Knowledge Management and Educational Technology: An Analytical Case Study
Abstract
This study explores the phenomenon of knowledge management at the University XYZ. The research presents the results of a critical literature review and concludes that the majority of institutions of higher education do not address knowledge management issues adequately, failing to maintain a holistic system that would take advantage of knowledge. Critical information related to certain areas, such as students’ soft skills, is not formalized and, as a result, is lost upon the completion of an educational program. At the same time, the literature review shows that the knowledge of students’ soft skills is critical for both students and employers. The current study seeks to find solutions for changing the existing knowledge management system at the university to incorporate knowledge of students’ soft skills into a student information management system and make it accessible for future employers. An analytical part of the study discovers several options for achieving this goal and states that digital badges are the most promising solution because they overcome a gap between hard skills and soft skills and introduce a series of visualized symbols of achievements that are simultaneously portable, verifiable, and shareable. The study presents a general implementation plan for linking the university’s student information management system to the Badgr account with the help of a digital mobile application and highlights barriers that should be overcome to introduce a university-wide knowledge management system that reports, stores, and manages information about students’ soft skills.References
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