Were knowledge management abilities of university students enhanced after creating personal blog-based portfolios?

Abstract

The effect of creating blog-based portfolios on knowledge management (KM) abilities among university students was examined in the present study. Participants included 43 students majoring in Multimedia and Game Science at a University in Taiwan. Students spent nine weeks creating their personal portfolios by using a blog. The t-test was conducted to examine the difference in KM abilities before and after creating blog-based portfolios. The results showed that students' KM abilities after creating blog-based portfolios were significantly better than before creating blog-based portfolios. Introduction Knowledge management and its constructsKnowledge management (KM) is a core competence (Hitt, Ireland, & Lee, 2000). A study done by Chen (2005) showed that KM ability was beneficial to university students' learning and professional development. A study by Carneiro (2008) revealed that KM ability had a significant effect on innovation and competitiveness. Petrides and Nodine (2003) also found that KM ability enhanced performance in the workplace. These studies demonstrated that students' KM abilities are crucial, so the question of how to enhance students' KM ability is an important task. KM involves a wide range of education and business institutions. As knowledge is a key asset, many schools are seeking better ways to transform their knowledge into effective decision-making and action. Consequently, a KM approach helps universities enhance efficiency, improve decision-making capacity, and increase overall effectiveness (Petrides & Nodine, 2003). There are five constructs of KM, which are knowledge sharing, knowledge innovation, knowledge acquisition, knowledge application, and knowledge accumulation (Artail, 2006;Award & Ghaziri, 2004;Hsiao & Hu, 2007;Lee, Lee, & Kang, 2005;Liebowitz, 2012).Knowledge sharing can help people understand a thing: not only "what", but also "why and how". The intention of knowledge sharing includes sharing of personal knowledge, sharing of learning, and encouragement of learning. Knowledge sharing is a process of communication that requires a fine route (Kruger & Johnson, 2010), such as speech, publication, behaviour, or other ways in which one can communicate with others (Wang, Yang, & Huang, 2009). Furthermore, knowledge receivers can also reach the goal of knowledge sharing by observation, modelling, or reading. The intention of knowledge innovation indicates that learners can integrate knowledge through learning and reflection (Hsiao & Hu, 2007). Learners can understand the value of knowledge by reflection and improve their knowledge innovation behaviour (Tseng, Yang, Chen, & Tseng, 2005). Knowledge acquisition refers to the idea that students develop new knowledge and understanding through, for example, chat and discussion (Tseng, Chen, Wu, & Lou, 2004). Marks and Lockyer (2004) found that group members were able to acquire knowledge by interaction. Hence, mutual communication and modelling among learners can be a way to acquire knowledge (Liao, Fei, & Chou, 2008). Knowledge applic...

Making Meaningful Connections and Learning Workplace-Like Business Writing Through LinkedIn and Blogging

“…The students know that if made public, anyone with an internet connection can read and comment on their blogs. This aspect of blogging makes students engage and take more interest in blogging as writing assignment (Chang et al, 2013). Because their name is associated with a text that can be made public, they take more ownership of the writing process and are more mindful of the final written piece.…”

‘It’s one of the first times I’ve felt fully engaged’: developing student engagement using blogging as a form of assessment

“…Blogs can be either formative or summative, public or private, individual or collaborative, with the option to be seen solely by staff, or to be opened up to peers and/or the public (Badenhorst & Mather, 2014;Murray & Hourigan, 2008). The style of the blogs is important, and students are encouraged to write in an accessible and engaging way that is cognisant of the disciplinary structures and conventions in which the course is embedded, as well as of the audience they are trying to share their knowledge with (Chang, Liang, Tseng Meiho, Tseng, and Chen, 2013;Gallagher, 2010;Ryan, 2012). Further, students are encouraged to make their work intertextual (Badenhorst & Mather, 2014) and multi-modal (Glass, 2014) by embedding hyperlinks, images, sound files, videos and so on in their posts.…”

Students’ perspectives on e-portfolio development and implementation: A case study in Taiwanese higher education

“…Through active and iterative updating, students can also customise the content or layout of their e-portfolios depending on the application for a targeted employer (Ward & Moser, 2008). In brief, students encouraged to develop e-portfolios gain benefits from self-reflection and self-evaluation that facilitate preparation for interviews with potential employers (Chang et al, 2013). The current study suggests that institutions of higher education in Taiwan and countries with similar cultural backgrounds carefully consider which technological system is appropriate to launch for e-portfolios.…”

“…Different types of documented and digitalised content in e-portfolios can appear as technological artefacts to present unique features Stefani et al, 2007). For example, organised, searchable, and transportable e-portfolios allow rethinking of an entire curriculum that can be used for faculty evaluations, program assessments, certifications of students' work, and accreditation (Chang, Liang, Tseng, Tseng, & Chen, 2013). Extended use of e-portfolios can be applied widely for a multitude of purposes (e.g., advanced studies, job applications) and audiences (e.g., educators, employers, and friends), especially when integrating mobile and Web 2.0 technologies in systems employing e-portfolios (Barrett, 2010;Ford et al, 2008).…”