Opening the black box: knowledge creation in data teams

Abstract

Purpose -In this study, Nonaka and Takeuchi's socialization, externalization, combination and internalization (SECI) model of knowledge creation is used to gain insight into the process of knowledge creation in data teams. These teams are composed of school leaders and teachers, who work together to improve the quality of education. They collaboratively create knowledge related to data use and to an educational problem they are studying. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach -A qualitative micro-process case study was conducted for two data teams. The modes, transitions and content of the knowledge creation process were analyzed for all data team meetings over a two-year period. In addition, all team members were interviewed twice to triangulate the findings. Findings -Results show that the knowledge creation process was cyclical across meetings, but more iterative within meetings. Furthermore, engagement in the socialization and internalization mode provided added value in this process. Finally, the SECI model clearly differentiated between team members' processes. Team members who engaged more often in the socialization and internalization modes and displayed more personal engagement in those modes gained greater and deeper knowledge. Research limitations/implications -The SECI model is valuable for understanding how teams gain new knowledge and why they differ in those gains. Practical implications -Stimulation of active personal engagement in the socialization and internalization mode is needed. Originality/value -This is one of the first attempts to concretely observe the process of knowledge creation. It provides essential insights into what educators do in professional development contexts, and how support can best be provided.

Elements affecting the development of professional learning communities in schools

“…Apparently, collective ownership is critical for the development of PLCs in schools (Englert and Tarrant 1995). The results of this study build further on recently-published research such as Hubers et al (2016), who concluded that knowledge is created in conversations when members engage in both internalisation and socialisation activities. For example, our results show that socialisation has internal and external impact, referring to both activities within PLCs as well as activities between members of PLCs and colleagues in the schools.…”

The Effects of Knowledge Creation Process upon the Organizational Performance: A Study of Thai Banking Industry

“…This marks the importance of converting explicit into tacit knowledge which drives business activities and increases knowledge assets in Thai banks. This finding is in line with another research, indicating that the more engagement in socialization and internalization, the deeper knowledge that employees gain in the educational context [42]. In the opposite way, internalization does not affect to organizational performance in social perspective.…”

Teacher collaboration in curriculum design teams: effects, mechanisms, and conditions

“…The benefits of teachers collaboratively generating new knowledge about curriculum and teaching in schools or teams are increasingly recognized (Cober, Tan, Slotta, So, & Könings, 2015;Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1993, 2009Hubers, Poortman, Schildkamp, Pieters, & Handelzalts, 2016;Pareja Roblin, Ormel, McKenney, Voogt, & Pieters, 2014). Effects of teachers' collaborative design on curriculum change have been reported by several scholars (Coburn et al, 2012;Penuel, McWilliams, et al, 2009;Penuel, Sun, Frank, & Gallagher, 2012).…”