Collective Learning Statement on Social Technologies

At the BIS4410 seminar on Social Technologies, it was noted that while these technology platforms may provide an efficient means of fostering organisational learning, they cannot replace traditional face-to-face conversations that take place in life scenarios such as the on-the-job learning or knowledge café. This is because it is sometimes very hard to put thinking into words and or writing them down. Informal or even formal face-to-face conversations remain the best way to transfer tacit knowledge which is the often the most important form of knowledge that needs to be well managed.

Collective Learning Statement on Social Networks (SN) and Communities of Practice (CoP)

At the BIS 4410 seminar on SN and CoP, the discussion centred around the similarities and differences between the 2 concepts, their examples, and their impact on knowledge management. One point I noted is the fact that when people say social networks nowadays, they are talking about online communities like MySpace and Facebook and not just ordinary network of people connected by being members of the same geographic community, family or social club. There was also a discussion on the difference between SN and CoP which was basically given as the purpose for setting up each of them. While CoPs are more domain or business oriented, SNs are more social and involve a larger number of participants and capabilities. However the 2 concepts can act as useful platforms for knowledge creation and sharing. Another impact is that of Technology on the way we live such that traditional means of socialising are giving way to technology-enabled platform that enable socialisation amongst people from very diverse geographic, political and cultural backgrounds.