KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IN EDUCATION AND
RESEARCH: AN ELECTIVE COURSE AT METU
Tarkan GÜRBÜZ
Middle East Technical University, Faculty of Education
Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology, Ankara / Turkey
tarkan@metu.edu.tr
ABSTRACT
The management of knowledge is the core work of organizations in the field of education and research. However, recent reports indicate that
most of those educational and research institutions pay little attention to knowledge management. The growing recognition on the importance
of knowledge management in both education and research areas are creating the demand for courses about the knowledge management. The
policy to meet the expectations of practice in the future can only be developed in this manner. This paper, therefore, aims to make a strong
emphasis on strengthening the knowledge management in education and research for increasing the capacity for the successful production,
mediation and application of knowledge. The paper focuses on the experiences of developing and teaching an elective course CEIT 472
namely “Knowledge Management in Education and Research” offered at Middle East Technical University (METU). The paper will present the
structure of the course through its syllabus and will examine the learning experiences and discuss the components and different aspects of the
course for possible development and improvement opportunities. This paper will also discuss the opportunities to determine and commit
effective knowledge management initiatives for helping research and education organizations increase their capacity in managing knowledge
to improve institutional and learner success.
Keywords: Knowledge management, higher education, research
INTRODUCTION
Knowledge and its management have always been
fundamental for development and improvement during the
history. This reality together with the complex interplay of
social,
economic,
and
technological
forces
are
strengthening the importance of knowledge and its
management. Today, there is no change regarding the
importance of knowledge since knowledge is always power
but change is indispensable about how we manage the
knowledge due to information overload and the acceleration
of knowledge production. Profound changes in our world are
indicating the need for the knowledge-based transformation
of present systems in any sector and the development of
new structures and settings. The emerging knowledge
economy and society underlines the knowledge as the most
productive resource and learning as the most productive
economic process. Consequently, the asset base is shifting
from traditional tangible assets to an intangible asset base
such as innovation, effective utilization of knowledge and
human capital resources.
Innovation is considered to be the key to growth,
competitiveness and thus social development in the 21st
century. Moreover, there is a growing recognition on the
importance of Knowledge Management (KM) for innovation.
It is very important to improve links between innovation,
education and research for transforming education and
research results into tangible innovation opportunities.
Therefore, development of human and intellectual capital is
becoming part of an effective strategy for creating a better
future. The capacity of the country should be increased by
enabling
and
sustaining
the
knowledge-based
transformation of current sectors and the development of
new sectors.
Education and research play an important role as a capacity
builder for accelerating knowledge based transformation of
economy and society in order to get a competitive
advantage in the global world. As becoming a key
instrument in the competitive environment of business,
knowledge management is trying to find its place in the field
of education and research.
The growing recognition on the importance of knowledge
management in both education and research are creating
the demand for courses about the knowledge management.
Therefore, the development and promotion of the courses
facilitating professional development in the field of
knowledge management are necessary for increasing the
expertise in the arena to develop successful practices. The
policy to meet the expectations of practice in the future can
only be developed in this manner.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this paper is twofold: First, this paper will
present the structure of an elective course CEIT 472 namely
“Knowledge Management in Education and Research”
taught at the undergraduate level offered at Middle East
Technical University (METU), Ankara. The paper will
present the content, outline and schedule of the course
through its syllabus and will examine the learning
experiences and discuss the components and different
aspects of the course for possible development and
improvement opportunities. The paper also focuses on the
experiences of developing and teaching this course.
Second, this paper, aims to make a strong emphasis on
strengthening the knowledge management in education and
research for increasing the capacity for the successful
production, mediation and application of knowledge. This
paper will also discuss the opportunities to determine and
commit effective knowledge management initiatives for
helping research and education organizations increase their
capacity in managing knowledge to improve institutional and
learner success. Overall, this paper may be of interest to
those academics who are involved in the development of
courses in knowledge management.
Knowledge management
In the business environment, the evolution from data to
information and from information to knowledge plays a
leading role in shaping how organizations develop strategies
and plans for the future (Petrides et al 2002). Knowledge
management is a very powerful tool to increase the capacity
of identifying, distilling, harnessing and using information in
order to construct knowledge for the organizational learning
process. The knowledge based transformation of society
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and economy is leading the general trends which set the
framework for knowledge management in organizations and
firms.
Knowledge management is increasingly imperative as it is
regarded as the key determinant of a firm, industry or
country for survival and growth in the knowledge era (Gao,
F., et al., 2002). Today’s knowledge society emphasizes
innovation and intellectual capital and makes knowledge
management a strategic issue that holds one of the highest
potentials for gaining efficiencies, and creating value in
organizations.
Good knowledge management involves the recognition and
use of intellectual capital, the creation and sustaining of a
knowledge culture and the construction of a knowledge
infrastructure that can be harnessed effectively both within
and outside an organization’s institutional boundaries
(OECD 2001, p:98). Knowledge management literature
underlines the fact that, in the emerging knowledge
economy, the achievement of a sustained competitive
advantage depends on organizations’ capacity to develop
and deploy its knowledge-based resources (Perez J.R., et,
al. 2003).
Knowledge management in education and research
The management of knowledge has always been at the
heart of education and research. The management of
knowledge is the core work of organizations in the field of
education and research. However, recent reports indicate
that most of those educational and research institutions pay
little attention to knowledge management. Recently, there is
a growing recognition on the importance of KM in education
and research.
Both in education and research, understanding the role of
tacit knowledge in knowledge creation is fundamental. In
education, a more positive assessment of tacit knowledge
as a key element in the learning process may be one way to
reduce the early polarization of students in the education
system. In general, it might help to produce a more
competent workforce (OECD 2001).
Need and demand for the courses about knowledge
management in education and research
Varieties of disciplines have made contributions to
knowledge and knowledge management. Research focuses
on one or more specific fields, but an understanding of
which levels of knowledge processes knowledge
management should concentrate on should be more
fundamental than advocacy of knowledge management
(Gao, F., et al., 2002).
As representing the core work of organizations in education
and research, knowledge management deals with the
creation, interpretation, critique, and distribution of
knowledge within communities of scholars, researchers,
experts, learners and teachers. However, only some
education organizations are pioneering knowledge
management by creating necessary infrastructure, and
support systems.
THE COURSE: Knowledge Management in Education
and Research
Description
CEIT 472 “Knowledge Management in Education and
Research” is designed specifically to explore the framework
for knowledge management in education and research. The
course aimed at providing the opportunities for the
participants to determine and commit effective knowledge
management initiatives for helping research and education
organizations increase their capacity in managing
knowledge to improve institutional and learner success. This
course provides the fundamental background for
understanding knowledge management and offers
necessary resources and practices to enable participants to
design and implement a knowledge management strategy in
order for education and research initiatives to succeed and
flourish. This course includes a strong focus on the
implementation of necessary tools and procedures to
construct and maintain an outstanding sustainable
knowledge management environment for education and
research organizations.
Objectives and Goals
This course offers participants the opportunity to explore the
potential of knowledge management as an increasingly
popular management trend in education and research. The
main objective of the course is to enable participants to
acquire an integrated understanding of the interrelated
subjects and issues involved in knowledge management
and to prepare them to respond effectively to those issues
and processes which impact the success of the intersection
of this increasingly popular management trend with
education and research. The course aimed at providing the
participants with vital insight into new knowledge
management techniques for implementing necessary tools
and procedures to construct and maintain an outstanding
sustainable knowledge management environment for
education and research organizations.
Upon completion of this course, class participants should be
able to:
By comparing the characteristics of knowledge, the nature
of knowledge management activities, how knowledge is
created and shared it is concluded that awareness of the
implications of epistemological perspectives could enhance
managerial analysis and conduct with respect to the
management of knowledge as well as enrich research in the
area.
1. Explain the relationship between the concepts of
data, information, knowledge, learning and change;
Hence, needs for more qualified people in both education
and research areas are creating the demand for courses
about the knowledge management. Therefore, the
development and promotion of the courses facilitating
professional development in the field of knowledge
management are necessary for increasing the expertise in
the arena to develop successful practices. The policy
meeting the expectations of practice in the future can only
be developed in this manner.
4. Recognize the various dimensions of knowledge
management;
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2. Define knowledge management and explain why it is
important for education and research organizations;
3. Recall and underline the fundamental concepts of
knowledge management;
5. Discuss essential tools, methods, systems to
develop
knowledge
management
framework
strategies and procedures in education and research
6. Discuss
organizational
learning,
organizations and intellectual capital
learning
7. Analyze and select tools, methods and systems to
manage knowledge in education and research
organizations;
4th Week:
8. Criticize
different
implementations
management
6th Week:
9. Identify a knowledge management problem with its
key attributes, and formulate a knowledge
management strategy for solving it;
7th Week:
knowledge
5th Week:
8th Week:
10. Determine and commit effective knowledge
management initiatives for helping research and
education organizations increase their capacity in
managing knowledge to improve institutional and
learner success;
9th Week:
10th Week:
11. Demonstrate essential knowledge and skills
needed in order to properly leverage principles of
knowledge management and procedures to broaden
understanding of how to create a dynamic,
sustainable knowledge management environment
for education and research organizations;
11th Week:
12th Week:
Structure
13th Week:
This elective course is a face to face classroom course open
to all departments and does not require any prerequisite
course. However, it is expected that the participants be
familiar with the fundamental knowledge about the concepts
needed to construct an understanding about management in
general and this is introduced to the students at the
beginning of the course.
Related topics and learning activities according to these
themes are organized to be covered during one semester
which is 14 academic weeks as 3-hour sessions each week.
Each session consists of lecture presentations and
classroom discussions. In the sessions, using electronic
classroom enables the lecturer to discuss content material
in detail, and present demonstrations. Course conduct also
includes group work, group project assignments, group
presentations, and reading assignments. The course
syllabus and the other course materials are provided and
available for the course participants on the university
learning management system called as METU Online Net
Class system at the beginning of the term. Each week's
material is available at the start of the week and can be
accessed through the Internet. Course participants
construct their learning groups at the beginning of the term
and work as a group during the semester. They also sign
their group consent form as a contract for their individual fair
contribution to their group works.
Participants have a chance to examine educational and
research institutions while they work on their group projects.
By this way, they also study the use of sound knowledge
management practices impacting the success of knowledge
management applications in general. Moreover, they
conduct research to evaluate organizations capacity in
terms of managing the knowledge. Hence the students
better understand knowledge management methodologies
and learn strategies for good knowledge management
applications to support the development and implementation
of effective knowledge management policies.
Outline
1st Week:
First meeting, review of basic concepts
(data, information, knowledge, learning and
change).
2nd Week: Introduction to knowledge management
(fundamental concepts, definitions, brief
history, framework and procedures )
3rd Week: What is knowledge management?
14th Week:
Knowledge
management
Why?
(The importance of knowledge management)
Intellectual capital, Organizational learning,
Learning organizations (Midterm Exam)
Knowledge management - How to?
(Essential tools, methods, systems)
Knowledge management for education and
research organizations
To
develop
knowledge
management
framework strategies in education and
research
Knowledge management strategies and
models;
Evaluation
of
different
knowledge
management
applications;
Project
Assignment Due (investigate and evaluate
the knowledge management practices in the
chosen organization)
The relation between knowledge-changeperformance and total quality management
To implement knowledge management in
education and research (principles, steps,
critical success factors)
Starting the
knowledge
management
initiative,
Project
Assignment
Due
(Developing a knowledge management
strategy for solving the Identified knowledge
management problem)
Final Project Due and presentation
Assessment
Course participants are assessed on their performance
results obtained from formal midterm examination, quizzes,
homework, group work case studies, term project, and
group presentations.
Midterm examination covers different types of questions to
assess participants learning progress. Quizzes include short
answer types of questions and homework includes a
reflection report of a reading assignment. Specific case
studies are provided during the class sessions for group
discussions and learning groups make their own
presentations to present their proposals about the case
study. The group projects are assigned at the beginning of
the term and provided a document explaining the project
assignments in detail. Participants are asked to accomplish
a term project as a group activity. For the project
assignment; groups are asked to design their own research
(mainly interpretive and qualitative in nature) to investigate
and evaluate the knowledge management practices in their
client (the organization that they have chosen) by mapping
the current situation, describing the existing potential, and
concluding with recommendations to leverage your client’s
potential regarding the Cyclic Model of KM (Capture, Refine,
Store, Manage, Disseminate, Create – Knowledge) in
details. They also have the chance to discuss
communication and organizational culture within their
chosen organization. The groups are supposed to prepare a
written report of maximum 20 pages on their findings, plus
an executive summary of maximum 2 pages in bullet-point
style writing. A document is provided which reflects the
project report guidelines. At the end of the semester the
groups make a power point presentation they prepared as a
synthetic representation of the main issues. Their
presentation will be evaluated both in terms of group
presentation skills and the value of their work.
Feedback to students is provided when work is
demonstrated during the sessions or via email after the work
has been assessed. METU on-line system is used for
1315
students to check their own progress. A study guide is given
as a supplementary material for the participants to get
prepared for the exam. A detailed document explaining term
project assignment is provided as a guide for the groups to
accomplish their project work in a complete way. Peer
evaluation forms are used to obtain objective assessment of
group work through an overview of participant performance
in the group work.
College Record. Volume 104,
December 2002 , pp. 1702-1717.
8,
Perez J.R.; Pablos P.O.d. (2003). Knowledge management
and organizational competitiveness: a framework
for human capital analysis. Library Hi Tech News
incorporating Online and CD Notes, Volume 7,
Number 3, 2003 , pp. 82-91(10)
CONCLUSION
To increase the capacity of identifying, distilling, harnessing
and using information to construct knowledge for the
organizational learning process became an indispensable
objective for any organization. As being very powerful tool to
reach this objective; knowledge management represents the
core work of organizations in education and research. It
deals with the creation, interpretation, critique, and
distribution of knowledge within communities of scholars,
researchers, experts, learners and teachers. However, only
some education organizations are pioneering knowledge
management by creating necessary infrastructure, and
support systems. It is necessary to understand how to
strengthen the management of knowledge for supporting
activities, and planning quality standards. Furthermore,
knowledge management initiatives are required to adapt to
meet new challenges and retain the leading organizations in
education and research.
Hence, needs for more qualified people in both education
and research areas are creating the demand for courses
about the knowledge management. Therefore, the
development and promotion of the courses facilitating
professional development in the field of knowledge
management are necessary for increasing the expertise in
the arena to develop successful practices. The policy
meeting the expectations of practice in the future can only
be developed in this manner.
This paper presents the structure of the course CEIT 472
namely “Knowledge Management in Education and
Research” aiming to meet these needs mentioned above.
The participants enrolled to the course during the fall
semester of 2007-2008 were encouraged by the instructor
to prepare proposal based on their projects developed
during the semester. The two of the group projects as
sample projects developed in this course were proposed to
be presented in the conference IETC 2008. One is accepted
as a paper presentation and the other one is accepted as a
poster presentation. Besides achieving the objectives of the
course participants had the chance to experience the
conference as a knowledge sharing event.
REFERENCES
E. Sallis and G. Jones. (2002) Knowledge Management in
Education: Enhancing Learning & Education,
London: Kogan Page.
Gao, F., Li, M., Nakamori, Y.(2002). "Systems thinking on
knowledge and its management: Systems
methodology for knowledge management."
Journal of Knowledge Management 6(1): 7-17.
OECD 2001 Knowledge Management in the Learning
Society
Petrides,
Number
L.A. & Guniney, S.Z. (2002). Knowledge
Management for School Leaders: An Ecological
Framework for Thinking Schools. Teachers
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