Here is my 2023 Symposium presentation.
Theoretical Framework(s) to Think About
I have chosen Organizational Knowledge Creation Theory, as developed in the mid-1990s (Nonaka & Konno, 1998). The authors describe the Japanese concept of ba, which they translate as phenomenal, shared space made up of knowledge plus information from where an organization’s knowledge creation comes. They go on to describe that if knowledge is decoupled from the shared space (virtual or otherwise), it becomes information. Information can then be codified and recorded for others’ use. The organization becomes a learning entity that is more than the sum of its members as described in Figure 1.
Nonaka and Konno have taken the ba concept and their definitions of tacit (experiential) and explicit (data) knowledge and used those to develop the SECI model of knowledge creation (Nonaka & Konno, 1998). SECI stands for Socialization, Externalization, Combination, and Internalization. These four concepts work in a spiral relationship where Socialization (tacit:tacit) moves through the framework into Internalization (tacit:explicit) to convert tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge in organizations. My research will investigate how semantic technologies can be used by distributed technical nuclear expert teams can use to transfer tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge as workers approach retirement.
In my initial readings, the framework makes a lot of intuitive sense, which is ironically a criticism of the model by some (Martin & Root, 2009). My concerns and questions revolve around whether it is too much associated with management for a MALAT Applied Research Project (ARP) and whether it might be too cultural, having been developed as a response to Japanese organizational needs, as well as why the model needs to start at Socialization (Kahrens & Früauff, 2018). Kahrens and Früauff also discuss how Ba can be amended in the future, taking into account new technologies. My literature review will clarify some of these issues.
References:
Kahrens, M., & Früauff, D. H. (2018). Critical evaluation of Nonaka’s SECI model. In The Palgrave Handbook of Knowledge Management (pp. 53–83). Springer.
Martin, L., & Root, D. (2009). Knowledge creation in construction: The SECI model.
Nonaka, I., & Konno, N. (1998). The concept of “Ba”: Building a foundation for knowledge creation. California Management Review, 40(3), 40–54.
What I Want to Do Next…
This question feels like, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” I really love the thought of opportunities, but it is a question that feels overwhelming as well. There are a lot of possibilities for future dissemination and continuing research, and I would really like to explore two of them.
I have applied to participate in an International Atomic Energy (IAEA) group on the newly developed International Nuclear Management Academy (INMA) Master’s Programme in Nuclear Technology Management technical report. The INMA is a part of the IAEA that is supporting universities in developing their own master’s programmes in nuclear technology management. Here in Canada, there are very few nuclear engineering programmes and currently no nuclear technology management programmes. The IAEA community identified a gap in graduate-level nuclear management programmes. Traditional Master of Business Administration (MBA) programmes were not found to be specific enough and pure nuclear engineering programmes were seen as being too technical. I have contacts at both the Nuclear Engineering program and the Educational Informatics Lab (EILab) at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and have set up meetings to discuss working with them to do research on the career development of nuclear professionals using advanced technologies and hopefully be involved somehow in the development of a nuclear technology master’s programme in Canada. This ties in my research idea about transfer of tacit knowledge from imminently retiring nuclear specialists
The second target for dissemination of my research are the global Radiation Protection (RP), Disruptive, Innovative, and Emerging Technologies (DIET) and Human Factors (HF) communities various conferences. The nuclear industry generates a vast amount of data from everything from the various aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle, management systems, nuclear power plant operation, and incidents. The RP community is often interested in using this data to improve radiation safety communication and RP methods. The HF community is often interested in using this data to reduce incidents and to enhance training programs. The DIET community is often interested in using this data to develop training using technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Extended Reality (XR) technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). My research could be disseminated as a presentation or paper at next year’s DigiDecom conference or CNS’ DIET conference. For this year’s CNS DIET conference, the requirement to present was to develop a presentation and did not require the publication of a paper. Next year’s Canadian Radiation Protection Association’s (CRPA) conference is in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I could also present a paper and/or a presentation at that conference. A short paper would be required, along with the development of a presentation. Participation in a panel discussion is another option that sometimes happens at CRPA conferences.
Both education research and conference participation are very interesting to me and would provide years’ worth of research and teaching opportunities.
*Updated* LRNT 528: Group Cameras Draft Facilitation Plan
We have updated and finalized our plan for the week. Please see the attached document. We look forward to hearing from everyone this week!
Our group is discussing the question, “Cameras on or off? Should digital facilitators require cameras during synchronous sessions?”. Our facilitation week is September 18-24. We have developed an engaging and entertaining week for our participants.
To develop our facilitation plan, we decided to use SessionLab. SessionLab is a flexible planning platform for facilitators to design the flow of their sessions, whether for meetings or training courses. The thing that we found that made SessionLab different is its huge library of facilitation tools to help facilitators design interesting and engaging sessions. We had a good time reading through some of their ideas and coming up with what we feel is a weeklong session that our fellow learners will enjoy experiencing with us.
SessionLab has an export function that we used to export the following facilitation plan. The tab labeled “Day 1” is the synchronous session that will occur at the end of the week on Saturday, September 23 at 12 pm noon PT. The tab labeled “Day 2” is the Monday through Friday asynchronous piece that will occur in Mattermost throughout the week. Please review it and let us know what you think!
LRNT 528: Assignment 1: Infographic
I chose a fishbone diagram deliberately. I work in the nuclear industry and the fishbone diagram is one root cause analysis (RCA) technique used in industries like nuclear that are required to investigate incidents and improve processes.
From the tail on the left, a fishbone diagram has the observed elements or causes that feed into an event or process. In my infographic, the tail section contains various strategies available for each of the three presences (Teaching, Social, and Cognitive) outlined in the Community of Inquiry framework (Lalonde, 2020, 2:20). The fish head on the right is the result. For an investigation, for example, it would be the observed event. For my infographic, it is the created learning event, considering the strategies for each presence.
I facilitate learning for professionals in the nuclear industry who need to learn and apply regulatory requirements. The next learning event I will be facilitating will be at an international conference in Vancouver in November 2022 where we will be discussing radiation safety training with a group of senior trainers in the industry. I plan to use this information to help prepare that event.
For this infographic assignment, keeping my context in mind, I chose the following strategies for each presence:
- Teaching
- Vaughan et al (2013) discussed the need to make sure there is a place for the community when developing learning.
- Boettcher’s (n.d.) best practices included creating “a supportive online course community” (Boettcher, 2013, heading 2). To me, this said vulnerability by the facilitator first.
- Vaughan et al (2013) talked about providing participants with choices early on. The facilitator needs to have these ready beforehand.
- Social
- For the group to develop its glue, humor can be used (Garrison et al, 2000).
- Self-disclosure by learners after the prepared disclosure noted in #1 above by the facilitator can be useful (Garrison et al, 2000).
- Recognition (Garrison et al., 2000) is important for learners to receive to continue to participate and make meaning of their learning.
- Cognitive
- Learners need time to be together and discuss as described by Boettcher (n.d.).
- Learners need time to reflect (Boettcher, n.d.) in small groups.
- Learners need a Mirror that the facilitator can be (Bull, 2013).
References:
Boettcher, J. (n.d.). Ten Best Practices for Teaching Online – Designing for Learning. http://designingforlearning.info/writing/ten-best-practices-for-teaching-online/
Bull, B. (2013, June 3). Eight Roles of an Effective Online Teacher. Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning. https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/online-course-delivery-and-instruction/eight-roles-of-an-effective-online-teacher/
Lalonde, C. (2020, August 22). Facilitation in a Community of Inquiry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv1bUZv5PLs
Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (1999). Critical Inquiry in a Text-Based Environment: Computer Conferencing in Higher Education. The Internet and Higher Education, 2(2–3), 87–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1096-7516(00)00016-6
Vaughan, N. D., Cleveland-Innes, M., & Garrison, D. R. (2013). Teaching in blended learning environments: Creating and sustaining communities of inquiry. AU Press.
Team 5 aka Jazzy Awesome Legendary Genius Minds – Podcasts
As promised in my blog post on Fab 4’s e-learning selection, and tying in Team 3’s presentation about TikTok and sampling, I want to discuss podcasts both through Team 5’s lens, as well as my own experience. Team 5’s blog post title was, “Podcasts. Everyone has a story”, which I thought was beautiful. They brought up some very good points about time-shifting, where listeners can take in a podcast at their leisure, as well as how access can be an issue in a vast country like Canada. The team presented their thoughts in the form of a mock podcast, which was clever, especially given that we could go back and watch the recording later!
The team created a wordy, if well laid out infographic to reinforce what each member is working on (Rodriguez, 2022). I liked their choice of a Canadian podcast produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) called, “The Secret Life of Canada”. One of the more engaging ideas that Myrna brought up was the concept of podcasts for storytelling from an indigenous lens for use in teaching. I was struck by the juxtaposition of her point of view with the one that I heard that same week from an elder with the Passamaquoddy Recognition Group Inc. about how he was hesitant to share his knowledge for fear of it being misused (Passamaquoddy Recognition Group Inc., 2022). The thought that indigenous knowledge can survive from generation to generation, but possibly be misinterpreted if presented without context, is fascinating to me. The team wrapped that thought nicely by advising readers, “to be mindful that podcasts, like any widely accessible technology, bring questions around credible and accurate information to the fore”.
Podcasts have become very widespread, likely due to people having time on their hands during the pandemic. I know that my favorite podcasts have good production value that includes sound effects and quality narration, but that takes resources. The evolution of podcasts as a sort of ‘new radio’ will be interesting to follow.
References:
Rodriguez, L. (11 May, 2022). Podcasts. Everyone has a story – Luis Rodriguez. (n.d.). From https://malat-webspace.royalroads.ca/rru0216/podcasts-everyone-has-a-story/
Passamaquoddy Recognition Group Inc. (27 April, 2022). CMD 22-H2.244A: Written submission from the Passamaquoddy Recognition Group Inc. https://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/the-commission/hearings/cmd/pdf/CMD22/CMD22-H2-244A.pdf
For my music choice, I’ve included one of my favorite nerdy podcasts about music history. This episode specifically talks about the impact that sampling has on future music. Team 3’s presentation about TikTok reminded me of this episode. Hit Parade has good production value that includes music examples that bring back memories, a good narrator, and interesting facts that I learn a lot from. As a podcast production company, Slate tends to create entertaining and informative podcasts in my experience.
Team Brilliant (Team 2) – MOOCs
I really looked forward to this presentation and this team did not disappoint. They included lots of relevant information on the pluses and minuses of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). I completed this MOOC at the beginning of the pandemic and, as I described during the live presentation, it became part of the impetus for me to apply to the MALAT program. I am also one of the minority of students who have completed the course, which was a nice feeling of accomplishment at a time when I did not feel like I was accomplishing much at all. Another thing that I appreciated was feeling the same way as the team about the odd sort of artificial connection that the MOOC tried to convey (Breton et al., 2022).
I loved the infographic that this team posted on Ashley’s blog (Breton et al., 2022). I agree with what they say about MOOCs being shiny and optimistic on the surface, where you can easily see what the developers want us to see, but there being a deeper, perhaps darker, underside that is more difficult to see. During the presentation that the group made, I especially found the discussion about low completion rates (Murphy et al, 2014) that was part of Emma’s critical issue most fascinating.
Overall, this team has raised some very interesting thoughts on MOOCs that I had not thought of before reading their thoughts. I look forward to seeing where their research goes.
References:
Murphy, J., Williams, A., & Lennox, A. (2014). MOOCs in VET and higher education. 22nd National Vocational Education and Training Research Conference ‘No Frills’: refereed papers. Australian College of Applied Education. 76-82.
Breton, A. (9 May, 2022). Making Sense of MOOCs: A Critical Look at the Impact of MOOCs in Teaching and Learning | Ash’s Blog. From https://malat-webspace.royalroads.ca/rru0205/making-sense-of-moocs-a-critical-look-at-the-impact-of-moocs-in-teaching-and-learning/
Now for my music choice. Shinedown is an interesting band that used to occupy some space on my running playlist with “Second Chance”. As a nod to this team, I chose “Brilliant” for this entry. It has a good message about not giving up, which speaks to me right now.
Golddiggers: Well, that’s too easy
Team 3: Golddiggers
Well, my pop music choice for this is too easy, especially given that this group presented on TikTok! Discussions on music sampling and using that to teach music history are also a good link between TikTok and podcasts, which was the topic of Team 5’s presentation. I have thoughts on the use of podcasts for education, but that will have to wait for a later blog post.
I loved this group’s chosen topic, TikTok in education. The comment that I posted on Stephanie’s blog about TikTok being largely unverifiable, based on their presentation, and Stephanie’s reply about there being a new application around the corner for our kids (we have kids about the same age) rings very true (Messier, 2022). The concept of nano-learning was really interesting to me as well. I wonder how much smaller learning credentialling will get, but that is a question for another time.
For now, I want to focus on learner motivation in organizational learning that Stephanie discussed (Messier, 2022). Adnan et al. (2021) discussed listening comprehension. As a language learner myself, I. know how important comprehension is to be able to communicate to others, especially in another language than one’s mother tongue. A TikTok example of this is Dave Poirier, a Canadian teacher that I follow on TikTok. He quite cleverly uses student engagement with pop music in listening comprehension, as the following clip shows (Poirier, 2022):
You can see in the background that he positions his camera so that viewers can see his social media coordinates, as well as how long it has been since he forgot to take attendance. I know from watching my own son in Grade 8 admire his cool Social Studies teacher who played Toto’s ‘Africa’ in class how much impact these kinds of teachers have. I agree with Stephanie’s assessment that workplaces owe it to their future generations to at least explore TikTok seriously.
References:
Adnan, N. I., Ramli, S., & Ismail, I. N. (2021). Investigating the usefulness of TikTok as an educational tool. International Journal of Practices in Teaching and Learning (IJPTL), 1(2), 1-5. https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/52140/
Messier, S. (9 May, 2022). Reflection on TikTok in education – Stephanie’s Blog. From https://malat-webspace.royalroads.ca/rru0225/reflection-on-tiktok-in-education/
Poirier, D. (27 Februarym 2022). Dave Poirier on TikTok. TikTok. From https://www.tiktok.com/@teachpoirier/video/7069394139367984389?_t=8SGFvo5EYTN&_r=1
Fab 4: Revolution
Now that I’ve seen all of the presentations (including my own team), I have a lot of thoughts that I am sure will just make my own paper more difficult! I have also gotten away from my early efforts to search for a way to link my love of pop music with blog posts, so I will go back to that in an effort to ameliorate my current mood!
Team 4 was the first team to present. They chose an e-learning course with a very clever name, ‘Hoarding Frogs in a Wheelbarrow’ (which does not sound easy!). It sounds like an interesting premise for a learning event and I think the observation that it is curated by only one person, thereby leaving it open to bias, is a valid one.
The team’s individual projects are as follows (Chaddock, 2022, para. 8):
- “Alisha: How does engagement through social presence affect cognition?
- Ben: How does the resource utilize constructivist and behaviourist learning methods?
- Melissa: How do misinformation and bias affect resource quality (credibility & accuracy), especially when community members are encouraged to contribute?
- Sharmila: How do we define quality? Who gets to define quality?”
I really resonate with Melissa’s question about bias. Misinformation and bias relate quite closely to regulatory capture that I am investigating in my own research. I work in the nuclear industry and if I do the same search that Caulfield (2017) mentioned, but starting with ‘is radiation’, I get Figure 1:
His solution to combat misinformation with info-environmentalism is a good one, I think. As experts in our fields, we can combat online misinformation with the concrete examples he gave; updating Wikipedia, posting factual information, and answering questions on fora (Caulfield, 2017).
I want to take this to my own project and consciously work to spread factual information in an effort to combat the misinformation that is so prevalent.
References:
526.1.3 – Team Blog – Ben’s Blog. (18 April, 2022 From https://malat-webspace.royalroads.ca/rru0206/2022-04-18/
Caulfield. (23 October, 2017) Info-Environmentalism: An Introduction. From https://er.educause.edu/articles/2017/10/info-environmentalism-an-introduction
LRNT526 │ Team 1 Assignment 1 Part 2 Summary
On May 6, 2022, we presented our critical analysis of a learning event using JigSpace to our colleagues. Zac posted our thoughts here. Enjoy!