knowledge maturing - a different perspective on learning

Andreas Schmidt & Pablo Franzolini

Knowledge Maturing –

a different perspective

on learning

EATEL Summer School 2008

Ohrid

June 2008

andreas.schmidt@fzi.dehttp://andreas.schmidt.name

http://mature-ip.eu

2

Outline

Widening your perspective on learning

Characterizing knowledge maturing

What can we do with it?

• Analyzing and overcoming disruptions

• Introducing a dynamic perspective

Conclusions

MATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge Networks

3MATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge Networks

Widening your perspective

on learning

4

The other 80%

Formal learning contexts

• Universities, schools

• Formal trainings and certification in companies

... and the other 80%

MATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge Networks

Cross 2003

5

Structuring the Learning Landscape

new ideasshared

vocabulary

communities

best practices standard text book

CollaborationCourses/

Curricula

Learning

ObjectsCommunication

Document

collections

reports

case studies

lessons Learnt

Distribution

in

Communities

Emergence

of ideasFormali-

zation

Ad-Hoc-

TrainingStandardi-

zation

Schmidt, A. (2005): Knowledge Maturing and the Continuity of Context

as a Unifying Concept for E-Learning & Knowledge Management, I-KNOW 2005

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Emergence of ideas

MATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge NetworksMATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge Networks

Main Goal

• Develop new ideas and exploit your creativity

Forms of Learning

• Brainstorming, creativity techniques

Hot topics

• Personal knowledge management

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Distribution in Communities

MATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge Networks

Main Goal• Exchange experiences with others and

develop new ideas collaboratively

• Develop a shared understanding

Forms of Learning• Cooperative learning

• Collaborative working

Hot topics• Finding experts/communities

• Social networks, awareness

• Design of/intervention into collaboration processeses

• Integration into working processes

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Formalization

Main Goal• Existing documents as helpers for problem

solving and passsing on of experientialknowledge

Forms of Learning• Information seeking

• „Reading documents“

Hot topics• Locating documents

• Creation of documents as an active learning process

• Integrate pedagogical into documents for everyday use

9

Ad-Hoc Training/Deployment

Main Goal

• Teach advanced learners/practitioners in

focused areas about updated/more

specialized topics

Forms of Learning

• Short trainigs, learnign objects, tutorials

Hot topics

• Embedding into the context of the learner

• Detecting learning needs and generate recommendations

• rapid authoring

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Standardization

Main Goal

Teach novices a larger field

Forms of learning

Lecture, training

Text book, e-learning course

Aspects

Course design, adaptivity

Assessment, certification, competencies

Distribution in

Communities

Emergence

of ideas

Formali-

zation

Ad-Hoc-

Training

Standardi-

zation

Informal Learning Formal learning

NoviceExpert in the knowledge area

new ideas

shared

vocabulary

communities

best practices standard

text book

CollaborationCourses/

Curricula

Learning

ObjectsCommunicationDocument

collections

reports

Case studies

Lessons Learnt

12

Knowledge Maturing Process

new ideasshared

vocabulary

communities

Best Practices standard text book

CollaborationCourses/

Curricula

Learning

ObjectsCommunication

Document

collections

reports

Case stude

Lessons Learnt

Distribution

in

Communities

Emergence

of ideasFormali-

zation

Ad-Hoc-

TrainingStandardi-

zation

Schmidt, A. (2005): Knowledge Maturing and the Continuity of Context

as a Unifying Concept for E-Learning & Knowledge Management, I-KNOW 2005

Knowledge management

E-Learning

HR Development

13MATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge Networks

Chacterizing

knowledge

maturing

14

Levels of knowledge maturing

Knowledge level

• Maturity is the property of internal constructs

• Increase in maturity is the result of learning

Artefact level

• Knowledge maturity becomes observable in artefacts that are

exchanged within collaborative learning processes

Individual vs. Collective

• Knowledge maturity is primarily individual

• Collective dimension is an abstraction/aggregation like the

notion of „collective knowledge“ as such

MATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge Networks

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Criteria

Teachability

Implicit contextualization -> explicit linkage

Hardness

Legitimation & Commitment by the organization

• From individual, via community, to organization scope

MATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge Networks

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... and maturing is complicated

NOT a strictly linear as the picture might suggest

And there is not a single maturing process, but myriad

of them

Complex phenomena

• Combination of different strands of development

• Branching and forking

• Modifications/improvements to „mature“ knowledge start at

lower levels of maturity and are then combined

• Complex interactions between parallel strands

• ...

MATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge Networks

17MATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge Networks

What can we

do with it?

Analyzing &

Overcoming

Disruptions

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Distribution in

Communities

Emergence

of ideas

Formali-

zation

Ad-Hoc-

Training

Standardi-

zation

University of Innsbruck & FZI Research for Information Technologies

Analyzing Disruptions in the Process

new ideascommon

terminologyad hoc incorporation

into trainingentering into

common curricula

communicationartefacts

FAQ entriesforum contributions

text bookscourses

certificatesredesign of the

organisation

learning objects

patents

best practices

personal notes

project reports

case studieslessons learnt

formalstructure

Information artefacts

19University of Innsbruck & FZI Research for Information Technologies

Formalization vs. Ad-hoc Training

Classical barrier between E-Learning and KM

Technical Level

• document management systems (formalization)

• learning management systems (ad hoc training)

Organizational Level

• operating departments (formalization)

• HR development or training department (ad hoc)

Differences with respect to criteria

• legitimation: project teams/manager vs. training experts

• forms of learning: self-directed „information seeking“ vs.

ad hoc training

Solutions: e.g. SAP Knowledge Ramp Up Knowledge

Transfer

20University of Innsbruck & FZI Research for Information Technologies

Distribution in Communities vs.

Formalization

main issues are here human and social issues• detachment from the originator

• from social incentives (reputation, social esteem) to organizational

In terms of legitimations: • requires a transition from personal/informal communities to

formal organizational legitimation

Possible solutions:• increased visibility of the individual and her impact

• weblogs (with trackbacks)

• wikis

o visible contributions of the individual

o easy transition by adding legitimation (tagging it with a category)

21MATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge Networks

Introducing

a dynamic

perspective

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Overcoming top-down approaches

Many approaches are based on a top-down philosophy

• Teaching at universities

• Installing a Learning Management System

• Implementing a human resource development strategy

But this has often led to

• Lack of motivation on the user side

• Slow and cumbersome processes

• Unused potential of learner/employee creativity

The „maturing perspective“ enables bottom-up

participation

MATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge Networks

23MATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge Networks

Knowledge Maturing Process Model

24MATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge Networks

Knowledge Maturing Process Model (2)

process

maturing

25

Example: Competence Maturing

MATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge Networks

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Design processes as learning processes

Design processes have to be understood as learning

processes

• Interwoven modelling & application processes

(often work-integrated)

• Deepening the understanding along the modeling process

• Increasing level of formalization

• Should be subject to continuous improvement processes

Specializations

• task-embedded ontology engineering („ontology maturing“)

• distributed software engineering in complex domains

• reusability of software components

MATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge Networks

27MATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge Networks

Conclusions

28

Conclusions

The Knowledge Maturing Process is a macroscopical

description of interconnected individual learning

processes.

• a model for structuring real-world phenomena and analyzing

problems

• not explaining how learning takes places on a micro level, but

rather stating that it takes place differently depending on the

level of maturity.

MATURE IP

• Empirical foundations for knowledge maturing

• Knowledge maturing and distributed cognition theories

• Moving beyond an analytical framework

MATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge Networks

MATURE - Continuous Social Learning in Knowledge Networks

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Contact:

Scientific Coordinator

Andreas Schmidt

andreas.schmidt@fzi.de

http://andreas.schmidt.name