indicators must be collected and established in order to ensure validity and reliability. Thus, an impact evaluation requires a well knit monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system; more importantly, a valid impact evaluation requires a reliable monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system.

A monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system is used to assess the success and performance of programmed activities and projects. This generally involves tracking progress with respect to the project’s initial objective and analyzing data captured and measured on an ongoing basis to improve, and assess the programme’s performance. A strong M&E system can provide important information about the quality of programme implementation, which is especially useful for impact evaluation. A strong M&E can also provide:

• Factual, quantitative, and qualitative information about the programme implementation
  Most programme implementations deviate from the original plan due to logistical and political challenges. Understanding how the programme has diverged from or adhered to this plan is key to attributing the observed change in the outcomes to the programme. Frequent data monitoring can provide the information about the programme implementation.

• Salient data about whether targets have been met 
  Evaluations can help assess implementation fidelity, success in targeting planned beneficiaries, validation of key assumptions hypothesized in the theory of change, and providing important information about the field efficacy of the planned implementation. Programme evaluation can also help assess if a programme has progressed enough to do an impact evaluation.  

Below are some key points to keep in mind when developing a reliable M&E system which can be used to carry out a valid impact evaluation: 

• Articulate the theory of change with inputs from all the stakeholders including the evaluation team.

• Establish monitoring and information systems to track inputs, activities, processes, and immediate outputs.

• Develop key indicators and protocols for measuring attributable change. Do an evaluability assessment and discuss why an impact evaluation is important.

• Use robust and regular qualitative data and approaches to inform, validate or understand exceptions to the overall theory of change.

• Understand and analyze sources of bias (specifically, selection bias and programme placement bias).

• Set up explicit or implicit counterfactuals.

• Pay close attention to challenges to external validity: use disaggregated data and attend to important areas like unintended consequences for different target sub-groups, gender impacts, equity and heterogeneity in general.

• Train program staff and M&E professionals in protocol development, data collection, methods, analyses and interpretation.

• Analyze and understand design efficacy, implementation fidelity and causal impact.

• Review, reflect and update the system based on impact evaluation findings.

• Undertake cost and cost-effectiveness studies.

A strong M&E system is a long-term instrument that can aid in improving the implementation of existing programmes as well as informing decisions about new ones. ASSIST Creativelab helps organizations run monitoring and evaluation studies across sectors and thematic areas for impact interventions.

Engage with us today!

Sources:

Puri, J. and Rathinam, F. (n.d). Designing an M&E System for Impact Evaluation: Tips for Program Designers and Evaluators. Green Climate Fund. https://ieu.greenclimate.fund/blog/designing-me-system-impact-evaluation-tips-program-designers-and-evaluators

In the past two decades, we have witnessed unprecedented environmental changes that have resulted from the misuse and mismanagement of natural resources in pursuit of global development. The massive increase in technological dependency and large-scale infrastructure development have made fundamental impacts on the environment, manifested in the worsening impact on climate. One sector that is particularly affected by this is the agricultural sector. Climate change disrupts the agricultural ecosystem, as a result of changes in agricultural climatic elements such as temperature, precipitation, and sunlight. Even more so, increased intensity and frequency of storms, drought and flooding, altered hydrological cycles and precipitation variance threaten agricultural production and livelihoods around the world.

At the same time, the agriculture sector is a major contributor to the climate problem. Since the beginning of the Green Revolution, the productivity of the global agricultural system has more than doubled, improving food security and meeting dietary demands for a growing global population. However, this growth has also imposed environmental costs due to unsustainable agriculture and farming practices. Agricultural activities currently generate 19%–30% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the total anthropogenic emission. As such, new attention is being given to agriculture’s role in the climate change solution.

As climate change continues to exert increasing pressure upon the livelihoods and agricultural sector of many developing and developed nations, multiple stakeholders are working towards climate change adaptation through  generating huge amounts of data, information, and knowledge. However,  the  increasing  complexity of the climate problem demands a more comprehensive and collaborative approach. It requires investment in key management practices in finding and sharing relevant information. While generating information is an important element of knowledge management, it will not have an impact unless it is processed, analyzed, and disseminated to those in need in a format that is easily understood. Moreover, climate change science is continuously being updated, and new information and knowledge products in the form of coping strategies, technologies, and monitoring mechanisms are continuously being developed at national, regional, and global levels. These data, information, and knowledge do not necessarily find their way to potential beneficiaries, especially those at the forefront of climate change impacts—farmers, fisherfolk, and coastal communities.

The cornerstone of the solution to the issue of climate change and agriculture lies in better connecting the existing data, information and knowledge on the issue: developing and establishing knowledge management mechanisms and technologies that link relevant content on creating  climate resilient and sustainable agriculture—be it reports, projects, organizations, people, policies—across platforms, websites and the web at large, and across the multiple scales, disciplines and sectors involved in implementation.

To address the urgent existential threat posed by climate change, a transformation in how the world seeks and finds the information to address these enormous and interrelated missions is necessary. A streamlined Knowledge Management framework will present ways to hasten widespread knowledge uptake and implementation by leveraging present-day technologies and emerging digital approaches. 

At ASSIST Creativelab we are committed to help organizations in finding better ways to utilize existing technology and explore new channels. Our intervention is focused towards creating an ecosystem in which the communities and actors can learn from one another by sharing and creating eLearning content through streamlined knowledge management frameworks. This intervention will not only allow us to work together as a true global community in addressing challenges related to information dissemination but it will also ensure that all the stakeholders and beneficiaries are at the same level when it comes to awareness and knowledge consumption.

Get in touch with us today to explore how we can help and collaborate with you!

Sources:

Asian Development Bank. (2011). People’s Republic of Bangladesh: Climate Change Capacity Building and Knowledge Management. Available from: https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/project-document/61048/45065-001-ban-tar.pdf

Barrott, J., Bharwani, S., Brandon, K. (2020). Transforming knowledge  management for climate action:  a road map for accelerated  discovery and learning. Placard. Available from: https://www.placard-network.eu/wp-content/PDFs/PLACARD-Transforming-knowledge-for-climate-action-2020.pdf

Food and Agriculture Organization. (2018). Emissions due to agriculture. Global, regional and country trends 1990–2018.  Available from: https://www.fao.org/3/cb3808en/cb3808en.pdf

Walljasper, C. (2019). Agriculture is one of the biggest contributors to climate change. But it can also be a part of the solution. Midwest Center. Available from: https://investigatemidwest.org/2019/09/27/agriculture-is-one-of-the-biggest-contributors-to-climate-change-but-it-can-also-be-a-part-of-the-solution/

Stories are a powerful tool for inspiring action by creating human connection and emotional resonance. Well-crafted stories can communicate abstract and complex ideas in ways that encourage understanding and value connections. This is especially important in the nonprofit industry. Stories put a face or name on an organization and the communities and people it works with and for, bringing its mission to life and providing a glimpse into the lives of individuals or communities. These stories connect with emotions and can inspire people to act — to bring about change.

Nonprofit organizations have the ability to shift the dynamics in the development sector by bringing the right people and resources together to improve both the supply side and the demand side of the storytelling marketplace.  With the rise of new and ever-evolving technologies, people are more connected to information than ever before. Nonprofit organizations are facing an unprecedented opportunity to harness the power of narratives to tell compelling stories and showcase their impact. However, the ubiquity of the digital world makes it a lot harder for nonprofit organizations, who are more likely to have limited access to resources to gather and curate compelling stories, to stand out among the crowd.

To address this, nonprofit organizations must use the right tools and technology they need to tell more and effective stories — those that get people invested and involved. The guide below explores answers to critical questions in five key areas, and suggests tools and resources needed to help organizations elevate the practice and impact of digital storytelling. 

1. STRATEGY: How can digital storytelling help nonprofit organizations advance their missions?
   • Storytelling must be strategic. Social impact organizations often dive into storytelling without articulating clear goals, understanding the interests and motivations of target audiences, or setting measurable objectives. These strategic guidelines are necessary to craft effective content and design an engagement plan using appropriate platforms to reach the right people and mobilize them for the cause.

2. CAPACITY: What resources and skills do individuals and organizations need to shape and share their stories?
   • Effective storytelling takes skill. The most meaningful stories often come from people with authentic and insightful experiences to share, even though they may not be skilled storytellers. Storytelling professionals with specialized creative and technical skills know how to turn compelling stories into high-quality content, but few organizations have skilled storytellers on staff to create content for storytelling. While plenty of tools exist, organizations don’t know how to use and apply them.

3. CONTENT: What are the elements of compelling and motivating stories?
   • Stories must be meaningful. In today’s hypercompetitive media environment, people notice and share only the most compelling content. Compelling and motivating stories create emotional resonance and human connection while serving a strategic purpose, such as driving people to take meaningful actions. Stories for social impact must show people as active agents of change, who play a central role in creating solutions to the problems they face. This preserves their dignity, encourages empathy, and inspires support from others.

4. PLATFORMS: What technologies are available (or needed) to help people curate, house and share stories? 
   • There’s no one-size-fits-all tool for storytelling. With the sheer number of tools and platforms in existence, social impact organizations struggle to understand which to use to most effectively engage the right audiences. Most organizations need guidance on best practices for utilizing common platforms; they also need access to data that can help them target the right audiences.

5. EVALUATION: What simple, effective and meaningful metrics can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of digital storytelling?
   • We can measure the impact of storytelling, but we often don’t. Organizations that evaluate the impact of their storytelling accurately can learn what’s working and enhance their outreach. 

If you feel that your organization needs assistance with some of these areas, help is on the way. ASSIST Creativelab offers services that can provide for the overwhelming need for thought leadership, capacity building, and resources to strengthen storytelling in the field. Through strategic guidance and capacity-building tools, your organization can leverage the power of narrative and the reach of networks to extend your reach and enhance your impact.

Share your story with us!

Sources

Dal Lago, S. (n.d.). Breaking through the noise: Digital storytelling for social impact. Center for Social Impact Communication. Available from: https://csic.georgetown.edu/magazine/breaking-noise-digital-storytelling-social-impact/

The Rockefeller Foundation. (2014). Digital storytelling for social impact. Available from: https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/Digital-Storytelling-for-Social-Impact.pdf