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This page last changed on Jan 23, 2008 by wikiadm1.
KB in Higher Education
Writers Swan et. al. (2000) were also interested in KB and its impact on learning in educational settings, however they primarily focused on higher education online learning rather than the more graphical, collaborative technology we will be exploring in Unit 2. Their research comfirmed the presence of three factors that consistently affect the success of online learning: transparency, instructor activity, and active discussion".
They highlight the fact that active discussion above all is the heart and soul of KB and supports social constructivist theory and provides both researchers and practitioners with the tools needed to continue to evolve these collaborative online environments.
Case Study
A case study by [5407253.html Gilbert] (2002) details the use of KB in a Higher Education setting. While the endeavor was not entirely successful, it was evident that this type of learning allowed for the creation of an environment where graduate students were able to "access, use, manipulate, and evaluate information using authentic problem-solving activities" (p 59).
Gilbert cited another researcher who studied the phenomena of KB and outlined [5407253.html Bowen's] (1992) four traits indicative of this collaborative environment:
- Focus on knowledge rather than tasks
- Focus on problem-solving rather than performance
- Dynamic adaptation as knowledge is changed by members resulting in a continual progress
- Intellectual collaboration resulting in larger problem-solving
It is important to acknowledge the limitations of this type of learning, most particularly since graduates students came into the class with various "beliefs, expectations, and attitudes" that were not necessarily conducive to this particular application of collaborative learning. However, further studies are necessary before discounting the impact KB can have in a Higher Education environment.
Unit 1 Knowledge Building Theory | Unit 1 - Knowledge Building, Theory Learners | Unit 1 - Knowledge Building, Theory Characteristics | Higher Education | Unit 1 - Knowledge Building, Theory Wrap-Up
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