Linking E-learning Tools with Experiential Knowledge Production in Higher Education Teaching-learning Processes: The Case of Open Source LMS

Abstract

 Abstract—Despite requirements for constant innovation in Higher Education, the application of knowledge management constitutes a recent research field in this sector while a wide range of e-learning tools - like open source learning management systems (LMS) - constitute a basic part of universities infrastructures at present. As knowledge derived from direct experiences is one of the most important sources for innovations, this paper presents two approaches for experiential knowledge production in the Higher Education teaching-learning processes: (1) the managerial production approach and (2) the open production approach. In accordance with these approaches, the paper also describes how Moodle and Sakai - two of the most widely used open source LMS - support experiential knowledge production and concludes that: (1) these LMS don't have first class constructs to manage experiential knowledge production related concepts; (2) experiential knowledge related constructs can be represented through existing artifacts included in these LMS but this approach presents many limitations to support explicit connections between these constructs and; (3) LMS can extend current capabilities of tags or similar artifacts to represent high level meaning structures that link content from different LMS tools.