KMbeing

Knowledge Mobilization (KMb): Multiple Contributions & Multi-Production Of New Knowledge

Category Archives: social media

Bringing People Together & Starting Knowledge Discussions

Leave a Comment Posted by on January 9, 2013

bringing people together

Knowledge Mobilization (KMb) through knowledge sharing is about bringing people together and starting discussions. Sharing knowledge with people on a wide network (like social media) can help connect us with those who can shape policy and decisions for social benefit – and ultimately make the world a better place.  Sharing knowledge can help us interpret other people’s knowledge, understand each other’s needs – perhaps even adapting this knowledge to our own circumstances - helping us resolve our personal and the world’s problematic issues.

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A Knowledge New Year

Leave a Comment Posted by on January 1, 2013

face to face

As we begin the New Year 2013, we continue to share knowledge through knowledge mobilization by embracing new social networks like Pinterest – while keeping up with the fast pace of others like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.  Sharing and mobilizing knowledge on such platforms makes our local to global communication and collaboration easier and more effective – and has delivered some very tangible national & international knowledge-networking results.

When it comes to today’s fast-paced world of knowledge sharing, there’s no better place for social collaboration than online. These social networks may have made it easier to expand our knowledge networks, but our society has changed from being a more personal, face-to-face world of localized collaborative knowledge sharing activity to a more impersonal and isolated world confined by our digital domains. We went from verbally discussing and sharing knowledge in our in-person environments, around the water-cooler, in meetings, retreats or at conferences to sharing knowledge in a much wider but secluded, online manner of pic-pins, tweets and blogs –away from the very people who we use to bounce ideas off of and exchange knowledge with face-to-face.

When social media advanced to make it possible and easier to automate and broaden our knowledge sharing, it provided valuable knowledge sharing tools – but there is a risk of returning back to the very reasons why online knowledge mobilization/transfer & exchange activities became important in the first place.  In the past, we were often locked in the knowledge-silos of our professional disciplines and institutions where face-to-face knowledge sharing was more closed. There is now a risk that we can become locked behind digital knowledge-silos without face-to-face meetings – even though our knowledge sharing has become more multi-directional and networked.  

Thankfully, in the past few years, in-person and online “networks connected to other networks” – such as EENet - and Communities of Practice (CoPs) connected with other CoPs – such as The Canadian Knowledge Transfer & Exchange CoP (formerly the Ontario Knowledge Transfer & Exchange CoP) have been created to broaden knowledge sharing and engagement. Such knowledge sharing organizations still keep alive – even expanding -opportunities for face-to-face knowledge interactions and collaboration with a variety of stakeholders – while also making use of the value of connecting knowledge online through social media. 

Sadly, in the early race to create an online presence of knowledge links in the digital world, many organizations, institutions and individuals forgot about the value of face-to-face social interactions over social media interactions. The old discipline/institutional knowledge silos were soon replaced with new digital knowledge network silos.

Fortunately, the pendulum has swung back (although some individuals and agencies have yet to even begin to get on the social media page!), and more people recognize the value of both connecting by social media combined with connecting face-to-face to create even broader in-person and inclusive opportunities of knowledge sharing for multiple stakeholders .

In 2012, “social” media was all about collaboration and mobility of knowledge sharing.  Now, by creating both physical and virtual knowledge sharing networks like EENet and communities like The Canadian KTE Cop in-house and remote knowledge sharing have been brought together.

Humans are social beings who enjoy sharing knowledge, and human behaviour will always trump any technology.  Regardless of how sophisticated or user-friendly the technology may be, humans will always need to connect with others in-person. But, we must continue to recognize that we live in a world of diversity and extremes. On any social media platform, there are extreme users, non-users and those that fall in-between – And, there will always be some who feel more comfortable sharing knowledge in-person while others feel more comfortable sharing knowledge online. It makes sense that overly-focusing on one over the other creates missed opportunities.  Combining and expanding both in-person and online connections will enhance the knowledge sharing experiences and increase engagement.

As we begin the New Year 2013, I’d like to wish all of my online and in-person knowledge connections a very happy, healthy and social year of online and in-person knowledge mobilization (KMb)!

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Sharing Knowledge With The People You Don’t Know

Leave a Comment Posted by on December 17, 2012

people you don't know

Making the world a better place and creating new knowledge doesn’t come from sharing knowledge with the people you know.  It comes from sharing knowledge with the people you don’t know.

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Relevant-Signal To Data-Noise Ratio

Leave a Comment Posted by on December 10, 2012

signal noise

In science and engineering we often hear about the signal to noise ratio – a concept that compares the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise.  Although this is a technical term commonly used for electrical signals or biochemical signaling between cells, it can also be applied in the world of social media. In my own social media use I call this relevant-signal to data-noise ratio.

How often do we sift through Twitter feeds or Google search results to find what is relevant to our online research while also being inundated with data-noise?  I always keep this in mind when I’m doing digital research.  I can often find my Twitter feed filled with tweets that are relevant to digital research – and plenty more that are simply data-noise. Understanding the social media concept of relevant-signal to data-noise ratio can help us use social media in a more effective and productive manner and keep us focused on the more relevant information and knowledge sharing that makes using social media – especially for knowledge mobilization (KMb) – a better and more valuable experience.

As a community-based digital researcher, I was involved in a research project and book chapter publication with the Knowledge Mobilization Unit at York University, working with York University’s Executive Director of Research & Innovation Services,  Dr. David Phipps and York’s KMb knowledge broker,  Krista Jensen.  Our research project looked at Applying Social Sciences Research for Public Benefit Using Knowledge Mobilization and Social Media.  One of my contributions to this project was analyzing online profile keywords used on Twitter to advance our understanding of how individuals might use a social media platform like Twitter to connect and form collaborative relationships and like interests. Like interests are the foundation of communities of practice.

This important concept of relevant-signal to data-noise ratio  can be conceptualized by the following equation:

R-S:D-N = A (amount) of relevant-signal

                 = A (amount) of data-noise = 50

Basically, what this formula means is that the relevant-signal to data-noise ratio is equal to the average amount of what is a relevant-signal divided by what is the average amount of data-noise. To use this equation, for example, on a Twitter feed of someone I’m following on Twitter, I will often seek the keywords that are relevant to my digital research on a page of profile tweets. This can easily be done using the Ctrl-F Find function on any computer. I type in the keywords I’m looking for and – for convenience sake – I hold the amount of data-noise is going to be at least half or fifty-percent – as in a 50-50 chance.  This is why I have the amount of data-noise equal to 50.

When I find my keywords at least twenty-five-percent (25%) of the time or more (at least half of my 50-50 chance of finding data-noise), I will continue to follow this Twitter feed. If the amount is less than 25% – it’s filled with too much data-noise for what is relevant to my research interests, and I often make the decision to un-follow. I find this equation very helpful in making decisions about who to follow by weeding-out more of the data-noise.

All real measurement is disturbed by noise – and social media is no exception. As a research tool, social media is now being recognized as a valid part of gathering, exchanging and creating new knowledge, and as part of doing valid research.  However, many are still not effectively using social media in the best possible way to do this, and are still being swamped by a deluge of information and data-noise not relevant to knowledge sharing interests.  Or worse, people feel they need to connect broadly so as not to “miss anything”.  Remember, social media is NOT a popularity contest.  Attempts to measure or analyze your online success with what can be called as vanity metrics is irrelevant. It’s quality NOT quantity that counts in social media – so you may have to un-follow and eliminate some of that data-noise to find the relevant signal. I hope this relevant-signal to data-noise ratio equation is helpful for you in this process.

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Opening Our New Book Chapter

Leave a Comment Posted by on September 4, 2012

http://kmbeing.com/2012/08/20/knowledge-mobilization-book-chapter-my-contribution/

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Knowledge Mobilization (KMb) Book Chapter: My Contribution

4 Comments Posted by on August 20, 2012

I’m excited to announce the recent publication and my contribution as co-author of an In-Tech Book Chapter entitled "Applying Social Sciences Research for Public Benefit Using Knowledge Mobilization and Social Media". Along with Dr. David Phipps, the Director of Research Services and Knowledge Exchange at York University in Toronto, and Krista Jensen, York University’s Knowledge Mobilization Officer, I was privileged to be part of the research and writing team.

As a community-based Knowledge Mobilizer, my contribution focused on the literature review and Twitter research project data collection and statistical analysis, along with my development and presentation of the Knowledge Mobilization (KMb) model of sector interaction for social benefit – which I first published in my KMbeing blog post in January 2011.

 

It was a great honour to work with both David and Krista. David has also recently had another paper published of his collaboration with one of Knowledge Mobilization’s foremost experts in research utilization, Sandra Nutley (unfortunately, the paper is not available in open access yet – but a link to the paper is found here). Nutley is co-author of Using Evidence: How research can inform public services. 

Krista Jensen’s expertise on the use of social media, and her background in library science is of great value in her contribution to the literature review and book chapter writing about the use of social media for Knowledge Mobilization - and compliments my own practical use of social media, such as Twitter – along with my KMbeing blog to promote Knowledge Mobilization for social benefit.

The In-Tech book chapter is available to everyone in open access online. Our book chapter addresses the importance of social sciences for academics and non-academics - in research institutions and at the community level, and the important role of knowledge brokers - to address wicked problems, and enhance the research process and sharing of knowledge with the use of social media. It is my hope that it will promote the continued use of Knowledge Mobilization (KMb) to make the world a better place for everyone.

 

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Knowledge Mobilization (KMb) & Social Media

Leave a Comment Posted by on August 7, 2012

As we look for ways to engage and motivate people to share knowledge to make the world a better place, social media technologies like blogs and Twitter are becoming important knowledge tools to go beyond traditional learning and knowledge environments.

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Knowledge To Put Things In Perspective Through Social Media

Leave a Comment Posted by on July 26, 2012

In the everyday rhythm of life there will always be good days and bad days. Some days we will feel like our knowledge is making a difference in the world – other days we will often feel like our knowledge is unimportant or ignored – or we may even feel stupid with no knowledge to contribute. Just like the waves of the ocean that ebb and flow – a deep, inner conviction that sharing knowledge every day to make the world a better place will help you weather the storms of insecurities, fears and worries that lash at the feelings that your knowledge is insignificant, and help you recognize that everyone’s knowledge can create change to make the world a better place.

We live in a world where we can connect our individual knowledge and learn from the knowledge of others – thanks to the power of the Internet and social media. Never before in the history of humanity has such tools been so immediate and powerful in communicating so effectively and so vastly. Something like Twitter for example has reshaped the way we can share knowledge and create social benefit and human understanding around the globe on a daily basis. That’s an amazing thing to remember.

Each day, I am reminded of how powerful this can be when I read first-hand tweets about the devastation and war-torn struggles in far-away places from my own, but can connect and communicate with these people through my own and others’ tweets and blogs. I can give them hope for a better future and they can teach me humility and appreciation to count my daily blessings in comparison. I can share my knowledge of the importance of knowledge sharing for social benefit and they can teach me strength in daily conviction to overcome adversity.

For each of us: tomorrow is a promise to no one! Sadly, there always seems to be new reminders of this. No matter where we live on this planet – that applies to all of us. That is something that all of us share. Yet, knowledge is also something that all of us can share to bring change for a better tomorrow.

I once heard someone say there are people who are “ocean personalities” in this world. In their inner depths they are not defeated by the crashing waves that happen to them at the surface, but can teach us through their deep convictions. The towering waves of circumstances cannot reach them when they go deep within to seek the peace that surpasses all understanding. While the surface of life is in turmoil they can find an inner calmness to see them through.  This is not only knowledge to learn from – but wisdom for all of us. This is what Knowledge Mobilization (KMb) is all about. When is the last time you stepped back to think about this in your own life? When is the last time you mobilized knowledge in this way?

Is it possible to share individual knowledge to make the world a better place? What a wonderful part of life sharing knowledge is – and what great opportunities we have to do it every day from our everyday personal experiences through the power of social media. It’s always there – it’s just not in the newspaper headlines or newscasts, not on entertainment shows or reality programming.  It’s in our everyday opportunities to connect with each other’s knowledge in each individual life when we take the time to connect online and share knowledge with others from around the globe to make the world a better place for everyone.

Knowledge sharing for social benefit can come only when we see what really matters and what really is not significant in our lives when we compare ourselves and share our knowledge with others from around the world.  Losing a job or a personal possession is quite a personal blow – but when compared to the possibility of losing your life, your home or your security – it really puts things in perspective.

The daily possibilities of sharing our diversity of knowledge in this world are there for each of us – yet we often keep our own personal knowledge locked away, rarely to be communicated with others beside us, let alone, around the world. We let our own circumstances determine how we feel without thinking about the greater tragedies of others who are dealing with far greater difficulties than our own.

The important thing to remember is that knowledge sharing can put these things in perspective, bring greater human understanding and create possibilities of social benefit for everyone. So, get tweeting, get blogging, get sharing knowledge with others around the globe to make the world a better place!

Individual Knowledge Mobilization, inspirational, knowledge, social collaboration, social media, social media tools, Today's Knowledge Inspiration , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Knowledge & Perspective: A Take On Homophobia

Leave a Comment Posted by on May 14, 2012

Today, I want to write about knowledge and perspective – how we look at our own knowledge and the knowledge of others in the world around us. Putting things in perspective – particularly knowledge – is one of the most important elements that can help all of us live life more fully and make the world a better place for everyone. The value of knowledge on this planet is not necessarily determined by the way we acquire knowledge (by a higher education degree or by life experience), but by how we perceive knowledge. Far too often we value the former over the later.

Knowledge is acquired each day in many ways.  Gaining knowledge happens all day, every day with all of our interactions with other people. It’s inevitable that someone, some time, is going to share knowledge that we disagree with or that perhaps hurts us in some way.  Some knowledge claims are going to occur that make it seem like the world is never going to change for the better.  But the important thing about that, of course, is how we perceive the diversity of knowledge in this world – how we value this diversity of knowledge to ultimately combine this knowledge to make the world a better place. It’s all about understanding knowledge and perspective.

Take for example a recent viral video of Jane Svoboda, a woman from Nebraska, USA who makes some rather strong claims against gays, lesbians and bisexuals.

From my knowledge perspective I consider her claims to be extremely homophobic (as do many others). But from her knowledge perspective she stands by her convictions (while others laugh) to share her knowledge claims. Is she crazy (as many claim) or just in need of further knowledge? (I later found out that this woman does have mental health issues). Again, it’s all about perspective. Can we still learn from this so-called knowledge? Yes. But do we just leave it there? No – because knowledge to make the world a better place requires action. Yet action that is respectful of others and open to dialogue with others. Creating valuable knowledge to make the world a better place is about combining the diversity of knowledge in this world through action. Knowledge without shared action is useless.

Although I strongly disagree with this woman’s homophobic knowledge claims (some people may claim this isn’t even knowledge), I was extremely impressed with the diplomatic and organized manner in which she was allowed to speak in such a procedural context. It’s always the first step in sharing knowledge to make the world a better place – even though it’s knowledge that we disagree with or perhaps hurts us in some way.

But sharing knowledge is not just a one way street. I would hope that this woman would also be deeply open to listening to the knowledge of others. This is the next step in sharing knowledge to make the world a better place. Being open to dialogue and learning from the diversity of knowledge around us changes our knowledge for social benefit for everyone – and ultimately makes the world a better place for everyone. Knowledge has many perspectives. Combining these perspectives and knowledge is what matters.

So perhaps, instead of laughing at or deriding someone else’s knowledge claims (even though we strongly feel compelled to do so), if we saw this as an opportunity to begin to share knowledge – by combining our knowledge – to make the world a better place for all of us, we might begin to make a difference.

If we take the world and its diversity of knowledge without further action by sharing our knowledge, we will only see the hurt and hate in the world around us. If we keep in mind that there is a diversity of knowledge in the world waiting to be combined – improved for everyone through action – and that all knowledge is a matter of degree – of perspective – we can begin to make a difference. 

In that perspective lies a realistic view of the world that can allow us to take this diversity of knowledge with a high degree of equanimity and pragmatism that tells us that yes, some knowledge claims seem so far-fetched and need to be adjusted – but life on this planet is about a diversity of knowledge. It’s how we share this diversity of knowledge with our actions – how we put this knowledge in perspective – that can make the world a better place.

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Individual & Global Knowledge

Leave a Comment Posted by on April 13, 2012

Image

In my Knowledge Mobilization (KMb) KMbeing blogs I often talk about the concepts of individual and global knowledge to make the world a better place. Knowledge is something that everyone has that is active in all disciplines, fields, nations, locations, systems and individuals lives. No one person or country should have exclusivity to knowledge if the ultimate use of knowledge is to make the world a better place.

But far too often, certain disciplines, fields, nations, locations, systems or individuals think they do – especially in developed countries. This is particularly true when we consider what can be called the birthplace of all humanity – Africa.

In a previous KMbeing blog, I wrote about the use of Global Research Universities or GRUs, and I strongly recommended the concept of a portable GRU in the palm of your hand to connect our individual knowledge globally. I stated that in 2009 – according to textually.org, Africa’s digital technology was exploding across the continent as smart phone technology was increasing as much as 500 per cent. A more recent 2011 article states that Africa is now the second largest mobile phone market.

It still makes sense as a goal of higher education – and individual knowledge sharing/mobilization in general – to connect individually/globally within and from impoverished and developing countries by encouraging knowledge mobilization (KMb). Promoting such knowledge sharing through mobile technology makes the world a better place.

No doubt, Africa and other developing countries will continue to see a rise in the use of digital technology. As more individuals around the world have this type of global access and affordable cellular devices, the greater the possibility of seeing the further expansion of knowledge sharing and a more educated global population. A more educated global population makes for greater economic development worldwide, and contributes to greater well-being of all citizens – local and global.

But we must remember that we are a world of diverse knowledge, values and beliefs – north, south, east and west. To use knowledge to make the world a better place requires cooperative knowledge, cooperative values and cooperative beliefs. Using individual and global knowledge requires us to socially interact as never before – and we are incredibly fortunate that we now have the mobile technology to do so. The use of social media has advanced the ability to socially interact and mobilize knowledge across the globe with greater possibilities for global understanding and cooperation.

Using digital technology puts knowledge mobilization – literally – in the hands of everyone. With the burgeoning of digital technology in Africa and other developing countries, perhaps making the world a better place through knowledge mobilization is closer than we think.

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