Exploiting tacit knowledge through knowledge management technologies

The purpose of this paper is to examine the contributions and suitability of the available knowledge management (KM) technologies, including the Web 2.0 for exploiting tacit knowledge. It proposes an integrated framework for extracting tacit knowledge in organisations, which includes Web 2.0 technologies, KM tools, organisational learning (OL) and Community of Practice (CoP). It reviews a comprehensive literature covering overview of KM theories, KM technologies and OL and identifies the current state of knowledge relating to tacit knowledge exploitation. The outcomes of the paper indicate that Internet and Web 2.0 technologies have stunning prospects for creating learning communities where tacit knowledge can be extracted from people. The author recommends that organisations should design procedures and embed them in their Web 2.0 collaborative platforms persuading employees to record their ideas and share them with other members. It is also recommended that no idea should be taken for granted in a learning community where tacit knowledge exploitation is pursued. It is envisaged that future research should adopt empirical approach involving Complex Adaptive Model for Tacit Knowledge Exploitation (CAMTaKE) and the Theory of Deferred Action in examining the effectiveness of KM technologies including Web 2.0 tools for tacit knowledge exploitation

Europeana communication bug: which intervention strategy for a better cooperation with creative industry?

Although Europeana as well as many GLAMs are very engaged - beside the main mission, i.e. spreading cultural heritage knowledge- in developing new strategies in order to make digital contents reusable for creative industry, these efforts have been successful just only in sporadic cases. A significant know how deficits in communication often compromises expected outcomes and impact. Indeed, what prevails is an idea of communication like an enhancement “instrument” intended on the one hand in purely economic (development) sense, on the other hand as a way for increasing and spreading knowledge. The main reference model is more or less as follows: digital objects are to be captured and/or transformed by digital technologies into sellable goods to put into circulation. Nevertheless, this approach risks neglecting the real nature of communication, and more in detail the one of digital heritage where it is strategic not so much producing objects and goods as taking part into sharing environments creation (media) by engaged communities, small or large they may be. The environments act as meeting and interchange point, and consequently as driving force of enhancing. Only in a complex context of network interaction on line accessible digital heritage contents become a strategic resource for creating environments in which their re/mediation can occur – provided that credible strategies exist, shared by stakeholders and users. This paper particularly describes a case study including proposals for an effective connection among Europeana, GLAMs and Creative Industry in the framework of Food and Drink digital heritage enhancement and promotion. Experimental experiences as the one described in this paper anyway confirm the relevance of up-to-date policies based on an adequate communication concept, on solid partnerships with enterprise and association networks, on collaborative on line environments, on effective availability at least for most of contents by increasing free licensing, and finally on grassroots content implementation involving prosumers audience, even if filtered by GLAMs

Foreign language teachers living and learning in affinity spaces

This qualitative case study delves into the dynamics of three English language teachers living and learning within affinity spaces (AS). To capture comprehensive insights, the research used in-depth interviews and video recorded observations of interactions in AS. The analysis was conducted using Nvivo software for coding and categorizing the collected information. The findings of this study unveil the participants’ active involvement in various AS, with social networks and video games emerging as the most prevalent ones. While individual passions played a role in shaping the content shared, the teachers’ professional interests also significantly influenced the nature of their contributions. Within these affinity spaces, teachers engaged using new literacies, which enabled them to foster social interactions on topics of personal or professional interest, facilitating communication and collaboration, and even assuming different roles. In conclusion, the findings highlight a consistent and enthusiastic engagement of teachers within AS, emphasizing the potential these spaces hold for the evolving nature of education in the learners continue to navigate this landscape, the outcomes offer a valuable roadmap for harnessing the power of AS to foster meaningful learning experiences, authentic communication, and innovative teaching practices among English language teachers.Este estudio de caso cualitativo exploró la dinámica de participación en espacios afines (EA) de tres profesores de inglés para vivir y aprender. Para obtener una visión completa, la investigación empleó entrevistas a profundidad y observaciones video grabadas de interacciones en estos espacios. Los datos recopilados se analizaron utilizando el software Nvivo, codificando y categorizando la información. Los hallazgos de este estudio revelan la participación activa de los participantes en varios espacios afines, siendo las redes sociales y los videojuegos los más predominantes, donde las pasiones individuales, así como los intereses profesionales de los profesores influyeron significativamente en la naturaleza de sus contribuciones. Dentro de estos espacios afines, los profesores se involucraron usando nuevas literacidades, las cuales les permitieron fomentar interacciones sociales sobre temas de interés personal o profesional, facilitando la comunicación y la colaboración, e incluso asumiendo diferentes roles. En conclusión, los hallazgos resaltan un compromiso constante y entusiasta de los profesores dentro de los EA, enfatizando el potencial que estos tienen para la naturaleza en evolución de la educación en la era digital, donde los intereses personales, el crecimiento profesional y la adquisición de idiomas convergen dentro de comunidades digitales dinámicas. A medida que los educadores y los estudiantes continúan navegando en este panorama, los resultados ofrecen un valioso mapa para aprovechar el poder de los EA para fomentar experiencias de aprendizaje significativas, la comunicación auténtica y las prácticas innovadoras de enseñanza entre los profesores de inglés

Principles in Patterns (PiP) : Institutional Approaches to Curriculum Design Institutional Story

The principal outputs of the PiP Project surround the Course and Class Approval (C-CAP) system. This web-based system built on Microsoft SharePoint addresses and resolves many of the issues identified by the project. Generally well received by both academic and support staff, the system provides personalised views, adaptive forms and contextualised support for all phases of the approval process. Although the system deliberately encapsulates and facilitates existing approval processes thus achieving buy-in, it is already achieving significant improvements over the previous processes, not only in reducing the administrative overheads but also in supporting curriculum design and academic quality. The system is now embedded across three faculties and is now considered by the University of Strathclyde to be a "core institutional service". Alongside the C-CAP system the PiP Project also cultivated a suite of approaches: an incremental systems development methodology; a structured and replicable evaluation approach, and; Strathclyde's Lean Approach to Efficiencies in Education Kit (SLEEK) business process improvement methodology Each is based on recognised formal techniques, providing the basis for a rigorous approach. This is contextualised within and adapted to the HE institutional context thus building the foundation not only for the project but ultimately for institution wide process improvement. This "institutional story" report summarises the principal outcomes of the Project

Information technology as boundary object for transformational learning

Collaborative work is considered as a way to improve productivity and value generation in construction. However, recent research demonstrates that socio-cognitive factors related to fragmentation of specialized knowledge may hinder team performance. New methods based on theories of practice are emerging in Computer Supported Collaborative Work and organisational learning to break these knowledge boundaries, facilitating knowledge sharing and the generation of new knowledge through transformational learning. According to these theories, objects used in professional practice play a key role in mediating interactions. Rules and methods related to these practices are also embedded in these objects. Therefore changing collaborative patterns demand reconfiguring objects that are at the boundary between specialized practices, namely boundary objects. This research is unique in presenting an IT strategy in which technology is used as a boundary object to facilitate transformational learning in collaborative design work

Integrating Scientific Publication into an Applied Gaming Ecosystem

The European (EU)-based industry for non-leisuregames (so called Applied Games, AGs) is an emerging business. Assuch it is still fragmented and needs to achieve critical mass tocompete globally. Nevertheless, its growth potential is widelyrecognized and even suggested to exceed the growth potential ofthe leisure games market. The European project Realizing anApplied Gaming Ecosystem (RAGE) is aiming at supporting thischallenge. RAGE will help to seize these opportunities by makingavailable an interoperable set of advanced Applied Game (AG)technology assets, as well as proven practices of using such AGassets in various real-world contexts. As described in [1], RAGEwill finally provide a centralized access to a wide range of appliedgaming software modules, relevant information, knowledge andcommunity services, and related scientific documents, taxonomies,media, and educational resources within an online communityportal called the RAGE Ecosystem. Besides this, an integrationbetween the RAGE Ecosystem and relevant social networkinteraction spaces that arranges and facilitates collaboration thatunderlie Research and Development (R&D), as well as marketorientedinnovation and exploitation will be created in order tosupport community building, as well as collaborative assetexploitation of User Generated Contents (UGCs) of the RAGEEcosystem. In this paper, we will describe the integration of theScientific Publication Platform (SPP) Mendeley [2] into the RAGEEcosystem. This will allow for automating repetitive tasks,reducing errors, and speeding up time consuming tasks. On theother hand it will support information, UGC, and knowledgesharing, as well as persistency of social interaction threads withinSocial Networking Sites (SNSs) and Groupware Systems (GWSs)that are connected to the RAGE Ecosystem. The paper reviewsrelevant use cases and scenarios, as well as related authentication,access, and information integration challenges. In this way, on theone hand a qualitative evaluation regarding an optimal technicalintegration is facilitated while on the other hand designapproaches for supporting features of resulting user interfaces areinitiated

A Review of the Open Educational Resources (OER) Movement: Achievements, Challenges, and New Opportunities

Examines the state of the foundation's efforts to improve educational opportunities worldwide through universal access to and use of high-quality academic content

A literature review of the use of Web 2.0 tools in Higher Education

This review focuses on the use of Web 2.0 tools in Higher Education. It provides a synthesis of the research literature in the field and a series of illustrative examples of how these tools are being used in learning and teaching. It draws out the perceived benefits that these new technologies appear to offer, and highlights some of the challenges and issues surrounding their use. The review forms the basis for a HE Academy funded project, ‘Peals in the Cloud’, which is exploring how Web 2.0 tools can be used to support evidence-based practices in learning and teaching. The project has also produced two in-depth case studies, which are reported elsewhere (Galley et al., 2010, Alevizou et al., 2010). The case studies focus on evaluation of a recently developed site for learning and teaching, Cloudworks, which harnesses Web 2.0 functionality to facilitate the sharing and discussion of educational practice. The case studies aim to explore to what extent the Web 2.0 affordances of the site are successfully promoting the sharing of ideas, as well as scholarly reflections, on learning and teaching