Learning
January 9, 2007 – 11:50 pmKathy Sierra’s Crash Course in Learning Theory has a nice illustration of how knowledge is not something one can just thrust on another person like a data dump. It also has a lot of suggestions on how to improve the chances of someone “getting” whatever you’re trying to help them learn (e.g., usability, “next level” (as in game design), storytelling, context, etc.).
To some, Knowledge Management just implies sticking information in a vault, perhaps with some potential for future search/retrieval. That’s not the part of KM that excites me. I want to help us use our tools to share and build on ideas, too. I think keeping people engaged in the learning process is part of knowledge management.
Note: Sierra is described as the “chief poobah” of the Head First tech ed series a friend and colleague of mine recommends.
5 Responses to “Learning”
Reading your post, I’m struck by the use of “management” in Knowledge Management. I think your allusion to a vault is apt — management (to me) implies some kind of containment, or constraint. Lately, I’ve been thinking about how leadership is different from management (Dee Hock’s notions of “chaordic leadership” started me down this path), and yet “knowledge leadership” doesn’t quite seem to fit either. I do think a new term is called for (I don’t particularly like “wisdom management”, as that still has the M-word … and the idea of managing wisdom just seems like an oxymoron to me, kind of like managing joy or peace). Perhaps knowledge evocation, or elucidation … KE vs. KM? But that ignores the sharing aspect.
Kathy’s recent post on “The Dumbness of Crowds” sheds further light on some of these issues … and may offer some other terminology (as well as ideas) to consider.
By Joe McCarthy on Jan 10, 2007
I think knowledge management can refer to an ongoing process of structuring for sharing and discovery rather than mere containment. But the phrase definitely has limiting connotations for some. Similarly, the book our team is working through now (Requirements by Collaboration: Workshops for Defining Needs) objects to the term “capture” (as in capturing requirements) on similar grounds (vault/frozen in time).
I haven’t seen an alternate term really catch on yet. I’ve seen “knowledge transfer” and “knowledge sharing” — I like the latter, but they both seem to refer more to individual bits of knowledge rather than the practice of nurturing participatory knowledge building (I know not all discussion of knowledge management cares about participatory-ness, but I do). “Information architecture” tends to focus more on the tools than engaging people — though *some* discussion of information infrastructure discusses engagement.
Hmm. Knowledge gardening?
By configures on Jan 10, 2007
p.s. re Kathy’s recent post on “Dumbness of Crowds”, I read it and tagged it into my links library
http://www.connotea.org/user/selkins/tag/Social
Thanks!
By configures on Jan 10, 2007