Perspectives on the Support of Knowledge Work

This report discusses information systems as support systems for knowledge workers. A case is presented discussing the introduction of two types of information systems into an organisation as support for knowledge workers. The case is interpreted using a set of theories from knowledge theory and the area of knowledge management. The aim of this report is to give empirical input to the understanding of the conditions of knowledge work and information systems. An interpretative framework is presented consisting of a set of perspectives on knowledge work and the use of information systems

Supporting organisational learning: an overview of the ENRICH approach

Traditional training separates learning from the work context in which the newly acquired knowledge is to be applied. This requires the worker themselves to apply imparted theoretical knowledge to knowledge in practice, a process that is grossly inefficient. The ENRICH approach builds on organisational learning theory to intertwine working and learning. The ENRICH methodology incorporates theories of learning at the individual, group and organisational level. Individual level learning is supported through the provision of semantically related resources to support problem reframing and to challenge assumptions. Group learning is supported through the evolution of domain concepts through work documents and representations linked to formal models of group knowledge, and the development of group practices and perspectives through enhanced sharing and collaboration. Organisational learning is supported through exposure to customs and conventions of other groups through shared best practices and knowledge models. The approach is being investigated in a range of industrial settings and applications

Why the epistemologies of trust researchers matter

In this thought piece we take stock of and evaluate the nature of knowledge production in the field of trust research by examining the epistemologies of 167 leading trust scholars, who responded to a short survey. Following a brief review of major epistemological perspectives we discuss the nature of the prevalent views and their geographical distribution within our field. We call on trust researchers to engage in epistemological reflection, develop their own awareness of alternative epistemologies, and ensure their work draws on and cites relevant research contrary to their preferred epistemological approach. To support this we ask editors of relevant journals to foster pluralism in trust research, publishing work from a range of epistemologies

An exploration of the assessment experiences of new academics as they engage with a community of practice in higher education

This paper considers a phenomenological research study that attempted to explore how new academics were introduced to the assessment process within a Higher Education context. Two key educational perspectives have shaped the interpretation of the studies findings. These are Nonaka and Takeuchi’s [Nonaka, I., Takeuchi, H., 1995. The Knowledge Creating Company: How Japanese Companies Create the Dynamics of Innovation. Oxford University Press, New York] model of knowledge conversion and Lave and Wenger’s work on communities of practice (1991, 2002). Three key findings emerged from this work. Firstly, the study highlights a number of issues relating to the types of support and guidance that new academics receive. These were divided into formal and informal types that either promoted conformity or facilitated challenge. Secondly, the study suggests that the ways in which experienced academic staff communicate their assessment knowledge and interact with new academics may require further consideration. Finally, the study raises questions about the type of academic that the organisation would wish to develop

Students' views of higher education in their transitions to work in Portugal

Higher education has grown to mass proportions in the past two decades in Portugal, with the\ud political expectation that it will contribute to the knowledge economy and social change.\ud However, the predominantly low skilled productive system has led to increasing graduate\ud unemployment and underemployment. The central question in this research is what higher\ud education signifies for students and graduates in this context.\ud Higher education has the potential to change students' relationship with knowledge, developing\ud critical thinking, autonomy and character (Barnett 1990). However, this potential for change\ud depends on how individuals engage in it, according to their values and perspectives (Bloomer\ud 2001). Moreover, knowledge is constructed contextually (Lave and Wenger 1991), and its\ud relevance is not always clear when graduates start work. This longitudinal research therefore\ud consisted of in-depth interviews with graduates to ascertain the meanings and values they\ud attribute to higher education and how this changes in the transition to work.\ud In this study, participants' view of higher education was narrow, focussing on how it affected\ud their labour market opportunities, rather than as a place for personal development, gaining\ud generic skills and critical engagement. This affected how they acted on their educational\ud opportunities and the criteria by which they measured the validity of higher education after their\ud transition to work. Moreover, labour market limitations meant that graduates who did not find\ud work in areas directly related to their degree devalued their education. This study concluded\ud that individual paths from education to work are affected by social networks, resources and\ud significant others, but there are no deterministic effects of social class, gender or field of study.\ud A key finding was that in contrast to Bloomer's concept of learning careers (1997), graduates'\ud embedded knowledge was insufficient for their new work contexts; instead they needed to\ud reconstruct their knowledge according to their socio-cultural resources, and membership of\ud multiple communities. This has significance internationally for research into transitions to work.\ud In general, broader perspectives of higher education by students and employers, greater\ud support for the transition and greater labour market opportunities, would be beneficial for both\ud graduates' self-realization and how mass higher education can affect the knowledge economy

Incoming professionals’ perspectives on the application of new knowledge in care organisations for people with intellectual disabilities:A concept mapping study

ObjectivesWithin care organisations for people with intellectual disabilities, numerous strategies are employed to stimulate the application of new knowledge, and professionals play a key role in this process. Consequently, gaining insight into professionals’ perspectives on how to encourage the application of new knowledge is vital, especially in the case of incoming professionals. They have a stronger need for new knowledge due to having acquired only a limited knowledge base about intellectual disabilities in their education. Therefore, this study focused on the incoming professionals’ perspectives on factors stimulating application of new knowledge within the care and support for people with intellectual disabilities.MethodsA concept mapping study was conducted with incoming support staff, psychologists, and intellectual disabilities physicians. Data collection included brainstorming, pile sorting and rating to create three concept maps, which were interpreted by experts.ResultsOverall, the participants generated 234 statements. Incoming support staff primarily expressed their preference for experiential and work-based learning and described their role as being knowledge receivers. Incoming psychologists and physicians expressed their ownership of knowledge in requesting opportunities to develop themselves.ConclusionTo enhance incoming professionals’ application of new knowledge, care organisations for people with intellectual disabilities can encourage professionals in manifold ways, ranging from providing (in)formal learning opportunities and accessible sites to creating a learning culture

Trädgårdsmästarens förökningsmetoder: dokumentation av hantverkskunskap

Plant propagation is craft expertise that has been developed within a gardening tradition in which knowledge has primarily been transferred from one practitioner to another by showing and explaining. When the transfer of knowledge in practice wanes, documentation of working methods can provide support for passing on propagation experiences. But when we try to describe our experiences working with craft-based propagation methods in words alone, a communication problem arises. This thesis is about knowledge and knowledge sharing in the work gardeners do propagating perennials. The aim is to explore the methods for documenting – and communicating – gardeners’ expertise in the vegetative propagation of perennials. By observing gardeners’ working methods in propagation, participating in propagation work at nurseries, analyzing the notes I took on instructions given, and conducting my own gardening experiments I have been able to explore the following general questions: What constitutes the knowledge of an experienced practitioner of plant propagation? How can we understand this knowledge, and how can it be documented in a way that allows it to be conveyed to others systematically? Three different perspectives provided the point of departure for the study: the object-oriented, the practice-oriented, and the subject-oriented perspectives. This approach is based on Bengt Molander’s research on knowledge in action, and on analysis of the theoretical concept’s various orientations. These three perspectives – focusing on object, practice, and subject – have determined the format of the thesis. Their structure is an outcome of the study findings, a categorization system based on the plant parts used in vegetative propagation, reflections on documentation methods and reflections about the function of personal knowledge, situation-specific knowledge and knowledge development in plant propagation practice. The structure with the three perspectives is therefore also an answer to the question of how a gardener’s propagation expertise might be documented

The doctor and the blue form: learning professional responsibility

Book synopsis: This book presents leading-edge perspectives and methodologies to address emerging issues of concern for professional learning in contemporary society. The conditions for professional practice and learning are changing dramatically in the wake of globalization, new modes of knowledge production, new regulatory regimes, and increased economic-political pressures. In the wake of this, a number of challenges for learning emerge: more practitioners become involved in interprofessional collaboration developments in new technologies and virtual workworlds emergence of transnational knowledge cultures and interrelated circuits of knowledge. The space and time relations in which professional practice and learning are embedded are becoming more complex, as are the epistemic underpinnings of professional work. Together these shifts bring about intersections of professional knowledge and responsibilities that call for new conceptions of professional knowing. Exploring what the authors call sociomaterial perspectives on professional learning they argue that theories that trace not just the social but also the material aspects of practice – such as tools, technologies, texts but also bodies and actions - are useful for coming to terms with the challenges described above. Reconceptualising Professional Learning develops these issues through specific contemporary cases focused on one of the book’s three main themes: (1) professionals’ knowing in practice, (2) professionals’ work arrangements and technologies, or (3) professional responsibility. Each chapter draws upon innovative theory to highlight the sociomaterial webs through which professional learning may be reconceptualised. Authors are based in Australia, Canada, Italy, Norway, Sweden, and the USA as well as the UK and their cases are based in a range of professional settings including medicine, teaching, nursing, engineering, social services, the creative industries, and more. By presenting detailed accounts of these themes from a sociomaterial perspective, the book opens new questions and methodological approaches. These can help make more visible what is often invisible in today’s messy dynamics of professional learning, and point to new ways of configuring educational support and policy for professionals

Texas Administrators\u27 Perspective of Music Educators in Classroom Evaluations in Regards to T-TESS

Despite the perspectives of music educators in classroom evaluation processes, the perspectives of Texas administrators using the newest teacher evaluation process, the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS), have yet to be examined. The administrators’ perspectives matter because the complexity of the T-TESS process coupled with the uncertainty of music educational knowledge may lead to inconsistency in evaluation. This qualitative study aims to examine the perspectives of Texas administrators concerning their preparation in music teacher evaluation. Current research fails to identify the perspectives of Texas administrators in the evaluation of music educators in classroom instruction. Views on evaluation training, pedagogical knowledge, and teacher-administrator relationships have emerged as themes for this study. To illustrate the perspectives of Texas administrators, semi-structured interviews of administrators were conducted. Once completed and returned, the data was compiled and disaggregated into the common themes previously mentioned and others as applicable. This work was essential due to T-TESS evaluation processes being relatively new to Texas education and the discussion of administrators’ perspectives in the music classroom as an area need. Music educators deserve fair and accurate feedback and support—the same as any non-music educator. Understanding what administrators know about music education and what they feel best prepares them for the evaluation process can encourage further research by other arts education disciplines. Results verified that participants were confident in their evaluation of general instructional practices with some reservations regarding content knowledge and other music related procedures