The Growing Universe of KnowledgeNetworking Scenarios

Dr. H. K. KaulDirector, DELNEThkkaul@gmail.com

Oxford English Dictionary defines knowledge as

Expertise, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject

What is known in a particular field or in total; facts and information

Awareness or familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation. Philosophical debates in general start with Plato's formulation of knowledge as ‘justified true belief’

Classification of Knowledge

Tacit Knowledge Explicit Knowledge

Knowledge codified as information Knowledge embodied in physical artifacts

Venzin, Krogh and Roos

Tacit Knowledge

Embodied Knowledge Encoded Knowledge Embedded Knowledge

Event Knowledge

Procedural Knowledge

Networking of Knowledge

The five factors that matter

The Universe of Tacit Knowledge in the Minds of People/Experts

The Universe of Explicit Knowledge Already Available in All Forms

The Universe of Knowledge Required by People: Could be Unlimited

The Universe of Untapped Knowledge: Could be Infinite

Networking - The Universe of Complex Interactions Between Tacit, Explicit and the Unlimited Knowledge Needs of People

The Universe of Complex Interactions Between

Tacit, Explicit and the

Unlimited Knowledge

Needs of People

The Universe of Tacit

Knowledge

The Universe of Untapped Knowledge

The Universe of Knowledge Required by

People: Could be Unlimited

The Universe of Explicit

Knowledge Already

Available in All Forms : Codified/

Encapsulated Knowledge

The Universe of Tacit Knowledge

Knowledge which is stored in the minds of people

Beliefs, culture, experience, habits, heuristics and norms and practices

No limit to the imagination of an individual.

Albert Einstein (1879-1955) said: “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”

The Universe of Explicit Knowledge

The Universe of Knowledge Requirements of People

The Universe of Untapped Knowledge

Components of the Universe of Knowledge

Characteristics of the Universe of Knowledge

Characteristics of segments in the Universe of Knowledge

Characteristics of subjects

Interaction within the subjects

Characteristics of the Universe of Knowledge

Universe of knowledge is composed of segements which are separated by space

This universe is continuous, ‘infinite, multidimensional, dynamic and expanding in all directions.’

Action is its important component. As a result, segments go on expanding;Speed will vary from segment to segment

Some segments may split into more segments, some may unite together to create new segments, thus creating clusters

Characteristics of Segments

Singular segments

Unifocal One subject e.g. PhysicsBifocal Parts of two subjects e.g. BioengineeringMultifocal Several subjects e.g. Medical biochemistry

Binary segment Closely linked subjects e.g. Science and Technology

Cluster segment Different subjects e.g. Physical Sciences

Cyclopaedic segment All subjects e.g. Encyclopaedia

Affinitive segment Affinities with other subjects e.g. Librarianship

Comprehensive segment All aspects e.g. Dictionary of a subject

Form-based segment Form based tendencies e.g.textbooks, monographs Invention-based segment Spectroscope / Spectroscopy

Characteristics of a Subject

‘A matter or topic that forms the basis of a conversation, train of thought, investigation etc’

‘An orgnised boy of ideas, whose extension and intension are likely to fall coherently within the field of interests and comfortably within

the intellectual competence and the field of inevitable specialization of a normal person’

A subject is an organised and systematized body of ideas…

Examples of Binary Subject Systems

Object – Object networking Science and Technology

Object – Action networking Processing of Food

Object-Space networking Apples of Kashmir

Object-time networking Libraries in the 19th century

Action–Action networking Cutting and Polishing

Action-Space networking Explosion in the Galaxies

Action-Time networking Bombings in the 1990s

Space-Space networking India and USA

Space-Time networking Delhi in the 21st century

Time-Time networking A comparison of 2007 & 2009

Networking Knowledge

Object

- Space

Object

– Action

Object -

ObjectTime-

Time

Space-

Space

Action-

Time

Object

-Time

Action-

Space

Space-

Time

Action–

Action

Networking Knowledge

Complex interactions between tacit, explicit, knowledge being discovered and the unlimited knowledge needs of people

ICT as a catalytic agent

David J. Skyrme depicts eleven characteristics of knowledge networking

Structural components: the network’s nodes and links

Links provide paths for communications, knowledge flows and developing of personal relationships

Nodes in networks can be individuals or teams

The nodes are the focal points for activity or formal organizational Processes

The pattern of nodes and links continually changes

Density of connections exhibits many forms – some may be more circular with obvious hubs; others may be more diffuse

Individuals belong to several networks – in some they are more central than in others

There is often no discernible boundary to a network

Networks connect to each other, links strengthen and weaken

One-to-one and multiple conversations take place: synchronously or Synchronously

Knowledge flows in both deliberate and unanticipated ways

The Knowledge Networks: The Examples

The Alaska Native Knowledge Network (ANKN)This network looks collects information on native knowledge systems in order to help ‘to assist Native people, government agencies, educators and the general public in gaining access to the knowledge base that Alaska Natives have acquired through cumulative experience over millennia.’ http://www.ankn.uaf.edu/about.html

The Knowledge Networks: The Examples

European Urban Knowledge NetworkThis network covers urban issues in which seventeen EU Member States, EUROCITIES, the URBACT Programme and the European Commission participate.” http://www.eukn.org/eukn/

The Knowledge Networks: The Examples

The Trade Knowledge Network (TKN)This network covers trade, investment and sustainable development. Collaborates with research institutions in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. It ‘links network members, strengthens capacity in areas of research, training and policy analysis, and also generates new research to assess and address the impact of trade and investment policies on sustainable development.’ http://www.tradeknowledgenetwork.net/about/

The Knowledge Networks: The Examples

The ACE Electoral Knowledge Network.This network provides comprehensive information on elections and related issues. Networks professionals in the field and offers capacity development services. http://aceproject.org/about-en

The Knowledge Networks: The Examples

The Climate Change Knowledge NetworkThe network ‘brings together expertise, experience and perspectives from research institutes in developing and developed countries active in the area of climate change.’ Promotes research in the field and initiates dialogues between the countries on the subject. http://www.cckn.net/

The Knowledge Networks: The Examples

The Canadian Geoscience Knowledge Network (CGKN) The network offers portal to the Canadian geoscience information. As a result the ‘Canadian geoscience community is becoming a global leader in providing rapid access to its knowledge assets. Through the CGKN web site, clients are now able to discover, view, evaluate and obtain consistent and standardized geoscience data, maps and publications.” http://cgkn.net/cur/about/index_e.html

The Knowledge Networks: The Examples

The CILT Knowledge Network, or CILTKN (pronounced silt-kay-en)The network develops a major resource on learning technology research and development community. Gathers ‘information about researchers, research institutions, and research projects; course syllabi; bibliographic references; an email forwarding service; and a bulletin board for collaborations to share and identify research collaborators’ http://www.cilt.org/resources/kn.html

Knowledge Centres

Features of a General Knowledge Centre

A General Knowledge Centre is an advanced public library. The subjects and topics handled are varied in number

Knowledge is imparted to every individual in the public

Development of content by collecting from all kinds of sources and processing it is an important activity

Collects all important local knowledge sources

It should bring in transformation in the society by disseminating such knowledge which becomes the agent of transformation

Help of subject experts is taken to collect and validate content and solve queries of users

ICT and its applications are used to collect, process, disseminate and archive knowledge

New developments in the knowledge sector which get noticed every other day are captured for the development of the Knowledge Centre

Additional Features of a Specialised Knowledge Centre

A specialized Knowledge Centre will collect all types of sources on a small subject and maintain connections and online links with all important centres in the world that work on such topic

Knowledge available on the topic in different languages is collected and got translated through language experts before making them part of the Knowledge Centre

Knowledge is generally disseminated to the specialists working on a subject.

Conclusion

Networking is the inherent characteristics of the Universe of Knowledge

The universe of knowledge is continuous, multidimensional and growing fast in a dynamic manner

There is a need to organise knowledge for the welfare of mankind

For that purpose knowledge networks and knowledge centres will grow