Knowledge Management Environments
DCIS 735
Spring 2008 Cluster
March 7 - August 6, 2008
Instructor
Timothy Ellis, Ph.D. Address: |
Syllabus Contents | |
Class Location and Format
Online, Cluster format |
Knowledge Management (KM) is said to promote innovation, improve efficiency and effectiveness, and provide a sustainable competitive advantage in today's global environment. This course examines computer-based systems for supporting KM. Principles of developing systems for "knowledge management" are explored. System architectures, tools and techniques and their use in capturing, storing, locating, evaluating, disseminating, and using information and knowledge are examined. Application of these principles and techniques through the use of rapidly evolving information/communication technologies is studied in the context of their impact on organizations. Topics include techniques for KB design, knowledge integration, indexing, searching, retrieving and displaying information from knowledge bases. This course will Investigate the issues in the application of knowledge management to organizational learning and decision-making.
This course explores the emergence of Knowledge Management in capturing, organizing and managing organizational knowledge. Students will investigate the theoretical, conceptual, organizational, and technical framework of implementing and using KM to support the use of organizational knowledge. The basic technology and implications of KM will be explored, including issues such as knowledge acquisition and organizational learning technologies, the Internet and the Web as a knowledge source, cooperation and teamwork, asynchronous/synchronous communication tools, methods of developing, indexing and searching knowledge bases.
None. Current research literature will be used.
Recommended supplemental text:
Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association, Fifth Edition. American Psychological Association, July 2001.
ISBN: 1-55798-791-2 (or current version)
None
By the end of the course, the student will be able to:
Participation in this course places some rather extra-ordinary demands on the student. In specific, students will be expected to:
There are five types of assignments you will do in this course: knowledge-base development, research problem exploration, team-based analysis of the literature, collaboration reflection, and a term journal. A description of each assignment type follows. Be sure to include a cover page that includes the title of the document, assignment title, the student's name, e-mail address, and date of submission.
As detailed in the Due Dates section, this assignment must be submitted (post-marked) no later than 11:55 PM Eastern time on the day specified in the assignment due date on the class schedule. NOTE – WebCT sometimes marks entries as LATE. Do not be concerned if you get the work in on time. I will determine when work is late.
As a graduate student you are expected to be proficient in the use of the English language. Errors in grammar, spelling, or syntax will affect your grade. As your professor, I will not provide remedial help for writing problems. If you are unable to write clearly and correctly, I urge you to contact the program office for sources of remedial help.
The course schedule provides specific due dates for all assignments.
Topic |
Start |
End |
Use of technology in KM |
3/10/08 |
4/6/08 |
Problems inherent in KM implementation (Horror stories) |
4/7/08 |
5/4/08 |
Best practices in KM implementation (Success stories) |
5/5/08 |
6/1/08 |
Course Schedule: TOP
Week |
Week Ending | Knowledge Base Development | Problem Exploration | Revised Knowledge Base (Team Project) | Collaboration Reflection | Term Journal |
1 |
3/16/08 | Effective use of technology in KM | ||||
2 |
3/23/08 | |||||
3 |
3/30/08 | |||||
4 |
4/6/08 | |||||
5 |
4/13/08 | Problems inherent in KM implementation | ||||
6 |
4/20/08 | |||||
7 |
4/27/08 | |||||
8 |
5/4/08 | |||||
9 |
5/11/08 | Best practices in KM implementation | Report Due | |||
10 |
5/18/08 | |||||
11 |
5/25/08 | |||||
12 |
6/1/08 | Preference Surveys | ||||
13 |
6/8/08 | Teams Formed | ||||
14 |
6/15/08 | Resource Pack Due | ||||
15 |
6/22/08 | |||||
16 |
6/29/08 | |||||
17 |
7/6/08 | |||||
18 |
7/13/08 | |||||
19 |
7/20/08 | |||||
20 |
7/27/08 | |||||
21 |
8/3/08 | Report Due | ||||
22 |
8/6/08 | Report Due |
Grading Criteria TOP
Evaluating doctoral-level work is quite different from evaluating undergraduate or even masters-level work. At this level, simple mastery of the course content is not adequate; you must also demonstrate the capacity to conduct research in the discipline and make an original contribution. For the purposes of this course, the following will be the "working definition" of doctoral-level scholarship:
Granularity in evaluation is very difficult when reviewing doctoral-level work. There are a great many ways in which an assignment can demonstrate mastery at the doctoral level. In general, I find the following descriptors and grading categories to be the most meaningful:
Fully meets expectations for
doctoral work 100%
of points possible
Meets expectations with only
minor exceptions 90%
of points possible
Meets expectations with
major exceptions 80%
of points possible
Significant exceptions to
expectations 70%
of points possible
Does not meet expectations
for doctoral work 0
points
Assignment Value Recap
Assignment |
Points |
Knowledge Base Development |
45 |
Research Problem Exploration |
60 |
Knowledge Base Revision |
50 |
Collaborative Reflection |
25 |
Term Journal |
20 |
TOTAL |
200 |
Grade Calculation
Letter Grade |
Points Earned |
A |
185 or more |
A- |
180 -184 |
B+ |
176 - 179 |
B |
165 - 178 |
B- |
160 - 164 |
C+ |
156 - 159 |
C |
146 - 155 |
F |
Fewer than 146 |
Incompletes WILL NOT be given except under circumstances of extreme hardship. Please refer to the SCIS Graduate Catalog for details on the Incomplete policy.
NOTE: All course communication should be through the class forum for help and the WebCT e-mail system.
Class/Course Rules TOP
The preponderance of the learning that you will experience in this course will be through a learning-by-doing process. This process has been widely accepted in the adult education literature as preferable to the more traditional, classroom-bound, didactic lecture format. Research has shown that most of us 'older learners' seem to do better when we are actively involved in the process.
The learning-by-doing process does, however, require time. The student must retrieve, experiment with, analyze, and assimilate a great deal of information in order to meet the learning objectives for the course. The retrieval, experimentation, analysis, and assimilation can only be done over the course of time. There truly is no way to cram that process into an 'all-nighter'.
The assignments in this course are designed to direct you to the important concepts inherent in this subject matter. The schedule of due dates is designed to offer the pacing necessary for you to be able to actually retrieve, experiment with, analyze, and assimilate these concepts. The schedule does, in fact, set the environment in which the learning-by-doing process can occur.
Timeliness of submissions is an essential ingredient in the learning necessary for successful completion of this course. I do understand that you all must balance accomplishing academic requirements with family and work responsibilities. You have, however, made a commitment to pursuing this academic endeavor, and can not successfully do so if you do not allocate appropriate time to the process. All work is due by 11:55 pm Fort Lauderdale (Eastern) time on the day indicated in the assignment schedule. I normally download all assignmnets in the morning of the Monday following the due date. Any work submitted by the time I download the assignments for evaluation will be accepted as a timely submission; no work will be accepted after the time I download the assignments from ESET. Work submitted late will not be evaluated and will receive a grade of zero (0).
Incompletes are granted only under circumstances of extreme hardship. Please see the SCIS incomplete policy.
School and University Policies and Procedures: TOP
Students must comply with the policies published in the school’s Graduate
Catalog and the NSU Student Handbook, some of which are included or referenced
below. The catalog is at http://www.scis.nova.edu/NSS/pdf_documents/Catalog.pdf.
The handbook is at http://www.nova.edu/cwis/studentaffairs/forms/ustudenthandbook.pdf
Academic Integrity TOPFor the university-wide policy on academic standards, see the section Code of Student Conduct and Academic Responsibility in the NSU Student Handbook. Also see the section Student Misconduct in the GSCIS catalog. Each student is responsible for maintaining academic integrity and intellectual honesty in his or her academic work. It is the policy of the school that each student must:
- Submit his or her own work, not that of another person
- Not falsify data or records (including admission materials)
- Not engage in cheating (e.g., giving or receiving help during examinations; acquiring and/or transmitting test questions prior to an examination; and using unauthorized materials, such as notes, during an examination)
- Not receive or give aid on assigned work that requires independent effort
- Properly credit the words or ideas of others according to accepted standards for professional publications (see Crediting the Words or Ideas of Others)
- Not use or consult paper writing services, software coding services, or similar services for the purpose of obtaining assistance in the preparation of of materials to be submitted for course assignments or for theses or dissertations.
- Not commit plagiarism (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (1996) defines plagiarism as “stealing or passing off ideas or words of another as one’s own” and “the use of a created production without crediting the source.”) (see Crediting the Words or Ideas of Others below)
Crediting the Words or Ideas of Others
When using the exact words of another, quotation marks must be used for short quotations (fewer than 40 words), and block quotation style must be used for longer quotations. In either case, a proper citation must also be provided. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Fifth Edition, (2001, pp. 117 and 292) contains standards and examples on quotation methods.
When paraphrasing (summarizing, or rewriting) the words or ideas of another, a proper citation must be provided. (The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2001) contains standards and examples of citation methods (pp. 207–214) and reference lists (pp. 215–281)). The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (1993) defines paraphrase:
An expression in other words, usually fuller and clearer, of the sense of a written or spoken passage or text…Express the meaning (of a word, phrase, passage, or work) in other words, usually with the object of clarification…
Changing word order, deleting words, or substituting synonyms is not acceptable paraphrasing—it is plagiarism, even when properly cited. Rather than make changes of this nature, the source should be quoted as written.
Original Work
Assignments, exams, projects, papers, theses, dissertations, etc., must be the original work of the student. Original work may include the thoughts and words of another author but such thoughts or words must be identified utilizing quotation marks or indentation and must properly identify the source. At all times, students are expected to comply with the school’s accepted citation practice and policy.
Work is not original when it has been submitted previously by the author or by anyone else for academic credit. Work is not original when it has been copied or partially copied from any other source, including another student, unless such copying is acknowledged by the person submitting the work for credit at the time the work is being submitted, or unless copying, sharing, or joint authorship is an express part of the assignment. Exams and tests are original work when no unauthorized aid is given, received, or used before or during the course of the examination, reexamination, and/or remediation.
Course Deliverable Contents TOP
- All written work should conform to the SCIS Writing Policy .
- The instructor reserves the right to reduce grades for spelling, grammar, and/or syntax errors as well as unclear meaning.
- APA form and style guidelines should be followed.
- The tone of writing within documents must be scholarly in nature and language.
- References where appropriate are expected in all written work submitted for this course.
Submission instructions TOP
Work must be submitted in the manner detailed for the specific type of assignment in the assignments section. If you have difficulty submitting work through either the ESET system or the Student Forums, contact the SCIS technical support center.
Writing Skills TOP
Students must demonstrate proficiency in the use of the English language. Grammatical errors, spelling errors, and writing that fails to express ideas clearly will affect their grades and the completion of their academic programs. The faculty will not provide remedial help concerning grammatical errors or other writing difficulties. It is the student’s responsibility to proofread and edit his or her work which, in both form and content, should be letter-perfect. Work that is not properly edited will be rejected. It is university policy that students must submit their own work, not that of another person. Consequently, they should refrain from using outside editors to redo their work.
Disabilities and ADA TOP
NSU complies with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). The university’s detailed policy on disabilities is contained in the NSU Student Handbook. Student requests for accommodation based on ADA will be considered on an individual basis. Each student with a disability should discuss his or her needs with the GSCIS disability service representative, Candy Fish (call 954-262-2034, or email fishc@nova.edu) before the commencement of classes if possible.
Communication by Email TOP
Students must use their NSU email accounts when sending email to faculty and staff and must clearly identify their names and other appropriate information, e.g., course or program. When communicating with students via email, faculty and staff members will send mail only to NSU email accounts using NSU-recognized usernames. Students who forward their NSU-generated email to other email accounts do so at their own risk. GSCIS uses various course management tools that use private internal email systems. Students enrolled in courses using these tools should check both the private internal email system and NSU’s regular email system. NSU offers students web-based email access. Students are encouraged to check their NSU email account daily.
The Temporary Grade of Incomplete TOPThe temporary grade of Incomplete (I) will be granted only in cases of extreme hardship. Students do not have a right to an incomplete, which may be granted only when there is evidence of just cause. A student desiring an incomplete must submit a written appeal to the course professor at least two weeks prior to the end of the term. In the appeal, the student must: (1) provide a rationale; (2) demonstrate that he/she has been making a sincere effort to complete the assignments during the term; and (3) explain how all the possibilities to complete the assignments on time have been exhausted. Should the course professor agree, an incomplete contract will be prepared by the student and signed by both student and professor. The incomplete contract must contain a description of the work to be completed and a timetable. The completion period should be the shortest possible. In no case may the completion date extend beyond 30 days from the last day of the term for master’s courses or beyond 60 days from the last day of the term for doctoral courses. The incomplete contract will accompany the submission of the professor’s final grade roster to the program office. The program office will monitor each incomplete contract. If a change-of-grade form is not submitted by the scheduled completion date, the grade will be changed automatically from I to F. No student may graduate with an I on his or her record.
Grade Policy Regarding Withdrawals TOP
Course withdrawal requests must be submitted to the program office in writing by the student. Requests for withdrawal must be received by the program office by the calendar midpoint of the course (see dates in the academic calendar in the catalog and program brochures or at: http://www.scis.nova.edu/NSS/pdf_documents/AcadCal.pdf). Withdrawals sent by email must be sent from the student’s assigned NSU email account. Requests for withdrawal received after 11:59 p.m. EST on the withdrawal deadline date will not be accepted. Failure to attend class or participate in course activities will not automatically drop or withdraw a student from the class or the university. Students who have not withdrawn by the withdrawal deadline will receive letter grades that reflect their performance in the course. When a withdrawal request is approved, the transcript will show a grade of W (Withdrawn) for the course. Students with four withdrawals will be dismissed from the program. Depending on the date of withdrawal, the student may be eligible for a partial refund (see the appropriate catalog section Refund Policy Regarding Withdrawals).
Acceptable Use of Computing Resources TOP
Students must comply with the university’s Policy on Acceptable Use of Computing Resources (see NSU Student Handbook).
Academic Progress, Grade Requirements, and Academic Standing TOP
Students must be familiar with the school’s policy which is contained in its catalog.
Student Research Involving Human Subjects TOP
Students must be familiar with the university’s policy (see paragraph in catalog).
Responsibility for Payment of Tuition and Fees
Once registered, students are personally responsible for the payment of their tuition and fees. Returned checks, cancelled credit cards, employer or agency refusal to pay, ineligibility for financial aid, and other reasons for non-payment may result in a direct bill to the student, and/or referral to a collection agency.
Payment and refund policies are based on the view that a student registering for a class is reserving a place in that class and that tuition and fees cover the opportunity to secure that place in the class. Since no other person can purchase that place, the student is responsible for the tuition and fees associated with it. Simply not attending does not constitute a reason for non-payment.