Managing Learning Information
How does knowledge management work?
Educational knowledge resources such as learning, teaching and research materials must be designed, organised and delivered in a way that is equally and easily accessible to learners, teachers and administrators. In ODL's global learning environment, the considerable ability of information and communications technologies (ICTs) to provide virtual classrooms, libraries or administrative tools - to communicate, store and retrieve information, or provide services - is very useful to the education process.
COL
's pan-Commonwealth ODL Knowledge Management programme uses systems and techniques that enable developing countries to use ICTs and systems often accessible only to multinational organisations. COL's goal is to provide the Commonwealth's ODL and development practitioners with an integrated, seamless gateway to information, collaboration and people-networking, using ICTs and multi-media.
Developing ODL Knowledge Management
COL
's knowledge management initiatives create, organise and consolidate access to the latest, most complete information on ODL and its applications. These include providing guidance in knowledge management to ODL regional centres and institutions; providing knowledge resources, such as the COL knowledge finder online database (www.colfinder.org); collaborating with partner institutions to develop knowledge management initiatives, such as the Development Gateway Internet portal site (
www.developmentgateway.org); promoting international, interoperable ICT systems standards; and offering training and expertise in open source software applications.
COL
creates local and regional knowledge and resource networks of people and systems; develops knowledge resources or assets; and promotes these initiatives - and COL as a knowledge expertise provider and networker - to learners and education providers in developing countries.
COL
also works to consolidate its own knowledge management and resource needs, to improve staff, stakeholder, public and media access to COL's resources and to heighten the profile of COL's activities internationally.
Some ODL KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT initiatives: 2003-2006
KNOWLEDGE DATABASES
Developing the COL Knowledge Finder's database of about one million documents and integrating it with the websites of other education and development partners, such as the British Council, the African Virtual University (AVU), and the World Health Organization (WHO). Continuing to provide administrative and content support to global information databases such as the Global Distance Education Network (GDENet) [www.col.org/disted] and the Development Gateway E-Learning section (topics.developmentgateway.org/elearning); collaborating with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on streamlining its ODL knowledge base with GDENet.
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND ICT ADVOCACY
Encouraging use of open source applications for ODL. Providing orientation on open source applications to expand ODL and e-learning or mobile learning in Kenya, the Seychelles and India. Advocating international Commonwealthwide ICT standards and interoperability .
KNOWLEDGE RESOURCES AND COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES
Publishing new knowledge on ODL, developing start-up and training guides and promoting COL's resources and services via regular newsletters, such as Connections/EdTechNews (
www.col.org/connections). Resources are available online, on CD-ROM or in print. Perspectives in Distance Education series and the Knowledge Series.
www.col.org/resources
INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Creating and maintaining internal COL knowledge resources, such as contacts/consultants databases, mailing lists, the COL website and the COL Intranet, to increase efficiency. Maintaining COL's public affairs and media relations and establishing co-operative relationships with media consultants. Expanding COL's Vancouver-based resource and reference collection, available to COL staff and partners. Providing communications support to COL management and specialists.
REGIONAL AND VIRTUAL CONFERENCES/FORUMS/EVENTS
Co-hosting COL's biennial Pan Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF) and its associated virtual conferences in ODL topics with a local or regional host. Influencing the ICT development agenda for ODL compatibility via education or development forums such as the Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network. Promoting Commonwealth awareness events, including Commonwealth Day.