Distance learning in education services prepares students for various careers in the field of education. Some of the educational services are elementary and secondary school teacher, college and university faculty, instructional coordinator, vocational education teacher, remedial education teacher, students counselor, library technician, self enrichment teacher and training specialist. Apart from these careers other educational services include education product design and development services, education course and curricula development, international education consulting services, international credential evaluation, etc.

Distance learning in education services enhances your expertise in specialized teaching techniques such as how to create a successful classroom literacy program, how to better examine and expand student’s varying learning styles and intelligence levels, and how to utilize technology to enhance and facilitate the learning process. A degree in education accompanied by a strong academic background gives you confidence and professional expertise in the field of teaching.

New Opportunities

Distance learning in education services, also offer advanced degree courses in education administration, education supervision etc. Education administration degree courses are available in school finance and budgeting, school law, community relations, etc. Education supervision degree courses are available in human relations, curriculum development, supervision of instruction and curriculum, etc.

Online education courses and distance learning facilities have raised more challenges for education professionals than ever before. It has given an international dimension to education. Countries around the world are trying to promote their educational services through online technology. New careers are offered by distance learning in education services targeted for international exposure. An education product design and development professional stays abreast of new education research and technology and continually designs new education strategies and approaches to retain a competitive edge in an international arena. An international education consultant evaluates a number of education programs and materials and provides accurate and up to date information on international higher education. International credential evaluators evaluate educational credentials from any country in the world into their US equivalents.

Resources for Distance Learning in Education Services

There are plenty of online degree programs available for education services. Many of them are accredited by the National Council for accreditation of teacher Education; and by the Educational Leadership Constituent Council. The web site ELearners is a search engine for accredited online degrees, while the site CollegeandUniversity is a convenient, comprehensive and personalized source of degree programs and related information. Educational Pathways is a paid subscription newsletter covering distance learning and teaching in higher education. GetEducated is an online degree clearinghouse for accredited colleges and universities while ClassesUSA is also a very good higher education portal.

Demand for education professionals is expected to grow substantially by 2012. Education will continue to hold a special place in people’s lives. Private institutions, local and state governments and corporations will continue to offer various education programs.

Finding online schools and online degrees programs does not have to be difficult. Directory of Schools provides a comprehensive guide to various online degrees available. Whatever your existing level of education, from a GED, high school diploma, some college or even an existing Bachelor’s, an online degree program is available. Whether looking for a online degree certificate or a degree programs to achieve your specific professional goals, Directory of Schools offers a large range of information in finding the perfect online degree program.

A fast and easy way to browse through various U.S and international online degree programs, Directory of Schools allows you to create a specific search for your specific educational desires. With updated and accurate information, Directory of Schools provides some of the most helpful online degrees information on the website.

What are you waiting for? The website has a comprehensive database of nearly 21,000 universities, colleges and trade schools. With simple contact information, choosing and finding an online degree program is no longer a daunting task. With an informative education blog, relevant education information is provided regarding online degree and certification programs.

Some categories of online degrees found on Directory of Schools include: Arts & Humanities, Business & MBA, Computers I.T., Educational & Teaching, Engineering, Health & Medicine, Social Sciences & Trade Schools. No matter your profession or your future educational goals, an online degree program is available for you to choose from. Allow Directory of Schools to be your one-stop to finding online degrees today!

It is a great task of parents of today’s generation to establish a fixed curriculum standard in getting their children started for a valuable formal education. The home handles the informal education of each individual from the time he is a toddler, after which parents may choose the kind of school, that will later be a trademark institution linking him to wherever his objectives and goals bring him.

There are many highly exclusive schools for either gender. Educational settings of this kind are highly expensive, are opened to the rich and affluent. There are those simply private, inclusive of all coeds, a much more highly standardized than a public school. Public schools operational systems are based on the economic condition of a place.

Products of public schools of the third world and poorer countries, and those promoting scholarships of some kind don’t meet the normal standard level in education. Institutional systems’ lack of certain criteria fails to cope in developing confidence, and competitiveness in business, and harsh brutalities of life when they go their own, in job seeking, entrepreneurship, or raising a family.

The modern-day complexity in today’s lifestyle, made possible the accreditation of various studies within the confines of a home. There are various reasons why it is done so, especially to exceptional cases in the nature of work, and the situations of life one has been drawn into. Examples of individuals that need apply a home schooling curriculum are those in the entertainment world, such as in the movies, television, theatres, and advertisements when there’s no definite time in photo or filming footages.

Actors, especially children characters are left to study with tutors, and thru correspondence schools, where materials are sent to their homes in form of packages and mails for self- study, with a domestic teacher, or the parents themselves.

The home schooling curriculum opens opportunity for some parents to act fairly against any risk on drugs, travel, and social elemental influences in school environments today, and find themselves in direct management of their children in the home.

Home-based schools studies cater some cautious parents in giving education to their children up to some grade levels where they’re mature enough to handle themselves. Leaflets of the well-based curriculum planned for home study are also delivered by the agencies of correspondent schools. Progress of the child is sent the same way around, or by mails.

A random study of families adapting this study method has run surveys to be positively favorable. Compared to all their peers among accredited schools, private or public, home schooling curriculum results of validating exams for college entry, favors 80% mark of competence against counterparts, rating only 50% in effectiveness survey.

Education, both formal and informal could still be at best, if outright guide or adviser of the child is the parent who has the definite full concern for him.

What is Distance Education?

Establish a definition of Distance Education, after analyzing how define some educational institutions. Examine the origin of distance education and compare the term with similar expressions.
Before attempting to explain the complex and controversial issue is useful to define the terms in question. In this case, before defining distance education, we should first define Education.

Education
A dictionary definition of education is:
“The act or process of educating or being educated.” Or more simple “The act of imparting knowledge.

It is important to note that the words in the definitions above are action or process. But Education is associated with a place such as school, university, schools and not the process.

Learning
With regard to the concept of learning, there are various conceptions and interpretations. Examine some of them, as well as elements of them.
We call learning modality or man’s ability to learn, which occurred as a result of motor activities that cannot be attributed simply to the process of growth and development as human beings.
We can say that learning is a process of acquiring knowledge and skills. For this process can be defined as learning, rather than passing a simple restraint must involve retention of knowledge or skill in question to allow for their demonstration at a future time. Learning can be defined in a more formal “as a relatively permanent change in behavior or potential behavior, comes from experience.”

We note that learning can be understood:

1. As a product, ie the result of an experience or a change that comes with   practice.
2.  As a process in which the behavior changes, improves or controls.
3.  As a function since it is the change that occurs when the subject interacts with the information (materials, activities and academic experiences).

In the 80s there were three major changes on the theme of education and learning.
1. The passage of a psychosocial orientation of education to their integration into   a theory of teaching.

2. The paradigm shift from a predominantly behavioral, cognitive orientation to another.
3. Expanding the concept of learning which includes cognitive and effective.

For now define that distance education is a form of education, referring to the process, but this process is done remotely. For what could be defined as the act or process of educating or being educated, when this process is done remotely without using a physical space where members are meeting the educational process.
Consider that the concept of education includes the teaching-learning process, according to modern interpretations of the same, thus acting to achieve a better relationship with existing and common concepts.
The Distance Education Program was conceived as a means of informal education that would integrate with people who, for cultural, social or economic not adapt or no access to conventional education systems.

Definitions of other institutions

Let’s see how some institutions define distance education.
Combination of education and technology to reach their audience through large distances is the hallmark of distance learning. This amounts to a strategic means to provide training, education and new communication channels for businesses, educational institutions, government and other public and private agencies. With predictions of being one of the seven major developments in the area of education in the future, distance education is crucial in our geopolitical situation as a means of disseminating and assimilating information on a global basis .- (Texas A & M University) .
Distance Education is distributing education that does not require students to be physically present in the same place with the instructor. Historically, Distance Education meant studying by correspondence. Today, audio, video and computer technology are most common modes of transmission: (The Distance Learning Resource Network DLRN).
The term distance education represents a variety of education models have in common the physical separation of teachers and some or all students (University of Maryland).
At its basic level, distance education takes place when students and teachers are separated by physical distance and technology (voice, video, data and impressions) often in combination with face to face classes, is used as a bridge to reduce this barrier (Distance Education at a Glance).

Using the above definitions we can identify three criteria for distance education.

These are:
• Separation of teachers and students, at least in most parts of the process,
• The use of technological means to unite education teachers and students,
• Using two-way communication between students and instructors.

Like terms.
 Now to distinguish between some similar terms, synonyms, Distance Education.
To define more clearly the issue now discuss terms associated. There are many terms that are used as synonyms for Distance Education. While many of these terms are related, there are differences. Usually when people use one of these terms or otherwise, unless they have a specific purpose related to distance education.

These terms include

Distance Learning (Distance Learning)
The school and instructor control of distance education but the learning is student responsibility. The student is responsible for obtaining the knowledge, understanding or application through the educational process.
Learning is the result of education. The teacher provides the environment that makes learning possible, but the student is performing it.
Distance learning can be considered a product of distance education.

Open Learning (Open Learning)
Open learning is a possibility of access to educational opportunities. Opening up opportunities for groups of the population that traditionally lacked the prerequisites for higher education. Open learning has changed the concept that education must be conducted within a prescribed schedule and school formal means.

Distributed Learning (Distributed Learning)
Distributed learning, also known as learning networks, combining different ways of sending mail. It is characterized by user groups and modes of communication, all computerized. The distributed learning are increasingly combining internal computer networks (Intranets) running on LANs (local area networks) and Internet.

Flexible Learning (Flexible Learning)
Flexible Learning seeks to optimize every opportunity for education. Recognizes that not all students learn the same way. Flexible learning focuses on learning strategies for individual students. Using all the strategies and techniques available to maximize the educational process. Flexible learning aims to be student-centered, emphasizing the responsibility of students, learning to train and rhythm of individual advancement.

At a basic level distance education takes place when educators and students are physically separated and technologies (video, voice, data, and print) are used combined with witnessing activities to reduce the impact of distance learning.

The distance education programs are providing adults a second chance at higher education and are helping those with limited time, distance, work or physical limitations, to update the skills required in their work.

How is Distance Education?
Currently using a variety of electronic means to send or receive support materials for distance education. Each institution determines the most appropriate media, in which it has at its disposal and its students well, and with them makes the combinations that best suit their capabilities. The media can be classified into four broad categories:

Voice: The educational tools related to the voice can be divided into passive and interactive. Among the former are the telephone, audio conferencing, voice mail and shortwave radio. The technological tools are passive voice audio recorders. Interactive technologies allow simultaneous communication in both directions, send and receive, while in the passive the student only receives the message and cannot answer it at that time.

Video: Inside find the video images, such as computer presentations (slide shows, Power Point, etc.) Filmed moving images (movies, videos, digitized film, etc.). And moving images transmitted in time real. These can be in one direction, such as those sent via satellite or commercial television or may be through computers in desktop video conferencing or interactive video conferencing.

Data: Applies to the information sent and received through computers. In this category are four broad categories:

• Computer Aided Education (Computer-assisted instruction (CAI))
• Administered by Computer Education (Computer-managed instruction (CMI))
• Education for Computer Multimedia through. (Computer-Based Multimedia (CBM)
• Education through Computers. (Computer-mediated education (CME))

Materials: This was the basic form of distance education programs, from the current systems evolved. It includes textbooks, study guides, workbooks, curricula, case studies, etc.. Currently one of the forms printed have been displaced by data sent via computer and made available to students via the Internet, where it is common to find programs of classes, lectures, study guides and some materials more. The student can now consult the Internet, forward them to your computer or print if desired.

Is Distance Education Effective?
Many educators ask if distant students learn as well as traditional students. Researchers who have compared the methods of distance education with traditional forms have concluded that distance education can be as effective as traditional forms of education face when using the methods and technologies, ie, when there is interaction between students and when they have timely feedback from the teacher.
One of the key questions associated with educational technology is whether it helps or not student learning. There have been two main approaches used to investigate the media. It compares the new medium (radio, tv computer) with a traditional classroom. In these studies comparing distance education with traditional methods in the classroom. Many studies have shown no significant difference in the achievements made as a result of the comparisons. The result achieved by students is not a function of the mode of teaching. Some studies have found higher returns when students used interactive computer programs, including email, video one way or two-way communication and media.
Other studies have focused on the learning context rather than a specific means of transmission. These studies have shown that students perform better when you combine several means of delivery and teaching techniques. They have studied the effects of using desktop videoconferencing used to evaluate the work of other colleagues or the effect of participating in large workgroups. The interaction between collaborative working groups and new educational technologies generally produce positive outcomes for students.
Finally, some studies have identified several factors that appear to be particularly important in distance education. A high level of student motivation, hard work and ethical, academic and technical support to students include measures which generally produce good results in the students. Support to students has been defined as providing not only academic, but also the identification and solution of problems of students, providing opportunities for interaction between students and teachers, and the ability to keep them motivated through monitoring of achievements and feedback.

Key elements in Distance Education
At first we define education as a process and as such has elements that play roles in the process. We discuss the key elements of distance education process and the changes they have experienced their roles for the effects of technology.

Students: Regardless of the context in which to develop education, the role of students is learning. This is a daunting task that usually in most cases requires motivation, planning and the ability to analyze and apply knowledge they learn. When distance education is to have a special burden that are separated from their companions, and they have near them who share their interests and knowledge. Furthermore, with the new technologies are now able to interact with peers who may live in very different to his, and enrich their learning experiences with others, and the experience of their teachers.
Educators: The effectiveness of any distance education process rests firmly on the shoulders of educators and teachers. In a traditional classroom, the teacher’s responsibilities also include determining the specific content of the course, understand and address the particular needs of students. In distance education teachers must also:

• Develop an understanding and knowledge of the characteristics and needs of distance learners with little or no personal contact.

• Adapt teaching styles taking into consideration the needs and expectations of a wide and diverse audience.

• Knowing how to operate educational technology while keeping their attention on their roles as educators.

• Operate effectively as a facilitator and as a content provider.

Consultants: It’s a new character in distance education that is used in remote sites to support the teacher or principal instructor, providing advice and support to students and being a bridge between students and lead teacher. Carry out functions such as installation of equipment and software meet the jobs and tasks, and use tests are the eyes and ears of the teacher in distant sites.

Support Staff: They are responsible for the numerous technical details and communication required in a distance education process function effectively. Usually responsible for the registration of students, duplication and distribution of materials, shipment of textbooks, control and distribution of correspondence between students and teachers, scheduling courses, checking grades, following the development of courses . On the technical side of educational technology, are responsible for the installation and operation of communication networks, installation or development of software required for the process of distance education, technical assistance with questions from students or correcting faults and communication problems, or performance.

Administrators: Administrators are directly related to the planning and implementation of distance education programs. Once in operation the programs achieve coordination among support personnel, technical, academic to ensure there are material resources, technological and human resources to achieve the objectives of the institution. Maintain the academic focus of distance education programs.

Why teach at a distance?
Teachers in a traditional school classroom support the realization of its kind in that they can observe the behavior of their students. Eye contact is an essential element for imparting knowledge. A quick glance lets them know who is paying attention and taking notes, who is preparing to ask a question or comment. It also allows them to detect a student who is bored and tired, as it is equally clear. Good teachers are attentive to the manifestations of their students’ behavior and modify the alternate class activities according to the circumstances they detect.
In contrast, the distance teacher has little or no eye contact with students. In addition to the few contacts that are distorted or are somehow affected by the barriers imposed by technology. It is more difficult to maintain a stimulating teacher-student discussion when you are not seeing the faces or when to expect the arrival of the sound between the two remote sites.

However, many teachers who use it have the idea that the opportunities offered by distance education outweigh the obstacles to the use of technology. In fact, many instructors agree that the distance that requires preparation courses to help improve their performance as teachers. The challenges of distance education means are offset by opportunities for:

• To reach a wider audience of students.

• Meet the needs of students who cannot attend regular classes at universities due to limited work, time or space.

• Engage in class participation of experts from other areas that are located anywhere and that would not otherwise be accessible to students.

• Gather students of different cultural, economic, social and with varied work experiences and knowledge.

• Make education and training accessible to students in remote areas.

• Allowing can continue their studies without having to stop working and getting paid.

• Ensure that students can get expert advice from highly skilled teachers.

From a strictly educational standpoint, not managerial or administrative, that is, from the perspective of the creation, production, dissemination and critical evaluation of knowledge, technology can be applied in four basic ways which are:

1. How to help education?

2. How direct support learning?

3. “As an analytical tool for thinking systemically education?

4. How research helps to intellectual, scientific or artistic creation?

We do not doubt the enormous positive impact which the use of various telecommunications technologies in educational processes. Benefits are reported in economy of time in more individualized to the specific needs of each user, to facilitate content learning through greater connection audiovisual sensory and sequential themes, subjects studied, to shorten geographical distances, to communicate quickly to multiple people simultaneously, in rapid dissemination of findings, research and knowledge on student interaction with the learning experience and I can go on citing many advantages for the educational process appropriate use of technologies. It is a way of encouraging active student participation in learning.

 What to do to be successful learning?
Good educational practice is essentially the same distance to the traditional good educational practice and the factors that influence education are generally universal in different environments. Since the technology using distance education requires more planning and preparation, teachers who teach distance should consider the following factors to improve its effectiveness:

• It requires extensive planning and evaluation of equipment and training courses. The distance students appreciate teachers who are well prepared course and being organized.

• Students perform better when the program and class materials are well presented. The use of images and graphics and interactivity contributes to the understanding by students of the course. However, the use of visual aids should be considered in terms of the environment in which they taught the class and possible characteristics of students.

• Teachers need to be trained in the use of equipment and techniques suitable for distance education. Students learn best when the teacher dominates the hardware and software used for distance education.

Many distance students need advice and support to perform most of the learning experience. The support they can get from the combination of interaction with the teacher or other students through discussion forums and tools that will provide the teacher.

• Students appreciate timely feedback on course content, examinations or assessments and projects or works to be performed.

• Students will gain great benefits from learning to participate in small learning groups. These groups provide support and encouragement as well as feedback on course work and tasks. The groups also provide them with the assurance that if they need help, where will get it.

• Students generally stay more motivated if they are in contact with the teacher or counselor. The formal contact within the course design can be used as a motivational tool.

• The use of local facilitators who are responsible for developing a friendly environment for working with students and those familiar with the team and the course content, increase student satisfaction with the course.

For teachers, participating in distance education programs requires the improvement of skills they already have, rather than the development of new skills, so they must put attention to the following aspects.

• Evaluate the content really can be included and addressed effectively in any course. Given the logistics that distance education requires, submit the same content at a distance usually requires more time to present it in a classroom.

• Note that students who participate in your course will probably have different learning styles. Some team will facilitate learning, while others will be excellent independent work.

• Diversify and schedule the course activities and avoid long readings. Interleave content presentations with discussions and exercises for students. Keep in mind the medium or combination of them, which will run the course and discover all the advantages we offer.

• humanize the course keeping the focus on student learning and not the medium of transmission or technology.

• Consider using some components of printed material to supplement non-print materials.

• Use examples and case studies of local students as possible and support their students to understand and apply its knowledge environment of the course. Remember that the circumstances and environments in which students will be located are varied.

• Impulse their students to share experiences with peers and with the group. You can learn much more by sharing the experiences of all, in orderly fashion. Ask them to explain how things in their environment and how they apply the knowledge they are acquiring.

• Be concise. Use short statements and comprehensive. Ask things directly. Always remember that the distances make communication slower and that students need more time to respond.

• Develop strategies to strengthen students for review, repetition and remediation. For this, the phone counseling, email or audio conference can be very useful.

• Stay relaxed. Students need to familiarize participants with the new form of distance education in which they are participating. After the initial period the rate of progress in improving learning.
If the teacher uses appropriate strategies for interaction and feedback can identify and meet the individual needs of their students, while establishing adequate mechanisms to enable it to constantly improve the course. To improve interaction and feedback, keep the following:

• Use questions that students can study before classes to promote critical thinking and well-informed participation of students. Use the time on his side and avoid the improvisations of the students. Let them investigate and substantiate their shares.

• Since the beginning of the courses ask students to make contact with you and each other through e-mail to feel accustomed to the process. Maintain electronic communication forums can be a very effective tool.

• Establish and respect for their office hours at that distance learners can locate him by telephone, audio conferencing or desktop videoconferencing. Use the evening or night if the majority of students work during the day.

• Keep a variety of forms of interaction and feedback. The easier it is for different types of students select one in which they feel most comfortable. Consider also the personal visits whenever possible.

• Communicate with all sites or all students, if possible every week, especially early in the course. Determine students not participating in the first session and establish communication with them.

• Keep forms of communication available to discuss matters related to the content, relevance, the course syllabus, shipping materials, work in teams and form of instruction.

• Have students keep a journal about their experiences and thoughts on the process and ideas about course content. Ask them to send their units frequently.

• Use local facilitators to stimulate interaction when their students are hesitant to ask questions or participate.

• Ensure that all students have equal opportunities to participate. Diplomatically but firmly discourage students’ attempts to monopolize or sites wishing to participate in class time.

• Make detailed comments on the work or opinions received, refer them to additional sources of information where they can enrich their learning. Answer promptly by the most effective and expeditious disposal.

BENEFITS OF DISTANCE  EDUCATION
• No boundaries of time or place.

• Ability to offer courses according to needs at the right time.

• Adaptation of content.

• Greater possibility of renovation continues.

• Provision of courses taught by professionals from the Association.

• Sharing Resources: Distance education enables the institutional resources of a school or institution will be used to teach students from other schools or institutions

• Greater access to students: Through distance education, students have access to instruction in more than one location, instead of only the local instruction. This makes learning more accessible for many students.

• Improving the quality of education: Distance education should be considered as a future goal of the organizations and institutions, as well as how to take advantage of any special characteristics of a remote location.

• Flexibility in time and space
Provides participants the flexibility to access the study material and study schedule that allows asynchronous, anywhere where they are

• Rate of custom study
Allow time management and use of the hours that best suit the participant according their own needs

• Specialized Faculty
It puts teachers experts in the field of knowledge available to participants

OTHER BENEFITS

• Autonomy in the study.

• Convenience.

• Flexibility.

• Time saving.

• Tutoring.

• Lower Costs.

Why are successful students?

Research suggests that students involved in distance education programs have certain characteristics that influence their performance in the courses:

• Student volunteers are seeking more education.

• Have college education goals

• They are highly motivated and self disciplined.

• Are older than those attending universities.
Studies have also shown that the following factors are important in both traditional and distance education.

• Willingness to seek help from the instructors.

• Serious attitude throughout the course.

Conclusion:
A high level of student motivation, hard work and ethical, academic and technical support to students include measures which generally produce good results in the students. Support to students has been defined as providing not only academic, but also the identification and solution of problems of students, providing opportunities for interaction between students and teachers, and the ability to keep them motivated through monitoring of achievements and feedback.

INNOVATIONS IN EDUCATION – KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

ABSTRACT

This paper seeks to identify knowledge management concepts that relate to the implementation of Knowledge management Practices in education and also in collaborative arrangements.  It also discusses about the challenges facing in higher education in India and the concept of Knowledge management in education and the new trends of education.  It also explains about the Knowledge management and types of Knowledge management and their trends and new innovations of Knowledge management in current education scenario. Educational trends and tasks are towards more learner- centered materials.  In response to these trends, colleges and universities are offering new courses at a distance and forms traditional delivery.  The effort to share the most recent understandings about Knowledge management in education is the changing roles and challenges for higher education. The increased productivity required by faculty are driving forces for the development of more diverse and efficient teaching method.

INTRODUCTION:

Knowledge management in education is the collection of processes that govern the creation, dissemination and utilization of knowledge.  In one form or another, knowledge management has been around for a very long time.  Practitioners have included philosophers, priests, teachers, politicians, scribes, Liberians etc., Knowledge management is not “A technology thing” or a “Computer thing” if we accept the premise that Knowledge management is concerned with the entire process of discovery and creation of knowledge then we are strongly driven to accept that Knowledge management is much more than a “Technology thing” and that elements of it exist in each of one Jobs. Knowledge management comprises a range of practices used by organizations to identify, create, represent and distribute knowledge.  It has been an established discipline since 1995 with a body of university courses and both professional and academic journals dedicated to it. Knowledge management is frequently linked to the idea of the learning organization .Knowledge management refers to a range of practices used by organizations to identify the higher levels of innovations in education. The sharing of knowledge in industry, colleges , universities and, almost any institution in this country will make reference to the capturing of knowledge.

DEFINITION

“Knowledge management is the discipline of enabling individuals, team and entire organizations to collectively and systematically create, share and apply knowledge to better achieve their objectives”

Knowledge management education is the process of constructivity using the information and knowledge that is inherent to any organisation –be it a school, university or multinational company.  In order to enhance its performance, its management and its operations.  This process of learning to know what we know is one that has brought great benefits.  Particularly to many commercial organizations.

MAARTEN SIERCHUIS: -

Knowledge analysis: In knowledge analysis we model a knowledge source in such away that we can analyse its usefulness, its weakness and its appropriateness within the organization. Knowledge analysis is a necessary step for the ability to manager knowledge. Within knowledge Analysis we can use knowledge modeling and knowledge acquisition techniques.

ROBERT TAYLOR:-

The vital importance of knowledge in business has always been recognised but, up until now, organisations haven’t felt able to manage it because they understood neither the problems and the opportunities nor the strategies and solutions. This picture is gradually changing as models, methods, tools and techniques for effective knowledge management are becoming available and as organisations realise the importance of knowledge and thinking to their capacity to adapt to the changing world.

WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT? : –

A proposition that responsiveness and innovation can be improved through the leveraging of collective wisdom and experience.

“Knowledge Management (KM) is an effort to increase useful knowledge within the organization. Ways to do this include encouraging communication, offering opportunities to learn, and promoting the sharing of appropriate knowledge artifacts.”

This proposition is supported by:

• New process specific to the management of knowledge
• Organizational structures that create accountability for km
• Applications that support km processes
• Enabling technologies

THE CHALLENGES FACING HIGHER EDUCATION IN INDIA : –

Expansion of Higher Education in India :

The success stories of ‘green revolution’, ‘space technology’, ‘nuclear energy’ and ‘information technology superiority India has achieved’ -  we owe these all to  the higher education system as it evolved during 60 years of India’s independence.  It can not be denied that it is Indian higher education system that to a significant extent has contributed to India rising to become the World’s second fastest growing economy, the World’s third largest economy, fastest growing mobile phone market, owner of the largest bandwidth capacity and contributing second largest portion of scientists and engineers in the world.

Expansion with Equity :

India has experienced appreciable growth in the number of institutions of higher education during last six decades and particularly since 1990.  This growth has already been because of expansion of number of State Universities and institutions deemed to be Universities.  The period since 1990 has also seen the emergence of private Universities.  The expansion of central universities has rather been slow and skewed in terms of regional distribution.    It also mentioned that a significant majority of Universities, particularly managed by the state governments ate affiliating in nature.  Given the current number of universities in the country the burden of affiliating colleges per University is unmanageably high and incongruous, in some cases the number of colleges affiliated to a University runs as high as many hundreds.  Thus despite appreciable growth in number of universities there is scope rather need for further expansion in the number of universities and also colleges.

Inclusiveness and Equality :

The participants in the Diversity, Inclusiveness, and Inequality track represented a great deal of diversity themselves and included faculty and students from a rich variety of research institutions, private liberal arts colleges, and community colleges. While participants engaged issues and strategies in each of the three substantive area—diversity, inclusiveness, and inequality in education (DIIE)—the bulk of our conversations focused on diversity and inequality.

Quality and Excellence :

Ensuring quality education demands structural and institutional reforms in addition to committing enhanced financial resources. Imparting quality education would entail better infrastructure; greater use of ICT; teaching and learning in smaller groups; granting autonomy to the faculty, department and individual teachers. But more than that, imparting quality education requires ‘faculty development’ or what many call ‘faculty recharge programmes’ so that the faculty does not go stale, it retains its vibrancy and dynamism in doing research, in learning, and innovating and in devising new methods of teaching.

In the modern technological world quality education has become a necessity. Governments all over the world are appointing committees and commissions to bring in excellence in education. Curricular are being revised and improved to include more and more relevant knowledge in the curricula of schools and colleges.

Funding of Higher Education :

The importance and need of setting up these new institutions of higher and professional education can hardly be ignored, but investing in existing facilities and institutions should be no less a priority.

Fee hike suggested by many can hardly bring the required resources.  We by no means are suggesting that fee need not be rationalized.  In addition it is suggested that there is need for building a robust and strong private – public partnership for funding and improving the quality of higher education.  We have no hesitation in endorsing the suggestion as we see the practical and mutual advantages to private houses, industries on one hand and the higher education institutions and recipients of higher education on the other.  For example, the Universities and research institutions can do the research and innovations which may provide competitive edge to Indian industry and industry may provide on the site based experience to students. 

Academic and Administrative Reforms :

Unlike expansion, equity/inclusiveness and quality/excellence, where efforts are in making, the policies concerning reforms in the arena of academics, administration and governance are already well formulated and publicity announced.

While these recommendations about credit system, semester system, more of international assessment and less written examination component, teachers evaluation by students, inter-institutional mobility etc have been generally accepted, quite a few of them have not been implemented and operationalised as yet.  Some of these have been tried and failed while some others have been implemented on selective basis.  As a result there is a lot of institutional variations in admission, examination, faculty and governance related practices.

Role of Private Education :

The spread of higher education was achieved through active state support whereby public funding was considered necessary in order to provide equitable opportunities of higher education to all.  It has, however, been a proclaimed policy of the country to also encourage private investment in higher education so long as they are driven by charitable and non-profit motives.  While universities have largely been in the public domain, India has had a history of having large number of colleges established and maintained by private management.  In recent times, the private self-financing institutions colleges and other degree awarding institutions have gained prominence.  At the same time, there has also been witnessed a tendency among the public funded institutions to start and run courses on self-financing basis.   More recently, the private universities, either under state legislature or through the deemed university mode have also come to be established.

Internationalization of Education :

The issues concerning internationalization of higher education can be discussed into two broad heads, which represent two broad dimensions of the issue. The first aspect deals with the demand for opening Indian higher education for international service providers while the second aspect deal with the internationalization of Indian higher education. Going abroad for higher education has long been the most cherished goal for students of underdeveloped and developing countries.  While most foreign students were known for their diligence and dedication and were often a source of pride for their universities, they were seldom seen as a source of revenue. But things have changed a great deal in the post WTO/GATS regime.

Developing countries are now seen as a market for higher education and foreign universities from other countries are competing each other to increase their market share.  As the demand for opening the higher education sector in India for international service providers is increasing, the issue of providing appropriate regulatory framework for international education providers is under consideration of the government.  Effective regulatory mechanism is required to ensure quality higher education with equity and accountability. It was also felt that Indian universities and colleges should be permitted to form strategic alliances with international universities and other institutions of repute and that universities in India should be permitted to take up collaborative research with foreign universities but the arrangements should be such where Indian counter parts share Pattern Rights  and copyrights.

CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IN EDUCATION: –

• Education for Knowledge
• Education for Information
• Education for Skills
• Education for Employment
• Education for Livelihood
• Education for Empowerment
• Education for Social and National Development

KEY TASKS INVOLVED IN EDUCATION FOR:

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

A. MICRO-LEVEL MANAGEMENT OF TASKS:

• Course structuring and study material preparation
• Distribution and presentation of study materials
• Communication between educational actors (student-faculty, student-student)
• Performing instructional assignments, either alone or group-based
• Performance assessment

B. MACRO-LEVEL MANAGEMENT OF TASKS:

• Organisation of the whole educational process
• Organising and managing information and knowledge flows within the educational organisation
• Keeping track of performance of students, faculty, courses, curriculum, and of the (allocation of) available knowledge resources
• Monitoring results in terms of goals and standards
• Dynamic changing of the educational program as feedback to discrepancies between goals and standards and obtained performance results.

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT FOCUS :

“The focus on knowledge management is on ‘doing the right thing’ instead of doing things right’. It provides a framework within which the organization views all its processes as knowledge processes and all business processes involve creation, dissemination and application of knowledge towards organizational sustenance and survival”.

KNOWLEDGE TYPES:

It contains two types they are ;

• Explicit knowledge
• Tacit knowledge

EXPLICIT KNOWLEDGE

• Objective, rational, technical
• Easily documented
• Easily transferred / taught / learned

TACIT KNOWLEDGE

• Subjective, cognitive, experiential learning
• Hard to document
• Hard to transfer / teach / learn
• Involves a lot of human interpretation

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PROCESS : -

The process of Knowledge Management applicable to schools, colleges and universities. Some would argue that sharing knowledge is their reason of being. If that is the case, then the higher education sector should be replete with examples of institutions that leverage knowledge to spur innovation, improve services, or achieve operational excellence. However, although some examples exist, they are the exception rather than the rule. Knowledge Management is not a new field, and experiments are beginning to mature in higher education.

I believe there is tremendous value to higher education institutions that develop initiatives to share knowledge to achieve business or organizational objectives. What are the basic concepts of knowledge management, how the trends, and how it might be applied in higher education and whether higher education is ready to embrace it or not, we will know through this article.

NEW TRENDS IN KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT: -

Several trends will shape the field of knowledge management in the not-too distant future (even now):

• Emerging technology solutions
• The convergence of knowledge management with e-business
• The movement from limited knowledge management projects to more enterprise wide projects
• Increasing use of knowledge management to enhance innovation
• Increasing use of tacit knowledge (rather than explicit knowledge)

INNOVATIVE SKILLS OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IN CURRENT EDUCATION SCENARIO: -

Using knowledge management techniques and technologies in higher education is as vital as it is in the corporate sector. If done effectively, it can lead to better decision-making capabilities, reduced “product” development cycle time (for example, curriculum development and research), improved academic and administrative services, and reduced costs. Consider the number of faculty and staff who possess institutional knowledge. For example, what institution does not have a faculty member who has led successful curriculum revision task forces? Or a departmental secretary who knows how to navigate the complex proposal development or procurement processes? Or a researcher who has informal connections to the National Science Foundation? Or a special assistant to the president who has uncovered (or generated) useful reports that individual deans or department chairs could use to develop their own strategic plans?

Relying on the institutional knowledge of unique individuals can hamper the flexibility and responsiveness of any organization. The challenge is to convert the information that currently resides in those individuals and make it widely and easily available to any faculty member, staff person, or other constituent. An institution wide approach to knowledge management can lead to exponential improvements in sharing knowledge—both explicit and tacit—and the subsequent surge benefits.

Is higher education ready to embrace knowledge management? A key ingredient in an institution’s readiness to embrace knowledge management is its culture—the beliefs, values, norms, and behaviors that are unique to an organization. Informally, it is the unwritten rules or “how things really get done.” Higher education is moving from the old culture that considers, What’s in it for me?” to a new culture that says, “What’s in it for our peoples?” And it is developing a culture that is ready to embrace knowledge management.

CONCLUSION: -

Innovations in knowledge management will improve the standards of all the institutions, develop the performance of students in all faculties and by which the progress of a nation can be viewed nakedly.  Knowledge management refers to a range of practices used by organizations to identify the higher levels of innovations in education. The sharing of knowledge in industry, colleges, universities and, almost any institution in this country will make reference to the capturing of knowledge.  By developing the knowledge management, the nation’s economy increases and can compete in the global scenario.