CHAPTER 1

Knowledge SharingTutorial Outline

Tutorial Overview

Where technology is advancing, economies challenged, andcommunities evolving, nothing is more essential than thedevelopment of learning resources in school and at work.

For this responsibility, when introducing new thoughtsand new technology to promising opportunities, challengingproblems, and changing conditions, the tutorial lessons andstudies maintain the most effectively employable view on how tolead and manage evolving learning resources—learn from peopleand about people.

How do we learn from people and about people? Withinthe knowledge sharing method we use a rigorous process ofquestioning to identify promising learning resource possibilitiesand manage their development. A knowledge acquisitionprocess that builds the pathway to evolving learning resourceachievement; using information and communication technologyto make learning resource project participants one deliberativebody.

Spirit of Discovery

The core of the knowledge sharing process is a spirit ofdiscovery—where in the scholarly traditions of critical thinkingand thorough analysis we confirm the things we know, find out allwe can about what we need to know, and decide what strategicresearch we need to assure that we discover the things weare unaware of but which may dramatically affect our learningresource development outcomes.

Maintain this spirit of discovery you gain recognition thatyour leadership is well founded, assuring that once a learningresource project decision is made everyone understands it, ableto move forward to an exceptional achievement.

To get the most out of the knowledge sharing tutorial think aboutthe promising opportunities, challenging problems, or changingconditions in which you are engaged. How would application ofthe knowledge sharing theory, method, and process improveyour leadership and achievements? Think about a future project:How will you lead and manage the introduction of new thoughtsand new technology within your area of responsibility?

Evolving Learning Resources

To confirm the knowledge sharing tutorial as an essentiallearning experience, with appreciation for the thoughts provided,we take directly from a number of sources. Starting with TowardsKnowledge Societies, published in 2005 by the United NationsEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Where it isstated, "a knowledge society must foster knowledge sharing."

Towards Knowledge Societies provides these basic perspectivesregarding the challenge of introducing new thoughts and newtechnology to education's promising opportunities, challengingproblems, and changing conditions:

* Without critical judgment and thinking, as we analyze, sortaand incorporate the items considered most interesting,information will never be anything but a mass of indistinctdata. And instead of controlling it, many people will realizethat it is controlling them.

* What is more, the tools that can be used to "process"that information are not always up to the task. In knowledgesocieties, everyone must be able to move easily through theflow of information submerging us, and to develop cognitiveand critical thinking skills to distinguish between "useful"and "useless" information.

* We find support for the knowledge sharing tutorialemphasis on learning from people and about people,where Towards Knowledge Societies provides a knowledgesharing cultural view regarding the extent to which theintroduction of new thoughts and new technology isaccelerating change. A major international challenge whenyou consider every society has its own knowledge assets.It is therefore necessary to work towards connecting theforms of knowledge that societies already possess andthe new forms of development, acquisition, and spreadof knowledge.

The Asian Development Bank Report, Enhancing KnowledgeManagement Under Strategy 2020: Plan of Action for 2009–2011, confirmsthe knowledge sharing tutorial as an essential learning experiencewhen you consider these thoughts: Despite worldwide attention tostrategic planning, the notion of strategic practice is surprisinglynew. To draw a strategy is relatively easy but to execute it isdifficult—strategy is both a macro and a micro phenomenon thatdepends on synchronization. One should systematically review,evaluate, prioritize, sequence, manage, redirect, and if necessaryeven cancel strategic initiatives.

Confirming these views, the Federal Ministry of Education andResearch, Germany, emphasizes that international competition forfuture opportunities has essentially become a competition for thequality of education systems, where education reform requires anational effort of all stakeholders and a broad debate in societyacross ideological barriers. There is a growing awareness that one size-fits-allapproaches to school knowledge and organizationare ill adapted both to individuals' needs and to the knowledgesociety at large. To move beyond uniform, mass provision canbe described as the "personalization" of education.

The U.S. Department of Education's 2010 plan, TransformingAmerican Education: Learning Powered by Technology, similarly calls fora revolutionary transformation rather than evolutionary tinkeringwhen developing community learning resource development. Theplan urges learning resources that increase student engagementand motivation, using technology to transform teaching byushering in a new model of connected teaching. This model linksteachers to their students and to knowledge content, resources,and systems to help them improve the learning experience.

The following introduce the three parts of the knowledgesharing tutorial.

Part I. Knowledge Sharing Lessons

The knowledge sharing lessons establish questions asprimary facts when introducing new thoughts and new technologyto evolving learning resources. Questions have always guidedthe search for knowledge, particularly questioning to discoverthe exceptions that confound what has been accepted as true.Further, questions endure; it is the answers that vary.

The knowledge sharing lessons emphasize knowledgeacquisition and essential information and communicationtechnology (ICT) advantages, answering the followingquestions:

* How do we establish a means for individuals and groupsto share experience and insights within evolving learningresources?

* How do we accumulate ideas and sharpen perceptionsand at the same time assure rigorous analysis?

* How do we make knowledge acquisition processesrepeatable, scalable, and executable acrossorganizations?

* And, within all of this, how can we maintain the standardof complete, verified, applicable, and timely knowledgeacquisition outcomes?

Part II. Knowledge Sharing Studies

Study 1. Evolving School Learning Resources,Introducing New Thoughts and New Technology

Study 2. Building for the Future, A PromisingCommunity Learning Center Opportunity

Study 3. Continuous Workforce Improvement, AChallenging Problem for Personalized Learning

Study 4. A Knowledge Sharing Research Strategy,Directed to Changing Social and Economic Conditions

These studies are presented as learning experiences usefulfor school, university, corporate, business, institutional, andgovernment entities, providing models for learning from peopleand about people and gaining the benefit of individual experienceand insight.

The tutorial studies equate knowledge and sharedresponsibility with effective action, answering this question: Howcan we develop effective knowledge sharing experiences withinevolving learning resources?

In the knowledge sharing experience the answer will beincreasingly more positive as people recognize that the knowledgesharing process complements their expertise, experience,and insights—a means to achieve a dramatic improvement inopportunities for participants in a learning resource developmentproject to exchange insights and points of view, and compareintentions and requirements.

Part III. Learn-by-Doing Assignments

From the perspective that writing is an intense learningexperience, in the tutorial knowledge sharing assignmentsparticipants, individually or in groups, address a learning resourcepromising opportunity, challenging problem, or changingcondition of interest. The outline for this work is:

1. Sign Into the Tutorial Web Site

2. Define the Evolving Learning Resource StudyObjectives and Critical Success Factors

3. Develop Annotated Expert Knowledge References

4. Develop the Project Deliberation Agenda

5. Share Assignment Outcomes with Colleagues forCritique

Lesson 1. Theory

Within knowledge sharing theory we maintain two primaryprinciples, learn from people and about people and gain theadvantages of a rigorous process of questioning.

1.1 Learn from People and About People

The knowledge sharing principle of learning from people andabout people argues the view that when individuals with diverselearning resource development objectives and responsibilitiesmeet they must share ideas and achieve an encompassingunderstanding of one another's intentions, expectations, andrequirements.

Learn From People

Throughout the tutorial a principle thought is that everyindividual though varied in experience, abilities, and education is avaluable asset within evolving learning resource deliberations.

When undertaking learning resource projects it is essentialwe gain the benefit of individual experience and insights.Examination of failed learning resource projects often revealsthat one or more key figures were not included in deliberations,or were not listened to, or listened to too late, and that there wereno means in place for individuals to critique decision outcomes,to assess the effect of one decision on others.

Further, learn from people and you discover the roadblocks andbottlenecks that often make new thoughts and new technologydifficult to introduce, such as the conflicts of interests createdby organizational pressures, group allegiances, differencesin intentions, inflexible rules, funding and resource allocationdisputes, and political and between organizations controversy.

Learn About People

Learning about people is as important as learning frompeople. When we work with individuals we not only listen towhat they say, we also consider the social and cultural factorsthat influence their experience and insights, expectations andrequirements.

Further, within nations and internationally cultural bias isa factor that must never be overlooked in learning resourceproject deliberations. A particular area of concern is the factthat the worth and dignity of diverse cultural traditions are oftenjudged in terms of a one's own culture and as a result we ignore,misinterpret, distort or undervalue the contributions of others.

1.2 Rigorous Process of Questioning

How do we learn from people and about people? Withinknowledge sharing theory, method, and process a rigorousprocess of questioning is the bridge between people. It is thecore of the knowledge sharing method; particularly importantfor the exchange of information across cultures. P In knowledgesharing tutorial sessions, working with individuals or groups, weuse questions to define the evolving learning resource challenge,and then guide the search for answers within the knowledgesharing process

Within a rigorous process of questioning we see questions asthe basis of critical thinking and thorough analysis, the means todiscover the exceptions that confound what has been acceptedas true. In the knowledge sharing process rigorous questioningtakes these forms:

* Discovery. Questions that consider possibilities andproblems, follow insights, and respond to suspicions thatsomething is missing or may be mischaracterized.

* Verification. Questions designed to confirm data,information, and deliberation outcomes.

* Research. Questions designed to obtain new data andinformation and define learning resource requirementsand specifications.

Rigorous Process of Questioning Direct andIndirect Benefits

The direct benefits of rigorous questioning are notable:

* Questions are fundamental to leadership.

* Questions provide an opportunity for debate andargument.

* Questions convey your way of managing and thinking.

* Questions bring in the next good idea.

* Questions help you understand new situations.

* Questions make decision-making an open process.

* The indirect benefits of rigorous questioning are notable:Creates a spirit of discovery.

* Captures people's attention and interest.

* Creates deliberation momentum.

* Achieves a commitment to developing new expertise.

* Fosters individual consideration of innovationpossibilities.

A rigorous process of questioning also shows promise whennew issues arise in learning resource projects, requiring weresolve issues in a timely fashion, such as:

* A last minute requirement or modification.

* A budget modification.

* A late discovery of an additional constraint.

* An overlooked requirement.

* An organization controversy.

Lesson 2. Method

Excellence in learning and resource achievements relies ona rigorous process of questioning. Here we turn this theory intomethod in the form of learning resource project deliberationagendas, a framework for critical thinking and thorough analysis.

In terms of providing a background for this overview ofthe knowledge sharing method, please review the four tutorialstudies.

2.1 Deliberation Agendas: TransformingTheory into Method

Knowledge sharing deliberation agendas are designed to gainall the benefits of a rigorous process of questioning, directed tothese objectives:

* Eliminate unwarranted assumptions and incompletespeculations.

* Deal with uncertainty and conflict resolution.

* Capture every opportunity and obtain solutions for everyproblem.

* Accumulate ideas and sharpen perceptions and at thesame time assure rigorous analysis.

* Guard against unwarranted, misdirected, and prematureapplication of concepts and recommendations.

* Establish justified and mutually agreed upon learningproject intentions, and expectations, requirements, andaction plans.

Effectively Employable Deliberation Agendas

Knowledge sharing deliberation agendas promote discovery,clarification, and verification by means of an inclusive process ofargument and shared responsibility that assures people discussthe appropriate things; that what might be misunderstood orignored is clarified and appreciated; and that the time spent ondeliberations and research produces exceptional results.

Unlike common organization decision-making that too oftenpredetermines outcomes, reduces the complexity of problems,and limits the scope of solutions, knowledge sharing deliberationparticipants experiment with ideas and possibilities as related tothe following points:

* When presented with a question item-based deliberationagenda an individual begins to contribute immediately,putting what he or she knows to work; encouraged to feelfree to state that they know something other people donot know or do not understand and to suggest innovationsthat perhaps only they are capable of conceiving andjustifying.

* Within this spirit of discovery, deliberation participantshave an opportunity to consider what underlies people'sintentions, expectations, and requirements, conduct athorough critique of findings and recommendations, and,in time, revise, expand, and add new topics to projectobjectives.

The Knowledge Sharing Deliberation Experience

Knowledge sharing deliberations assure that people discussthe appropriate things; that what might be misunderstood orignored is clarified and appreciated; and that the time spenton project deliberations and research produces exceptionalperformance and results. In the knowledge sharing method: