{"id":23830,"date":"2025-10-02T19:09:01","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T19:09:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/?p=23830"},"modified":"2025-12-15T14:04:39","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T14:04:39","slug":"new-km-compas-app-from-the-social-media-lab-helps-researchers-translate-knowledge-into-real-world-impact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/2025\/10\/02\/new-km-compas-app-from-the-social-media-lab-helps-researchers-translate-knowledge-into-real-world-impact\/","title":{"rendered":"New KM Compass App From the Social Media Lab Helps Researchers Translate Knowledge Into Real-World Impact"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>TORONTO, ON \u2013 [October 02, 2025]<\/strong> \u2014 At a time when public trust in institutions is fragmented and misinformation spreads faster than evidence, researchers and experts face a critical challenge: how to ensure their work is not only accurate but also accessible, relevant, and impactful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Helping You Share What You Know, Where It Matters Most<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To meet this challenge head-on, the <strong>Social Media Lab <\/strong>at Toronto Metropolitan University is proud to present <a href=\"http:\/\/km.socialmedialab.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">KM Compass<\/a>, a free, web-based, <a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/smlabto\/KM-compass-app\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">open-source<\/a> knowledge mobilization (KM) app designed to help researchers, institutions, and knowledge mobilizers across various disciplines choose the best strategies for turning their knowledge into action and impact. Whether you&#8217;re just beginning your KM journey or refining an existing plan, KM Compass provides a clear and user-friendly roadmap to guide your efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn today&#8217;s complex communication landscape, expertise alone is no longer enough,\u201d said <strong>Dr. Anatoliy Gruzd<\/strong>, Co-Director of the Social Media Lab. \u201cTo make a real difference, researchers must communicate in ways that build trust, foster engagement, and resonate with a wide range of stakeholders. KM Compass was created to support this process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/km.socialmedialab.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\" noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/20251001_095022-1-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23831\" srcset=\"https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/20251001_095022-1-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/20251001_095022-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/20251001_095022-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/20251001_095022-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/20251001_095022-1-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/20251001_095022-1-2048x2048.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/20251001_095022-1-696x696.jpg 696w, https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/20251001_095022-1-1068x1068.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/20251001_095022-1-420x420.jpg 420w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Turning Ideas Into Impact<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/canadian-heritage\/services\/online-disinformation\/digital-citizen-contribution-program.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Digital Citizen Contribution Program<\/a> and developed through a comprehensive review of over 40 knowledge mobilization frameworks across disciplines, <a href=\"https:\/\/km.socialmedialab.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">KM Compass<\/a> distills knowledge mobilization into three core, actionable steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Identify key stakeholders, <\/strong>such as policymakers, community organizations, the media, students and many others.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Select an appropriate KM strategy, <\/strong>choosing from a variety of time-tested dissemination and engagement strategies, from passive formats that focus on one-way communication that shares research evidence with general or targeted audiences using accessible and engaging formats to more interactive approaches that emphasize two-way communication that actively involves stakeholders in the interpretation, adaptation, or co-creation of knowledge.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Select an implementation, <\/strong>choosing from a library of standard options, such as infographics and policy briefs, as well as workshops, co-creation sessions, hackathons, and working groups.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each step is designed to help researchers think strategically about who they wish to reach with their work, especially in an environment where the traditional top-down model of expert communication has broken down. The app not only provides a practical framework for making research more accessible and useful, but it also connects users with curated resources and real-world examples for engaging diverse audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The launch of <a href=\"https:\/\/km.socialmedialab.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">KM Compass<\/a> comes at a time when there is a broader shift in <a href=\"https:\/\/carnegieendowment.org\/research\/2025\/09\/communications-social-media-nonprofit-institutions-new-media-environment?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">how researchers must think about influence and impact<\/a>. In a world where emotional resonance often drives engagement more than factual accuracy, researchers are being called on to build new kinds of credibility through authenticity, presence, and collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/km.socialmedialab.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">KM Compass<\/a> is more than a tool,\u201d said <strong>Philip Mai<\/strong>, Co-Director of the Social Media Lab. \u201cIt\u2019s a recognition that we need new approaches to mobilizing knowledge and building trust with the public, and ensuring that research continues to play a meaningful role in shaping society.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Learn more and access the tool at: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/km.socialmedialab.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/km.socialmedialab.ca\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Media Contact:<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong> <em>Social Media Lab<\/em><em><br><\/em> Toronto Metropolitan University<br>Email: info@socialmedialab.ca<br>Website: www.socialmedialab.ca<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>TORONTO, ON \u2013 [October 02, 2025] \u2014 At a time when public trust in institutions is fragmented and misinformation spreads faster than evidence, researchers and experts face a critical challenge: how to ensure their work is not only accurate but also accessible, relevant, and impactful. Helping You Share What You Know, Where It Matters Most [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":24291,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23830","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-announcements"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23830","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23830"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23830\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23850,"href":"https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23830\/revisions\/23850"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24291"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23830"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23830"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23830"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}