How Knowledge Management Adds
Critical Value to E-learning Media
Khalid Alrawi, Al-Ain University of
Science and Technology , United Arab Emirates
ABSTRACT:
Media is the combination of text,
images, animations, digital library, which is now a standard part of most
computer applications. Education media can be a great tool to improve teaching
and learning. A growing number of educational institutions (EIs) are developing
a new learning culture. It is not just a question of installing a new learning
instruments or knowledge management (KM) technologies,
it requires a support tools to overcome the difficulties in the selection and
evaluation of e-learning process media.
Knowledge management and e-learning have much to offer each other, but are not
yet integrated in practice. The model presented in this paper is to
shed light on the basic concepts of KM and e-learning and a suggestion on how KM and e-learning
can be integrated and leveraged for effective online education and training is
presented.
Keywords:
Knowledge management, Media, E-learning systems, Educational multimedia
Introduction
In recent years e-learning has been
identified as strategic resources that can be utilized in an increasing
diversity of venues (workplace, cultural and entertainment venues, as well as
education). Most EIs have heavily invested to reform the education sector and
bring it in line with proposals to modernize information and communication
technology within this sector, and with support of some Governments. Moreover,
universities will promote open and lifelong learning and on-the-job training by
means of Information and Communications Technology transforming, teaching and learning in these institutions through the
different available media revealed that nearly most universities now concerned
with the Internet and the average number of computers has virtually increased.
However the vast majority of these institutions are only beginning to tap into
the potential of modernize information and communication technology, and huge
savings are still to be made in hardware procurement. For Fuchs, et.al, (2004),
libraries and available media collectively are building up new knowledge in the
sector of education and learning. Knowledge management KM supports further
essential links in the knowledge supply chain and e-learning media and ends at
the targeted enhancement other knowledge. Digital libraries, Web-based ,
decision support system, and e-learning systems are thus important enabling
technologies for improving educational multimedia in general and in particular
e-learning media.
As an approach to quality assurance of
e-learning , universities delivered class materials in an electronic format via
the Web and include journal materials, a textbook library, relevant Web links,
tutorials, simulations-portfolios, assessments, online writing laboratory,
syllabi, notes, and virtual organizations (Fuchs et.al, 2004).
New types of library content web page
for example may not only impose additional requirements on content
reselections, structuring, enrichment, and access services supported by other
multimedia, but may also profit from integrated support for the other phases of
the content life cycle such as KM provision
(Hildreth,et.al, 2000).
The idea is that a wide range of
evolutionary changes in content structuring, mediation, and system
functionality can be supported in the education system itself by empowering the
users to participate in system setup, customization, and which is not only
limited to the e-learning domain but also applicable to the educational domain
in general (Malhotra, 2000).
The aim of this paper is to show how
KM has a positive contribution on e-learning media through a model proposed to
support this perception. The discussion presented in this paper combines
e-learning, media and KM into an adaptable effort framework that provides
integrated support for the various institutions involved in e-learning process. The model presented in this paper is to shed light on the basic concepts of KM and
e-learning.
The Effect of Knowledge Management
On E-learning Media
KM is concerned with the exploitation
and development of the knowledge assets of an organization with a view to
furthering the organization's objectives. Management entails all the processes
associated with the identification, sharing and creation of knowledge.
Organizations that succeed in practicing KM are likely to view knowledge as an
asset and to develop organizational norms and values, which support the
creation, and sharing knowledge. For Rowley (2000), KM is used to describe
everything from the application of new technology to the harnessing of the
intellectual capital of an organization. Recent research reveals great
interest in introducing Knowledge Management (KM) ideas to e-learning systems.
It is argued that KM can facilitate an e-learning system (Orlikowski, 2000, Denning, 2000). Many EIs use models of KM that suit the media used in e-learning
process or the industrial epoch. Knowledge management becomes important in
today's business and academic community. As the importance and effects of KM on
the multimedia in e-learning, more universities and EIs are implementing KM
activities. KM and e-learning will converge into knowledge collaboration
portals that will efficiently transfer knowledge in an interdisciplinary and
cross functional environment, (Keulartz, and Schermer, 2004). Information
systems will evolve into artificial intelligence systems that use intelligent
agents to customize and filter relevant information and new methods as well as
tools will be developed for KM driven e-learning and innovation (Malhotra,
2000). Hiltz (1986) argued that most of the EI offering degree courses in new
media produce individuals with basic competencies in standard graphic and
authoring tools, rather than the specific mixture of learning-related knowledge
and skills required to carry out effective e-learning development. Unless
education leads the bodies to take some steps to ease this growing skills
shortage, the e-learning sector within the EI is likely to fall behind other
competitor in other part of the world, as for example the Arab Universities in
the Middle East or the other universities, in the UK, U.S.A, or Europe. Until
then digital thinking and KM effects on e-learning media will continue to score
the world and pay a benefit for the best talent. This is vital; so that
e-learning developers (Universities & colleges) can make long-term
investment decisions with a degree of confidence that the platform they choose
will not disappear or become obsolete.
Kimble et.al, (2002) suggested that within
an increasing demand for color printing and teaching illustration in the
education sector, those responsible for IT purchasing face a wealth of choice
in terms of what products to buy. It is important that EIs are experienced with
all the facts and know exactly what they want before they part with significant
portion of its media budget. For example a team constructed from different
departments in a university devises what media type and solution will suit
their needs.
All the EIs need to take a strategic
view of their media needs. With a growing requirement for volume a suitable
media and low-cost media may seem an attractive proposition to sit alongside
standard media units. However, when looked at in terms of total cost of
ownership against entry-level high-volume media, expensive media should be
excluded, as many small universities, colleges, and departments are relevant to
use an individual expensive medias, (Nottingham, and Park, 1999).
Another consideration is who buy these
medias. It is a common situation in the education sector that the buyers of the
required media and equipment are part of a team from IT and other related
departments is usually responsible for purchasing these medias and other
equipments. Those people with IT departments should generally aware of the
ongoing costs incurred in the field of the relevant technology. Widding (2007)
suggested that there is specific media for defined tasks. For example, many
universities labs require high volume mono printing for course work and general
student related Material. It is often more prudent to have an extremely
suitable media (say printer) with high-volume workload. However cost is not the
intent of the paper, it is important to look beyond the initial media cost.
(EI) require students to submit high quality work within efficient and
effective e-learning environment.
E-Learning Process And Media That
Make Sense
KM and e-Learning serve both the same purpose: facilitating learning and competence development in organizations. However, they follow two different perspectives. KM is related to an organizational perspective, opposed to that, e-Learning emphasizes an individual perspective.
With the increasing of computers and
IT customization in business in general, organizational routines originally
embedded in standard operating procedures and policies often enhance in the
firm's programmed logic. Often EIs tend to be flexible in a dynamically
changing education environment. The challenge of walking in this direction is
in adoption of the least technologies and remaining up to speed with ongoing
learning process as far as e-learning development is becoming more acute in
e-education (Anantatmula and Stankosky, 2008). Not knowing about the existence
of media relevant to education causes defects in the e-learning process and
more information needed. As consequences of having merely a fragmentary
overview of the available and relevant information and its relationships the
decision making process can result in incorrect conclusions being made. Knowledge
acquisition is therefore an interactive process (Barker, 2005).
The constructive view of learning is
that it is a process in which learners actively construct knowledge as a result
of interacting with the learning environments that we create for them. Therefore
a fundamental prerequisite for the development of all e-learning systems is in
the design of an appropriate organizational framework for the underlying
knowledge corpus that forms the basis for e-learning system. For Barker (2005),
one important way of meeting this requirement is through the use of a digital
resource management system. This system is an interactive environment that is
designed to facilitate the following types of KM operation: the creation of
digital resources for a particular application, and the provision of controlled
access to these resources when the need arises.
Teaching with interactive electronics
media for example can produce learning environments that are unlike any that
have been produced in traditional classrooms. The use of high speed networked
computation can stimulate both real and imaginary words. The possibilities of
world-wide (or local) collaboration with anywhere on many topics raise the
issues of how to build positive collective intelligence in an environment that
desperately needs it. The use of a massive storage and retrieval facilities
allows the growth of adjunct intelligence, and an external repository of
knowledge that can improve human capabilities and performance, (Hoodgins,
2003).
The focus of KM is connecting people,
processes and technology for the purpose of leveraging KM on e-learning media.
Knowledge managers of the future will pay an integral role in making the
required media technology to be applicable. What is required is an inclusive KM
system to provide coherence and integration of all the essential components of
an effective educational experience. That is a system and community where
professors and students can manage and share information, knowledge, and media
with regard to curriculum, course management (e.g., blackboard) and learning
activities. The challenge is that KM systems are inert and the knowledge
development process is too complex to be managed in a bureaucratic or technical
manner. Knowledge systems need to connect interdisciplinary teams and be
customized the media within the available understanding and capabilities.
Educational institutions which want to stay ahead of the development curve will
start to investigate the adaptability of the new expected technologies in the
future, (Thiessen and Looker, 2007).
Methodology And The Research Model
In e-learning systems, the complete cycle of the teaching and learning process should be fulfilled. These aspects are: course creation, course management, course administration, learning, practicing and applying, assessment of student performance, and feedback (Paranjpe, 2003).
An interview-based study demonstrated that perceived connections between KM
and e-Learning are not operationalized, i.e., integration ideas are rarely
implemented in practice. The interviews (with the Academic staffs, including IT
Academics) carried out are focused on how e-learning, KM contribute to the
learning processes in a corporate settings. In total 5 (Universities and a
Interviews were asked to identify the strategic goals of KM, HRM and
(e)-learning. The interviewees had difficulties in distinguishing the goals,
and indicated the goals were very much intertwined. Most interviewees stated
that all three had to do with ‘people’, ‘knowledge’ and the ‘organization’. Faculty and student feedback, in conjunction
with learning outcomes assessments, provide information for continuous
curriculum improvements.
On the knowledge management side, portals began to
serve as a gateway to e-learning, as well as to resources classified as
knowledge management systems. Sometimes the relationship was no deeper than the
interface—the knowledge management system content was not related to the
e-learning content—but at least e-learning was longer set apart from other
enterprise activities. - Interviewees were also asked about the technologies
for knowledge management, document management, human resources management, and
learning in their organizations. We mainly found that for the four
above-mentioned areas, different systems were used. Only two of these
institutions used dedicated technologies (e.g. Lotus Learning Space) the other
three companies did not use.
Few organizations have integrated e-learning
completely with knowledge management, but significant progress has been made
over the past few years. Today’s solutions tend to combine e-learning with one
aspect of knowledge management—for example, with centralized content
management, or one KM-related function such as customer relationship management
(CRM) with collaboration. - In another part of the interview the interviewees
were asked to identify who is responsible for knowledge management and learning
at strategic and operational levels. We found that in most companies HRM seems
responsible for formal learning at the strategic level. Nevertheless, all
interviewees recognized the importance of informal learning and emphasized that
it was facilitated in their organization. When asked about the facilitation,
evaluating learning effectiveness and providing motivation benefits were
considered important by all, but sufficiently performed by a few. In addition,
most of the interviewees considered having some form of overview of the
knowledge in the organization as important for facilitating informal learning,
but none had good solutions yet. Again most of the times, responsibilities are
not clear.
Knowledge transfer opens doors to KM. A philosophy
of knowledge transfer provides a natural path for the convergence of knowledge
management and training. Moreover, to the extent that an enterprise has
automated its knowledge management processes, e-learning can become a fully
integrated partner. - Interviews have shown that although conceptually
e-learning and KM are perceived to be closely related, the responsibilities for
these initiatives still “belong” to different organizational units and
supportive technologies are hardly related. Most interviewees admitted
relationships between knowledge management and e- learning, but they could not
tell how responsibilities, tasks and IT support in their own organization
reflected those relationships.
It is interesting to note that most interviewees
indicate that the document management systems, web sites, communities are all
there to facilitate knowledge management and informal learning. It seems that
at this level no distinction is made between KM and informal learning. This is
either because they do not believe technology will bring any solutions, but
that solutions are mainly at the human level, or because they are disappointed
by the usability of technology and expect that integration will only lessen the
usability of technology.
The basis for the research
model (Figure 1) then is that there is a multidimensional perception to quality
assurance of e-learning media. (i.e., Key Focus & Key Enablers). The
researchers' believe that these elements are compatible with above discussion.
First, key focus elements are well-trained faculty, instructionally sound
curriculums, and an interactive teaching-learning model in the educational
institution, outcomes assessment and continuous feedback. Academicians on their
side should complete a rigorous assessment of qualifications, teaching
certification training, a period of mentoring, periodic class monitoring and
annual peer reviews.
Second, the other part of
perception is the technologies that support KM, i.e., (Key enablers). These
technologies roughly correlate to main effects of KM on the e-learning media:
1. Knowledge is acquired or captured using intranets, extranets, and document
management systems. 2. An organizational memory is formed by refining,
organizing, and storing knowledge using structured repositories, such as data
warehouses. 3. Knowledge is distributed through education, trained programs,
automated knowledge based systems, and expert networks. 4. Knowledge is applied
or leveraged for further learning and innovation via mining of the
organizational memory and the application of expert systems such as, decision
support systems. All of these concepts are enhanced by effective workflow.
The high potential for synergies between Knowledge Management (KM) and
e-Learning seems obvious given the many interrelations and dependencies of
these two fields. (Yordanova, 2007).
Reconciling Knowledge Management
And E-learning Strategy
According to Woodill (2004), the
following steps need to be taken in order for e-learning to succeed: learners
and instructors should be prepared to work with e-learning, new instructional
activities and strategies that use the unique characteristics of interactive
media need to be developed and made easy to use, and new understandings of both
learning and the difference in generations of learners need to be articulated
and incorporated into instructional design, especially new research on the
suitable media. E-learning process is regarded now as an attempt to facilitate
or introduce learning using electronic technology or to track the results of
learner behaviors and the results of assessments. In fact e-learning is
teaching by electronic medias. The e-learning environment is not a classroom.
Techniques effective for group instruction in a closed room do not necessarily
work in a networked, computer –based, distance education setting. Once EI
recognized that e-learning is not automatic just because one uses electronic
media or technologies then it is easy to accept
that both students and instructors need to be prepared for and
comfortable with this new educational environment (Lamb and Kling, 2003).
The researchers believe that there are
two aspects to consider concerning the use of media i.e., the institution and
the staff. First, on the institutional side there are some basic requirements
needed for a successful media in an e-learning process with present-day
technology in the EI: the level of familiarity in media used with other
learning software. Educational institutions should pay attention and work with
several dimensions of teaching at the same time by academicians, the
instructor’s abilities to present the suitable materials and enthusiasm easily,
effectively and efficiently, and instructional design skills that emphasize the
designing creation of interactive teaching activities. Second, from the
academician sides, instructors also need to acquire new skills to be successful
and familiar with the media used in the e-learning process. These skills
include: their abilities to use the media and other illustrations software,
being self-directed –the ability to use the media even if the IT staff are not
available, the e-learning etiquette, and their willingness to cooperate and
collaborate with the students. Technologies such as, intranets, videoconferencing,
and collaborative groupware, allow EI in e-learning education to capture and
disseminate explicit knowledge. Course Management Systems such as
The above-described processes work in a cyclical manner as depicted in Figure 2, taking into consideration that for the use of media to take place, should be clearly determined in the context of the organizational scope and technology. An inventory of existing knowledge also may exist, which helps in creating and acquiring new
E-learning Media.
Figure 2: KM & E-learning Media
In this illustration it can be seen that KM is affecting the e-learning media as a result of two potential sources of knowledge that may contributing. First, there is organization’s own innate knowledge that is embedded within its cognitive structure (such as rules, plans, scripts, and so on). Second, there is the knowledge that is embedded in the technology facility that the instructor/student is using to help him/her to solve the problem or ease the usage of media. Using KM tools to solve problems in e-learning education for these institutions is just one part of the equation. Technology alone is not enough to create trust and personal context is necessary to achieve a true network. It is therefore, necessary to apply some KM techniques to kelp members in e-learning environment deal with problems more effectively. KM techniques partly indicating the creation of supportive organizational structure and practices (media availability) that would encourage those involved in e-learning to generate, share, and use knowledge easily. Wathen and Burkell (2002), argued that for a comprehensive benefits EI may introduce new standard and practices ensuring equality of opportunity to there users to gain access to the source of knowledge.
The primary mission of educational institutions is the creation,
preservation, integration, transmission and application of knowledge and this
is not changing in any way. One can immediately see that the mission of
educational institutions is synchronized with the functionalities of KM. Thus
it is logical that KM tools and technologies can be applied to e-learning in
several ways such as e-learning portal, and dynamic delivery and presentation
of the content.
Conclusion
This paper has tried to apply the
concept of KM in e-learning media in education and how it may add value to
learning community. Emphasis was made on the basic characteristics of
e-learning and KM. The ongoing e-learning
process needs to emphasize on creativity in educational technology
environments, because EIs need to explore the narrative possibilities of the
new media combined with true interactivity in developing e-learning.
The main task of this research is to find common features of both domains. Based on the literature study the research suggest to consider learning as one of the knowledge processes and to distinguish learning management and knowledge management from those processes.
The high potential for synergies between KM and e-Learning seems obvious given the many interrelations and dependencies of these two fields. Interviews with the academics from (5) EIs have shown that perceived connections between those fields are not reflected at the implementation level: different functions are responsible for supporting formal or informal learning, activities and systems to support learning are hardly related.
KM effect on media became more useful
in delivering the right e-learning experiences for the development of the EI,
such as universities and colleges.
The research showed that integrating a self-evaluating KM into education process is useful and highly recommended, and unveiling the observed adds of the KM on the media implemented. Efforts related to human factors are required to improve the design, implementation of KM and e-learning media particularly in education in general.
In spite of some obstacles and limitations in the
immediate implementation, it is clear that knowledge management and e-learning
are the way of the future in the field of distance online education.
References
Anantatmula, S. and Stankosky, M. (2008), ‘KM criteria for different types
of organizations’, Int. J. Knowledge and Learning, Vol. 4, No. 1, pp18–35.
Barker, P. (2005), Knowledge management
for e-learning, Journal of Innovation in Education and Teaching
International,Vol. 42,No. 2, pp111-121.
Denning, S. (2000), The Springboard: How Storytelling Ignites Action in
Knowledge-Era Organizations, Boston: Butterworth Heinemann.
Fuchs, M., Muscogiuri, C., Niederee',
C., and Hemmje, M, (2004), Digital Libraries, in Knowledge Management: an
e-learning case study, International Journal of Digital Library, Vol. 4, No. 1,
pp31-35.
Hildreth, P., Kimble, C., and Wright,
P. (2000), Communities of Practice in Distributed International Environment,
Journal of KM, Vol. 4, No. 1, pp27-37.
Hiltz, R. (1986), The Virtual
Classroom: Using Computer-mediated Communication for University Teaching,
Journal of Communication, Vol. 36, No. 2, pp95-104.
Hodgins, W. (2003), Information about
All the Learning Students Being Developed. Available at:
WWW.Learnativity.com/standards.html.
Kimble, C., Li, F., and Barlow, A.
(2002), Effective Virtual Teams Through Communities of Practice,
Availableat:http://mansci.strath.ac.uk/papers.html.
Keulartz, J, and Schermer, M., (2004),
Ethics in Technological Culture: A Programmatic Proposal for a Pragmatist
Approach, Journal of Science Technology Human Value, Vol. 29, No. 1, pp. 3-29.
Lamb, R., and Kling, R. (2003),
Reconceptualizing Users as Social Actors in Information Systems Research, Vol.
27, No. 2, pp. 197-235.
Malhotra, Y. (2000), Knowledge
Management for E-business Performance: Advancing Information Strategy to
'Internet Time' Information Strategy, The Executive Journal, Vol. 16, No. 4,
pp. 5-16.
Nottingham, A., and Park, B. (1999),
Knowledge Management, Reconsidering Knowledge Workers, Proceedings of the 9th
Annual BIT Conference,
Na Ubon, A., and Kimble, C. (2002),
Knowledge Management in Online Distance Education, Working Paper,
Orlikowski, J. (2000), Using
Technology and Constituting Structures: A Practice Lens for Studying Technology
in organizations, Journal of Organization Science, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 404-428.
Paranjpe, R. (2003), Knowledge management and
online education, International Conference on Open and Online Learning,
Rowley, J. (2000), From Learning
organization to Knowledge Entrepreneur, Journal of KM, Vol. 4, No. 1, pp.7-14.
Thiessen, V., and Looker, E. (2007),
Digital Divides and Capital Conversion: The Optimal use of Information and
Communication Technology for Youth reading Achievement, Journal of Information
and Communication and /society, Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 159-180.
Widding, O. (2007) ‘Entrepreneurial knowledge
management and sustainable opportunity creations: a conceptual framework’, Int. J. Learning and Intellectual Capital, Vol. 4, Nos. 1–2, pp.187–202.
Woodill, G. (2004), Where is the
Learning in e-learning? : A Critical analysis of the e-learning industry.
Available at: www.operitel.com.
Wathen, N., and Burkell, J. (2002),
Believe it or Not: Factors Influencing Credibility on the Web, Journal of
American Society for Information Science and Technology, Vol. 53, No. 2, p134.
Yordanova, K. (2007), ‘Integration of knowledge management and e-learning, common features’, International Conference on Computer Systems and Technologies, Sofia, Bulgaria, 14–15 June.
Contact
the Author:
Professor khalid Alrawi, Al-Ain
University of Science and Technology, P.O.Box: 64141,