Knowledge management is all about creating an
environment where information can be readily shared. The ability to
understand and inventory tacit knowledge and to be able to manage
and deliver that information to those who need it when they need it is
achievable today. Creating a learning organization culture is critical.
The future of integrated teaching and learning systems provides
exciting opportunities to create new interactive learning
environments quickly and at a much lower cost. Taking advantage of
the bandwidth to desktops, the capabilities of mobile technologies,
and the emerging Web-based standards for delivering instruction
creates an environment for collaborative learning. Using systems
which can understand the learner’s needs, assess prior knowledge,
and create and deliver a personalized learning plan can be done
today. Tracking the instruction and knowing who needs what
instruction so that the system can be proactive rather than reactive are
all technologically feasible functions. Providing libraries of
information that can be used to train employees, students will reduce
the duplicate expenses being spent because the learning objects can
be used in different formats, for different purposes. With distributed
technologies, learning can take place anytime, anywhere. The Web
can now integrate learning and mission-critical business applications
delivering timely knowledge to each desktop. The end result is a
knowledge management structure which includes an inventory of
knowledge objects and a system in which these can be shared.