ARIS Toolkit Project

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The Implementation and Evaluation of the ARIS Broader Impacts Toolkit project is designed to advance the understanding of mechanisms and supports needed to develop effective Broader Impacts (BI) statements. We are partnering with ten universities to pilot test a suite of tools developed by the NSF-funded ARIS Center (OIA-1810732) and conduct research on use cases of the ARIS Toolkit. The ARIS Toolkit is a suite of digital documents and interactive web stools designed to provide guidance and effective practices aimed at improving BI outcomes and impacts for researchers and their collaborating partners.

The kit includes the a) BI Wizard, b) BI Checklist c) Guiding Principles, and d) BI Evaluation Rubric. The toolkit can be used by researchers who are proposing to NSF and those acting as panel reviewers; BI professionals who assist researchers in BI work; and partners who participate in BI work with university researchers.

Project links: Google Drive Folder Zotero Journal Group

Project Meetings

Month Pre-Meeting Tasks Monthly Meeting Goals
October 19, 2022 Before our first meeting, please respond to the prompt on Padlet.
  • a) Describe your current position and efforts related to Broader Impacts
  • b) What is your main goal for incorporating and using the ARIS toolkit in your work?
  • c) Include a fun photo of yourself
Session 0: Cohort 2 Kickoff (2 hours)
  • Partner Introductions (30 min)
  • Project Overview (15 Min)
    Jamboard: What is your main goal for using the ARIS Toolkit?
  • ARIS Toolkit Overview (checklist, wizard, & rubric) – A high level overview of the scope and sequence, and how these tools might be used to support BI work (30 minutes)
  • Introduction to the data collection strategy and methods for this project (15 minutes)
November 16, 2022
1:00pm ET
Goal: Review the BI Wizard (estimated 2 hours of pre meeting work)
  1. BI Wizard “Plan Elements” Web Quest: Use the webquest worksheet to “find and learn about” the essential pieces of a BI plan.
  2. BI Wizard Review: Use the BI case study to test run the “Wizard” portion of the website. Print your draft plan to discuss at the meeting.
  3. Be prepared to discuss the top three things that you learned in the plan elements section; two questions you still have; and one thing you will use in your next consultation or workshop.
  4. Complete the Institutional Needs Assessment survey.

Please upload your 1) completed survey, 2) draft BI plan summary, and 3) "3-2-1 reflection" to this Google Drive folder by November 14th. Don't forget to add your institution name to each doc's filename.

Session 1: Deep dive into Wizard (1.5 hours)
  • We will discuss the plans you have generated in the homework. How did you feel about the plan elements section? (1 hour)
  • Setting up data collection plan Part 1 – Overview of what is action research? (3o minutes)
December 20, 2022
2:30pm ET
Goal: Review the Rubric (estimated 2 hours of pre meeting work)
  1. Review the BI Plan Rubric.
  2. Review the Rubric Tutorial.
  3. Chose a recent BI plan you worked on, or one of the 4 provided plans (Example 1, Example 2, Example 3, Example 4), and run it through the Rubric. Print your results to discuss at the meeting.
  4. Please upload 1) your responses to the Connect, Extend, Challenge, Apply questions (see right) and 2) your rubric output to this Google Drive folder by December 16th.
Session 2: Deep dive into Rubric (1.5 hours)
  • We will discuss the rubric and its usability. (1 hour)
    a. Connect: How are the ideas and information in the Rubric connect to what you already know about reviewing NSF BI proposals?
    b. Extend: What new ideas extended or broadened your thinking in a new direction?
    c. Challenge: What still seems challenging or confusing? What questions or wonderings do you still have?
    d. Apply: What one or two ways can these ideas about the rubric can be applied in your work?
  • Setting up data collection plan Part 2 – Review data collection instruments. (30 minutes)
2023
January 20, 2023
2-4pm ET
Goal: Reflect on the capabilities of the toolkit
  1. Develop your action plan: How will you use the toolkit in your context? What are your initial thoughts on data collection? Please write a 1-2 page summary of your plans. You can also use this research plan slide outline for guidance.
  2. Please upload your plan to this Google Drive folder by 1/19, so we can discuss it at our next meeting.
Session 3: Partner Action Plan Presentations (2 hours)
Each team will present their Action Plans (5 minutes to present, 5 minutes for questions)
February 21, 2023
2:30pm ET
Homework (approx. 1 hour of pre meeting work)
  1. Respond to prompts: What does an effective workshop on BI look like? What are the components? What types of researchers attend? How do you differentiate learning to make it a positive experience for them?
  2. Upload a sample agenda of a workshop you have done or would like to do with the toolkit.
  3. Please upload your responses to the questions and workshop agenda to this Google Drive folder.
  4. Begin data collection, if not already started.
Using the toolkit in a workshop (1.5 hours)
We will review what parts of the toolkit lend themselves best to a professional development workshop. Discuss sample agendas from each cohort member in small groups. Synthesize ideas for sharing.
Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Baltimore Convention Center
3 to 6pm
In preparation for our meeting, here are few things to do:
  1. Watch Drew Pearl's JCES Intro Video. (4 minutes)
  2. Scan/read one or more of the Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship articles listed at the bottom of this page.
  3. Post an update to your project (a single slide) by March 17th, to this Google Drive directory. This slide should provide bullets on your progress and current thinking about your article.
  4. Review workshop agenda.
  5. Review new and improved BI Wizard and come with comments/suggestions for the team!
Also, work with a researcher using the Toolkit (if you haven’t already) and invite them to discuss their experience at our May meeting.
Face-to-face pre-conference workshop at the ARIS Summit
Baltimore Convention Center, Rooms 301-303
  • Agenda TBD, but primary focus will be on reviewing the Toolkit in detail. Decide what parts of the kit work and what parts do not. Cohort members should come prepared to make suggestions for tweaking the toolkit for publication.
  • Continue discussion on how best to use the toolkit in trainings and consultations
  • Review data collection progress
April 18 or 25, 2023 Homework (approx. 1 hour of pre meeting work)
  1. Respond to prompts: What does an effective consultation on BI look like? What are the components? What types of researchers do you serve?
  2. Upload a sample scenario of a consultation you have done or would like to do with the toolkit. Please upload to this Google Drive folder.

Also, please take a look at the four videos in Module 3 of the new ARIS Certification previous course. (For those of you who participated in the ARIS Summit workshop that previewed modules 1 & 2, this module was added after.) These four video profiles will hopefully be a fun way to think about the types of researchers we support in consultations.

Using the toolkit in a consultation (1.5 hours)
  • We will review what parts of the toolkit lend themselves best to a consultation. Discuss ideas from each cohort member in small groups. Synthesize ideas for sharing.
  • Preview the new training videos and/or Institutional training module
May, 2023 No meeting this month
June 20 or 27, 2023

What is your story? – A one-page (can be single spaced) free write. Post to Google drive folder by June 16th so everyone can review.

Your one-page free-write should be related to your team's case history - that is, your team's story of using the Toolkit. This can include what kind of data you are collecting, and might hint at what your argument about using the Toolkit might be.

Teams will be paired in breakout rooms to read and respond to their partner’s story. What sounds exciting/interesting; what questions do you have?

Come back to the group and report one thing from the feedback breakouts and a brief update of each project and how data collection is going.

July 25, 2023

Post a sentence that captures the “argument” of your chapter. Please review the What's Your Argument document for guidance. Think about ways to make your case study interesting to your audience (what will be your “hook”). Post by July 21 so everyone can review.

Teams will be paired in breakout rooms to read and respond to their partner’s story. What sounds exciting/interesting; what questions do you have?

Come back to the group and report one thing from the feedback breakouts and a brief update of each project and how data collection is going.

August 15, 2023

Review the different chapter formats used in the Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship. Decide which one of these would be best suited for your case study. See example articles on our project webpage to review the journal formats/types. Bring your ideas for and concerns about the format for discussion.

Group discussion on formats and discussion on preparation for in person September workshop.

Goal: leave with a complete draft of your case study.

September 18-21, 2023
  1. Writing prompts to prepare for the Writers Workshop (TBD)
  2. Compile a list of possible references to bring to the September workshop for your article. Please add them to Zotero.
  3. Submit a (brief) annual report/reflection to Rutgers - We need to write an article in aggregate about our collective work together, and so we will need to aggregate data results of the project. How did the toolkit perform across the 10 institutions? What did we learn about how it is used? What is the big take-away message about how the toolkit performs? We will ask you to provide/submit a (brief) annual report/reflection to us on a) describe your institution (1 paragraph); b) culture of BI at your institution (context for toolkit use at your institution) (1 paragraph); and c) what was the status quo of BI work prior to using the toolkit (1 paragraph). We will need to discuss changes the toolkit has made/not made in your work as a group during our time together.

In-person Writers' Workshop at the Chauncey Center in Princeton, NJ.

Check out the September Writing Workshop Agenda.

October 17, 2023
4:00pm ET
Work with Buddy to develop an initial draft of your article Buddy Breakouts (1.5 hours)
Focus on clarifying objectives of each article
  • Cohort members present initial thoughts/findings/case study outline to a cohort team member. (10 minutes each, and 10 minutes for discussion in break outs)
  • Group discussion (1 hour)
November 21, 2023
4:00pm ET
  1. Reflection prep for Sharathon
  2. Provide suggestions for external paper reviewers
Sharathon (1.5 hours)
Each cohort member presents their updates (5 minutes each, and 5 minutes for questions and comments)
December 19, 2023
4:00pm ET
  1. Submit first draft of article!!!
  2. Also, what 3 things are you really looking for feedback on?
Celebrate! We did it. Holiday online party (1 hour)
  • Acknowledge our work together and answer any remaining questions/concerns
  • Guest speaker TBA
2024
January 16, 2024 Continue working on article Buddy Breakouts (1.5 hours)
  • The beginning of the end - Regroup and review where are we with our articles
  • Review drafts with Sharon Zuber and prepare for external review
February 27, 2024 Review and revise your article based on feedback Buddy Breakouts (1.5 hours)
  • Cohort members present initial thoughts/findings/case study outline to a cohort team member (20 minutes / 10 minutes for discussions in break outs)
  • Group discussion (1 hour)
March 19, 2024 Prepare article for submission to external reviewers Sharathon (2 hours)
Each cohort member presents their updates (5 minutes each, and 5 minutes for questions and comments)
April 2024
  1. Prep presentations for ARIS Summit
  2. Continue working on article
ARIS Summit, April 2-5 in Omaha, Nebraska (Summit Info)
Presentations at ARIS Summit - Cohort teams present a symposium of interesting results!
May 21, 2024 Continue working on articles External Paper Reviews (1.5 hours)
  • Cohort teams review external reviewer comments and discuss revisions
  • Buddy Breakouts - Cohort members present article to a cohort team member (20 minutes / 10 minutes for questions in break outs)
  • Group discussion 1 hour
June 18, 2024 Return articles to editors with notes on how reviewer comments were addressed. Checkin - So Close! (1.5 hours)
  • Discuss final articles in Buddy Breakouts - Cohort members present final article to a cohort team member (20 minutes / 10 minutes for questions in break outs)
  • Group discussion 1 hour
July 23, 2024 Submit final revised manuscripts Checkin - Almost There! (1.5 hours)
August 20, 2024
  1. Final revised manuscripts!!! (if not already submitted)
  2. Submit (brief) final report/reflection to Rutgers
Q&A Wrap up session TBD
September 2024 Final edits and final report
October 2024 Publication of Special Issue. Celebration Time!!!

ARIS Toolkit Partners

Cohort Institution PI Alternate Additional Co-PIs
1 Penn State Matt Johnson Kathy Hill
1 University of Nebraska - Lincoln Jocelyn Bosley Nathan Meier Tisha Gilreath Mullen, Matthew Dwyer
1 University of Texas - Dallas Tiffany Willoughby
2 The City College of New York, Crest Institute Shakila Merchant Jackie Lee Weissman
2 Michigan State University Miles McNall Sara Steenrod Denice Blair, Lauren Aerni-Feener
2 North Carolina State University Jean Goodwin Leah Bug Alonzo Alexander, Jaon Painter, Celen Pasalar
2 University of New Mexico Hannah Torres Hannah Yohalem
2 Montana State University Suzi Taylor Nika Stoop, Nicole Motzer, Daniel Grant
2 University of Oklahoma Joy Pendley Clara Smith, Marilyn Korhonen
2 Worcester Polytechnic Institute Kathy Chen Yunus Telliel Sujatha Koduvayur

ARIS Toolkit Leadership Team

Janice McDonnell Project PI Rutgers University
Susan Renoe Co-PI and ARIS PI University of Missouri
Sage Lichtenwalner Co-PI and Site Developer Rutgers University
Liesl Hotaling ARIS Toolkit Author Edios Education
Megan Heitmann ARIS Training Team University of Iowa
Ellen Iverson Evaluation Lead SERC, Carleton College
Sharon Zuber Writing Consultant William & Mary (retired)
Sara Vassmer ARIS Admin University of Missouri

Past members: Linda McHenry, Jory Weintraub, Calli Thompson

IRB Resources

If you are submitting an IRB application to your own institution as part of this project, the following documents from Carleton may be necessary to include.

JCES Article Examples

As part of this project, we will publish a special in the Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship. For more information, please see...

Regular Manuscripts
Research From the Field
Community Perspectives
Student Voices

Other Resources

Please check out the following resources for more guidance.