Strategic Communications

This KnowledgeBase archive includes content and external links that were accurate and relevant as of September 30, 2019.

The Strategic Communications KnowledgeBase is an online resource to aid those leading or supporting communications in education in understanding the history, value, framework, planning, and execution of effective Strategic Communications to nurture and build strong relationships in education. Strategic Communications is essential to engage stakeholders and achieve goals at the state level. The elements, activities, and tasks in this KnowledgeBase are designed to better prepare communications professionals within state education agencies (SEAs) to plan for and respond to communication challenges and support implementation of education policy.

Task 2: Understand communication patterns and preferences of each audience

Guideline: Communication strategies are more effective for some audiences than for others. Messages are received well when targeted toward specific audiences. Understanding the preferences and communication patterns of key audiences can assist in selecting the most effective strategies and messages for each stakeholder type.

For example, consider what might encourage a parent to be excited about a new statewide initiative focused on preparing students for college. How might that reception differ for a student, a teacher, a policymaker, or a higher education administrator? How could the same message be tailored to those various audiences? What delivery method is likely to be most successful with teenagers? Is it likely to be the same delivery method as the one used for their parents?

The resources in this task provide insight into crafting messages and delivery messages based on the preferences of each audience.

Resources

TOOLS

CDC Clear Communications Index Score Sheet

This 2013 CDC Clear Communications Index Score Sheet provides a way to score your communications materials in relationship to audience preferences.

GUIDELINES

Educational Institutions Turn to Social Media to Boost Fundraising, Engagement Efforts

In this October 21, 2013, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), article, provides information and examples of how educational institutions are turning to social media to boost fundraising and engagement efforts. The appendices include a complete look at the data from a survey of these institutions and differences between groups in their use of social media.

PRACTICAL TIPS

Choosing the Right Communication Channel

This June 30, 2016, article offers advice on choosing the right communications channels for the right audience.

Engaging Conversations

This Public Affairs article dated December 18, 2013, provides tips for engaging key stakeholders in conversation rather than presenting one-way information because that is how most audiences prefer to learn new information.

Messaging to Your Audiences

This FrogDog blog dated September 27, 2016, offers tips for messaging to your specific stakeholders and audiences.

Social Media Data Analytics: How to Apply Them in Education

This April 21, 2016, IBM blog provides a social media data analysis and discusses how to apply them to education.

EXAMPLES

#CommonCore: How Social Media is Changing the Politics of Education

In this innovative and interactive website, explore the Common Core debate on Twitter. Using a distinctive combination of social network analyses and psychological investigations, authors reveal both the underlying social structure of the conversation and the motivations of the participants. The central question guiding their investigation was: How are social media-enabled social networks changing the discourse in American politics that produces and sustains social policy?

The contents of this website were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education and are intended for general reference purposes only. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education or the Center, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Some resources on this site require Adobe Acrobat Reader. This website archive includes content and external links that were accurate and relevant as of September 30, 2019.