Knowledge Management for Collaborative Learning

Abstract

The power of e-Learning lies in the flexibility and control that learners are able to exercise over the learning process. Collaborative learning systems allow individuals and groups to manage the progression of teaching and learning in a way that fits the abilities and skills of participants. By empowering learners with the ability to direct their learning, supported by their peers in a collaborative setting, learning becomes more effective and enjoyable. The term 'knowledge management' refers to the process of continually gathering, filtering, and distributing, sharing and analyzing information. knowledge management will be highly beneficial in Collaborative Learning Systems and Learning Management Systems as it facilitates the dissemination and gathering of relevant information and allows learners to build on the knowledge and experience gained by their peers. In this paper we present a knowledge management framework for collaborative learning that builds on a scalable Peer-to-Peer infrastructure based on our own collaborative middleware.