Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Intellectual ...

Developing Personal Knowledge Management Strategies
Through Problem-Based Learning
Thira<strong>the</strong>p Chonmaitree
College <strong>of</strong> Arts, Media and Technology, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai,
Thailand
t.dessiner2010@gmail.com
Abstract: Traditional Teacher-based Learning (TBL) methods require <strong>the</strong> teacher to take control over <strong>the</strong>
classroom and direct student learning. The teacher <strong>of</strong>ten sub-consciously dictates <strong>the</strong> thought, behavior and
beliefs <strong>of</strong> students based on <strong>the</strong> teacher’s background. More recently, in knowledge based societies, a number
<strong>of</strong> new educational ideas have been proposed. One teaching methodology gaining considerable attention is
Problem Based Learning (PBL). This method <strong>of</strong> learning aims to allow students to explore <strong>the</strong>ir own problem
solving techniques and more importantly, fosters personal knowledge management strategies. These personal
knowledge management strategies are useful for lifelong learning, however <strong>the</strong>re are currently several barriers to
implementing effective PBL systems and <strong>the</strong> resulting development <strong>of</strong> personal learning strategies. This paper
examines <strong>the</strong>se barriers through <strong>the</strong> lens <strong>of</strong> a case study at College <strong>of</strong> Arts Media and Technology (CAMT),
Chiang Mai University. The S<strong>of</strong>tware Engineering Program at CAMT is an international program with <strong>the</strong> majority
<strong>of</strong> students being non-native speakers <strong>of</strong> English. This adds additional difficulties to implementing PBL and
developing personal knowledge management strategies. The research specifically looks at PBL in <strong>the</strong> S<strong>of</strong>tware
Engineering Program and begins with a consideration <strong>of</strong> how PBL can help students to develop personal
knowledge management strategies. It <strong>the</strong>n outlines key barriers to successful implementation <strong>of</strong> PBL. The two
major barriers identified are motivating students’ to collect and structure <strong>the</strong> necessary knowledge (e.g. reading)
and how teaching staff can effectively manage differing ability levels throughout <strong>the</strong> learning process. The paper
utilizes qualitative research methods to assess students’ perceptions and responses to PBL systems and
personal knowledge management. The research concludes with a consideration <strong>of</strong> future research necessary to
create successful PBLs and links <strong>the</strong> results to <strong>the</strong> wider educational and knowledge management literature.
Keywords: personal knowledge management, knowledge management strategy, problem-based learning,
reading efficiency, reading motivation, multi-ability level <strong>of</strong> English
1. Introduction
In <strong>the</strong> past, <strong>the</strong> majority <strong>of</strong> Thai students learned via a method known as Teacher based learning
(TBL). This does not depend on any student’s learning style. The key characteristic <strong>of</strong> this method is
that teachers take control <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> classroom as well as directing student thinking. By placing <strong>the</strong>
teacher at <strong>the</strong> centre <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> classroom, <strong>the</strong>y can dictate <strong>the</strong> thought, behavior and beliefs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
students. Knowledge about teaching and learning styles is widely known and most <strong>of</strong> teaching style
will be teacher centered learning which means teacher has authority to do anything in <strong>the</strong> classroom,
mostly lecture. Individual student formed <strong>the</strong>ir own learning style to correspond to <strong>the</strong> teacher
centered learning. Once Thailand learned more about learning style <strong>of</strong> each student, different
teaching styles have been emerged and considered. Each student <strong>the</strong>n began to develop his/her own
different approaches to learning style. Different teaching styles might be suited to multiple learning
styles. In this new era, <strong>the</strong> Information age or knowledge-based society, teacher centered learning
became insufficient to <strong>the</strong> students’ learning styles. Each student can obtain and share knowledge
with <strong>the</strong>ir friend to gain boundless knowledge in a topic. Knowledge based society has changed and
shaped a new way <strong>of</strong> learning for <strong>the</strong> students <strong>of</strong> this new era.
Knowledge-based society has been emerging into this 21 st century, leading to student-centered
learning. With a knowledge-based society, many new ideas have been introduced to <strong>the</strong> education
system. One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se teaching methods is Problem-based Learning (PBL), which will be <strong>the</strong> focus <strong>of</strong>
this research. This method <strong>of</strong> learning aims for students to explore <strong>the</strong>ir own way <strong>of</strong> solving problems.
This method believes that each student has his/her own way <strong>of</strong> solving problem and <strong>the</strong>re is no one
correct method to solve <strong>the</strong> problem. Individual students can each have <strong>the</strong>ir own learning style to
solve a problem that leads to many possible solutions. This teaching method causes students to have
free thinking within a framework <strong>of</strong> reasonable doubt. Although many suggest PBL to be more
effective than TBL, <strong>the</strong>re are still some issues with this teaching style. In order for students to solve a
problem effectively, <strong>the</strong>y need to develop <strong>the</strong>ir own knowledge management style and strategies
through team work, or individually.
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