Agents and Processes in Knowledge Creation and Management in Educational Organisations

Abstract

Today’s society has enshrined knowledge and worker training as strategic elements in organisations, viewing individual and collective intellectual capital as one of the main resources available to them in achieving their mission. In this context, organisations are seeking new strategies that enable their employees to share experiences, impressions and knowledge, aware that what makes an organisation competitive is its ability to develop the human capital it has at its disposal. Isolated professionals that interact solely with themselves or with their materials no longer make sense; rather what truly matters is the configuration of human groups that are in constant interaction through networks or communities. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that organisations are determinedly seeking how to foster collaborative processes and the development of the environments that facilitate them (Gairin, 2011). Education professionals and school networks are an excellent tool to instigate improvements in the educational systems. These networks can be established between professionals at the same schools, between schools and education and social services from a same town, between educational and professional centres from different towns and communities or even between professionals from different countries. The information and communication technologies can be an opportunity and a powerful weapon when setting up a new collaborative professional culture, which is so necessary in our day. First, they open up and improve the possibilities for collaboration, which is further enhanced with the implementation and gradual development of tools related to the concept of Web 2.0; secondly, when used properly, ICTs help to systematise the processes of knowledge exchange, creation and management that take place. The desirable knowledgebased organisation which not only stimulates the creation and management of knowledge but also fosters its transfer and support in diverse media is becoming more of a reality to us. The new forms of work based on the virtual network, such as virtual communities, remote networks and collaborative work environments thus fulfil their objective with the aid of technology, which becomes a fundamental tool for the exchange of information, knowledge, learning and experiences and for the creation of new knowledge. Several studies and publications confirm that the establishment of networks and communities encourages knowledge creation and professional development processes (Aubusson et al., 2007; Dering, Cunningham & Whitby, 2006; Kimmble & Hildreth, 2005;