Analysis on Knowledge Creation and Its Affecting Factors in the Asynchronous Web-based Learning System

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1 Analysis on Creation and Its Affecting Factors in the Asynchronous Web-based Learning System Dr. Shu-Ming Hsu, Assistant Professor of Department of Business Administration, Tunghai University ABSTRACT This study by taking asynchronous web-base learning system as an example discusses the relationship of communication mode, e-learning websites design, and knowledge creation. The research design of this study aims at a structure equation model to test the integrated effects of communication mode and e-learning websites design on knowledge creation. Considering the mediating effects on knowledge sharing, we found that the direct effects of Teacher Involvement, Interaction between students and frequency on tacit knowledge creation were significantly positive. In particularly, Interaction between students had relatively negative indirect effects through tacit knowledge sharing. Finally, Website accessibility and usability had significant direct effect on tacit knowledge creation, and had indirect effects on both tacit and explicit knowledge creation through explicit knowledge sharing. In addition, Curriculum Professionalism was negative correlated with explicit knowledge sharing, and it only had indirect effects on knowledge creation. INTRODUCTION In the beginning of the 21 century, Peter Drucker has pointed out Big campuses in universities will all become ruins after thirty years. No matter whether the prediction comes true or not, the major force and rationale behind this prediction are the rising of web-based learning and the power of knowledge economy it represents. As the era of knowledge economy approaches, how to manage knowledge becomes the issue of the day for the academic cycle and industries. Among all the issues in knowledge management, knowledge creation is the key issue. Utilizing network communication and its characteristics could increase the interaction and knowledge sharing between members within the network which in turn will improve learning outcome and promote knowledge creation. As network technology becomes more and more popular, e-learning which combines network and learning activities has gradually been applied in enterprises and schools. On enterprise side, since web-based learning can utilize the convenience feature of network resource accessing and save a lot of training budget and time used in commuting to training places, the portion of enterprises who adopt web-based training is on the rise. On school side, web-based learning has become the trend of modern teaching. Through the communication mechanism offered by networks, learners could carry out group cooperation learning and gain more knowledge and techniques from interaction with other members which, as a result, could inspire creativities. Starting from the middle of the 1990, distance education has become one of the focuses in the development of American education system. It is estimated that four out of five traditional colleges and universities have setup their virtual education programs. There are also some virtual universities specializing in offering virtual degree programs. In the field of Business Administration education, since discussion and interaction between students are highly valued, and application of knowledge and cultivation of creativities are strongly accentuated, web-based learning will have higher application value. However, although the wide spread application of web-based learning, the hardest break issue in web-based learning is how to achieve intensive learning, create knowledge by interaction within a community and automatic sharing of information and knowledge between participants. First of all, the curriculum design, website functions, interface and stability which related to hardware characteristics, the teacher input, interaction model, and the level of participation by member students which related to software characteristics will all affect participating learners knowledge sharing and knowledge creating activities. 156

2 This study has selected 10 web-based learning programs from domestic colleges and universities and performed a survey on the students and teachers in those programs. Compared to synchronous web-based learning which emphasizes in breaking the barrier of time and spaces, asynchronous web-based learning emphasizes more on achieving knowledge sharing and creating functions through discussions and interactions. It puts more attentions in sharing and interacting which fits the research target of this study more. Specific speaking, the research targets of this study are listed below: 1. Discuss the possible impact and path of communication mode on knowledge creation in asynchronous web-based learning. 2. Discuss the impact and path of different website designs on knowledge creation in asynchronous web-based learning. 3. Discuss the intermediary effect of knowledge sharing within the relation of communication mode, website designs and knowledge creation. 4. Discuss whether affecting factors and path are different for different types of knowledge creation. LITERATURE REVIEW AND HYPOTHESIS Asynchronous web-based learning Generally speaking, traditional education is normally teacher-centered and students don t have enough independency in learning. Limited by the teaching method, it is also hard to consider differences between individual students (Chen, 2001). In comparison, web-based learning is seen as an innovative method for delivering teaching to remote learners using the Web as medium. Khan (1998) uses integrated views to define Web-Based Instruction (WBI). He thinks WBI is a teaching scheme planning based on hypermedia. It utilizes the characteristics and resources of World Wide Web to create a meaningful learning environment, and is aiming at cultivating individual body s automatic learning habit and supporting its continuous learning activities. The most commonly seen web-based teaching models include two categories. One is synchronous video conferencing and the other one is asynchronous online course. Synchronous video conferencing uses communication network to transfer the video signal from transmitting end to the receiving end. The biggest advantage of synchronous video conferencing is that it can transmit teaching material rapidly regardless of the limitation in time and spaces. Asynchronous web-based teaching is to put teaching materials on the learning websites for a period of time so students can access new information and knowledge through the Web at any time without limits in time and places. It is also the most commonly seen web-based learning model at present time. Teaching materials are organized and designed and then put on the WWW server for students to access. Since Internet browsers have the capability to access and play hypermedia, it can capture words, graphics, sound, imaging, and motion pictures from the Web. Hence, asynchronous web-based learning can achieve fairly good teaching results(yang, 1993). Compared to synchronous web-based teaching, asynchronous one emphasizes more on sharing and interaction between members. The interaction between students could generate new ideas and knowledge that beyond the original purposes of the courses (Hsu, 1998). Creation Form a broader view, includes structuralized experiences, values, recorded information and unique opinions from professionals (Davenport & Prusak, 1999). Drucker (1999) thinks is the only meaningful resource in the knowledge society of the new economy and knowledge becomes power only through targeted, systematic and organized learning. Therefore, organizations should try to transfer knowledge into valuable power, and increase employees value added and experiences by systematic learning courses within the organizations. As knowledge becomes more and more important, scholars start to put their attention on the process of organizational learning and knowledge creation and all the possible factors affecting the process. Leonard-Barton (1995) thinks organizations are not only the storage of knowledge, but also have the capability to build their unique ability through knowledge creation. Problem Solving, Implement & Integrating, Experimenting & Prototyping and Importing are the major knowledge creating activities. Nonaka & Takeuchi (1997) define 157

3 explicit knowledge and tacit knowledge, and they think each kind of knowledge will be created by different mode. Compared to explicit knowledge, tacit knowledge has higher complexity in establishing and transmitting process. According to the knowledge conversion model proposed by Nonaka & Takeuchi, knowledge creation is the result of interaction between explicit and tacit knowledge. It must be generated from knowledge conversion activities and the conversion methods include from tacit to tacit (Socialization), from tacit to explicit (Externalization), from explicit to explicit (Combination) and from explicit to tacit knowledge (Internalization). Therefore, this study will utilizes this conversion model to analyze the knowledge creation activities of the learners in asynchronous web-based learning. Furthermore, due to the different aspects and characteristics of explicit and tacit knowledge, this study will separate knowledge creation into explicit knowledge creation and tacit knowledge creation and analyze whether there is any differences in the knowledge creating processes for these two types of knowledge. Affecting factors in knowledge creation Holthouse (1998) thinks knowledge is a flow. is exchanged and flowed between knowledge owners and receivers. It is also possible that new knowledge is generated during the knowledge sharing process. Senge (1997) has pointed out that knowledge sharing is not only the willing transmission of information, it also includes the willingness to help the other side to understand the meaning and connotation of the information. Hendriks (1999) thinks knowledge sharing could affect the outcome of knowledge creation. Eriksson & Dickson (2000) also think there is cognitive and behavioral aspects in common knowledge sharing within a group of people. During the process of sharing existing knowledge, new knowledge is also created at the same time. When knowledge is shared and used, new knowledge is created. Hendriks (1999) look at knowledge sharing as a process of communication. He thinks knowledge cannot be not freely transmitted like commercial products and there is a reconstruction activity in learning knowledge from others. Therefore, knowledge sharing is built on the basis of knowledge exchange and communication. On this aspect, this research assumes that the motive in sharing explicit and tactic knowledge might be different. Hence, this study divides knowledge sharing into tactic and explicit knowledge sharing for the purpose of discussion. Since knowledge sharing, in essence, is the communication between knowledge owner and knowledge demander, the issues related to communication in website platform such as the level of participation by the teachers and students, dual communication and communication frequency all could possibly affect learners knowledge sharing activities. To discuss the affecting factors to knowledge sharing and knowledge creation, this study takes a step further to integrate the research results of Ruekert & Walker (1987), Anderson (1987), Lee (1996) and Jian Hong Chen (2001) and analyze their impact in the communication process. Finally, since knowledge sharing and knowledge creation are related to the characteristics of knowledge, it is then concretely represented in asynchronous web-based learning as the design of learning websites. Wu (2000) has pointed out that good web page design could reinforce the willingness to share knowledge. Cao (2001) thinks we can evaluate learning website design from the following five directions: teaching material content and structure, teaching method design, web mockup design, user interface design and cross interaction design. Therefore, this study will look at curriculum professionalism and webpage accessibility & usability to measure the design of learning web pages and discuss the impact they have to knowledge sharing and creation. Isn conclusion to the dicussion above, this study introduces five major research hypotheses: H1. Communication mode affects the willingness of knowledge sharing in asynchronous web-based learning. H2. Website design affects the willingness of knowledge sharing in asynchronous web-based learning. H2-1: Higher degree of professionalism of the curriculum will reduce learners willingness to share knowledge. H2-2: Higher accessibility and usability will increase learners willingness to share knowledge. H3. sharing has positive influence to knowledge creation in asynchronous web-based learning. H4. Communication mode influences knowledge creation in asynchronous web-based learning. H5. Website design will affects knowledge creation in asynchronous web-based learning. H5-1: Higher degree of professionalism of the curriculum will worsen the outcome of knowledge creation. 158

4 H5-2: Higher accessibility and usability will better the outcome of knowledge creation. RESEARCH DESIGN AND RESEARCH METHOD Research Design and Sampling Based on the literature review and hypotheses deduction, the research structure of this study is as follow: H4 Communication Mode Mode Teacher Involvement Interaction between between Members Communication Frequency H1 Dual Communication Explicit Explicit H3 Tactic Tactic H2 Website Design Design Web page page accessibility and usability Curriculum H5 Professionalism Figure 1:Research Framework Regarding to research target, this study utilizes web page questionnaire. We search the Web to find teachers who have setup asynchronous web-based learning courses and then send s to them. After getting the permissions from the teachers, our questionnaire web page address then is put on the learning websites for students to answer at their will. This research finally takes 10 web-based courses from universities and colleges in Taiwan as samples and surveying the students of those courses. We receive 111 effective questionnaires from those 10 web-based courses and the effective collection rate is 33.43%. Research Method and Questionnaire Design This research utilizes Path analysis to analyze the various variables affecting knowledge creation to see how they affect tactic and explicit knowledge creation. Through direct and indirect outcome calculation, we can compare and know whether different variables affect knowledge creation path differently. On the design of questionnaire, this study adopts Hendriks (1999) point of views to define knowledge sharing as students having knowledge sharing activities through internalize and externalize knowledge on the website. We also use the measuring indicators developed by Hendriks to measure learners knowledge sharing activities. Furthermore, we consult the Conversion Model developed by Nonaka & Takeuchi (1997) to work on knowledge creation aspect. We individually considers the different knowledge creation process such as Socialization, Externalization, Combination and Internalization and then take a step further to integrate them into two major variables which are explicit knowledge creation and tactic knowledge creation. All the other variables refer to domestic and foreign research literatures and consider the characteristics of asynchronous web-based learning to form the basis for questionnaire design. RESEARCH RESULTS Reliability and Validity Analysis This study uses Cronbach s α to evaluate the regularity between variables. The research result shows that the 159

5 Cronbach s α value for the ten major variables are between and which satisfies the requirement for reliability test. On the Validity aspect, this research uses Expert validity method to confirm whether the questions in the questionnaire are in line with the intended measuring construct. We also use the results of 25 pre-tested questionnaires to modify the questionnaire in order to affirm the reliability and validity of this research questionnaire. Factor Analysis This study uses factor analysis method to extract the common factors in different categories in this questionnaire and find out the structural relationship between variables. After performing factor analysis and eliminating questions which has very low factor loading, all factors to the research construct have cumulative explained variation higher than 60%. Path Analysis From the research structure in figure 1, we can find out that explicit and tactic knowledge sharing plays the role of mediating variables in this research model. We must first examine the possible impact on knowledge sharing by the six independent variables in communication mode and website design. Then, we can take a step further to examine the possible impact to dependent variables by adding mediating variables to independent variables. Therefore, the regression analysis model in this study could be divided into two main sections. The first section is about the impact of communication model (X1-X4) and web page design (X5-X6) to knowledge sharing. It is the examination of the H1 and H2 hypotheses. It is also the first layer of research path analysis. The second section is about the impact of communication model (X1-X4), web page design (X5-X6) and knowledge sharing (Y1-Y2) to knowledge creation (Y3, Y4). That means the examination of hypotheses H3, H4 and H5 are the second layer for path analysis in this study. Regression model M1 M2 Table 1: Path Analysis Model (1) Test on knowledge sharing and its affecting factors Dependent variables Explicit (Y1) Tactic (Y2) Construct Communicatio n Mode Web site design Communicatio n Model Web site design Note:*means p<0.1,** means p<0.05,*** means p<0.01 Independent Variables Standardized Adj. Stand Error VIF D.W. Coefficients R 2 Teacher involvement (X1) Interaction between students (X2).463 *** Communication Frequency (X3).287 ** Dual Communication (X4) ** Website accessibility and usability (X5).161 * Curriculum professionalism (X6) Teacher Involvement (X1) Interaction between students (X2) *** Communication Frequency (X3).244 * Dual Communication (X4).230 * Website accessibility and usability (X5) Curriculum Professionalism (X6) ** Table 1 shows the research results of hypotheses H1 and H2. According to the explaining ability of this integrated model, the explaining ability of the six independent variables on explicit knowledge sharing (Adj. R2 =0.238) is greater than tactic knowledge sharing (Adj. R2 =0.159). On explaining ability of the independent variables, interaction between students and level of dual communication in communication mode have different impact directions for the willingness to share explicit and tactic knowledge which is different from originally expectation. High level of interaction between students will increase the willingness to share explicit knowledge but will decrease the willingness to share tactic knowledge. Since the level of interaction between students is aiming at measuring whether the students in the learning website can communication directly through and discussion area in the website, this kind of result could signal that the absorbing and understanding of tactic knowledge might not need the direct interaction between students. High level of interaction between students could lead the communication focus in explicit knowledge and in turn neglect sharing tactic knowledge which requires longer time to think and absorb. On the contrary, dual communication measures whether learners get enough feedback from web learning process. This variable has great positive influence to the willingness to share tactic knowledge. It means the dual communication will make learners more willing to share tactic knowledge but will also make learners less willing to share explicit knowledge. 160

6 Other independent variables impact effects on knowledge sharing more or less coincide with the original hypotheses. However, website accessibility and usability could only improve the willingness to share explicit knowledge and unable to increase learners willingness to share tactic knowledge. Curriculum professionalism will also reduce the willingness to share knowledge, but it only show significant influence in willingness of sharing tactic knowledge. The research target of this study is university and college students, their relationship with the teacher are not as close as before. Therefore, degree of teacher involvement has less impact on student participation which might explain why teacher involvement has no significant influence on the willingness to share both explicit and tactic knowledge. Regression model M3 M4 Table 2: Path Analysis Model (2) Test on knowledge creation and it s affecting factors Dependent Variable Explicit Creation (Y3) Tactic Creation (Y4) Construct Communication Model Website Design Communication Model Website Design Note:*means p<0.1,** means p<0.05,*** means p<0.01 Independent Variables Standardized Stand Coefficients Error VIF Teacher Involvement (X1).363 *** Interaction between students (X2) Communication Frequency (X3) Dual Communication (X4) Website accessibility and usability (X5) Curriculum Professionalism (X6) Explicit (Y1).156 ** Tactic (Y2).283 *** Teacher Involvement (X1).463 *** Interaction between students (X2).206 ** Communication Frequency (X3).228 ** Dual Communication (X4) Website Accessibility and usability (X5) ** Curriculum Professionalism (X6) Explicit sharing(y1) Tactic (Y2).236 *** Table 2 shows the research findings of hypothesesh3, H4 and H5. Before running model three and four regression analysis, this study performs a null model analysis first. Before considering the sharing of explicit and tactic knowledge, the six original independent variables has explaining ability of and to explicating and tactic knowledge sharing respectively. After adding the mediating variable of knowledge sharing, two models explaining ability has risen and respectively. This shows that knowledge sharing has significant mediating effect in this research model. This also proves that this study is correct in treating knowledge sharing as the mediating variable of knowledge creation. sharing has more significant mediating effect on the creation of explicit knowledge. Looking from the explaining ability of the whole model, this study has higher explaining ability to explicit knowledge creation than that of tactic knowledge. However, the explaining ability for both explicit and tactic knowledge is excellent. On the influence of individual variable, teacher involvement which has no significant influence to knowledge sharing in model 1 and model 2 has great positive significant influence on knowledge creation. It influences both tactic and explicit knowledge creation through direct effect. We can find from table 2 that teacher involvement, explicit and tactic knowledge sharing are the major direct affecting variables to explicit knowledge creation. But to tactic knowledge creation, the influence of explicit knowledge sharing is not significant. Interactions between students and communication frequency have positive direct effect to tactic knowledge creation. However, high degree of website accessibility and usability could have negative direct effect on tactic knowledge creation. The level of teacher involvement and tactic knowledge sharing are the most significant factors to tactic knowledge creation. Beside direct effect, the six independent variables of communication mode and website design could influence knowledge creation through explicit and tactic knowledge sharing. This is the medicating effect of the research model D.W. Adj. R

7 in this study. We have organized the direct and indirect effects of the possible influencing factors to explicit and tactic knowledge creation in table 3. The sum of direct and indirect effect is the total effect of the degree of influence of that particular variable to knowledge creation. Table 3: Path Analysis Model (3) Test on direct and indirect effect of factors affecting knowledge creation Dependent Construct Independent Explicit Creation Tactic Creation Communication Mode Website Design Communication Mode Website Design Source:Organized by this study Table 3 show that interaction between students, communication frequency, dual communication and website accessibility and usability have more significant indirect effect on explicit knowledge creation though explicit knowledge sharing. However, interactions between students and website accessibility and usability have significant indirect effect on explicit knowledge creation through tactic knowledge sharing. On the aspect of tactic knowledge creation, since explicit knowledge sharing has no significant influences on tactic knowledge creation, the independent variables also have no significant influences on tactic knowledge creation through explicit knowledge sharing. However, interaction between students and curriculum professionalism has negative indirect effect on tactic knowledge creation through tactic knowledge sharing. Communication frequency and dual communication on the contrary have positive indirect effects. Finally, on the total effect aspect, teacher involvement, level of interaction between students, communication frequency and tactic knowledge sharing are the four dominating factors to explicit knowledge creation. These four variables all have positive significant total effect on explicit knowledge creation. Degree of teacher involvement, communication frequency and tactic knowledge sharing also are the dominating factors to tactic knowledge creation. However, although degree of interaction between students has positive direct effect to tactic knowledge creation, it could reduce the willingness to share tactic knowledge. Hence, the total effect is not significant. Direct Effect Indirect Effect-- Explicit Indirect Effect-- -Tactic Total Effect Teacher Involvement (X1) Interaction between Students (X2) Communication Frequency (X3) Dual Communication (X4) Website accessibility and Usability (X5) Curriculum Professionalism (X6) Explicit (Y1) Tactic (Y2) Teacher Involvement (X1) Interaction between Students (X2) Communication Frequency (X3) Dual Communication (X4) Website accessibility and Usability (X5) Curriculum Professionalism (X6) Explicit (Y1) Tactic (Y2) CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS E-learning became the trend in view of the fact that computer technology and the rapidity of globalization had revolutionized the atmosphere of learning as well as education more than ever during the 21st century. This study by taking asynchronous web-base learning system as an example discusses the relationship of communication mode, e-learning websites design, and knowledge creation. In communication mode, we use Teacher Involvement, Interaction between students, communication frequency and Dual Communication to analyze this study. In terms of e-learning websites design, it is analyzed according to Website accessibility and usability and Curriculum Professionalism. In addition, the factor of knowledge creating is modified from knowledge conversion model (Nonaka, 1990). The research tried to test the effects of communication mode and e-learning websites design on knowledge creation. Considering the mediating effects of knowledge sharing, we found website accessibility and usability had significant 162

8 direct effect on tacit knowledge creation, and had indirect effects on both tacit and explicit knowledge creation through explicit knowledge sharing. However, Curriculum Professionalism was negative correlated with explicit knowledge sharing, and it only had indirect effects on knowledge creation. As for communication mode, the direct effects of Teacher Involvement, Interaction between students and frequency on tacit knowledge creation were significantly positive. In particularly, Interaction between students had relatively negative indirect effects through tacit knowledge sharing. We also found that higher communication frequency led to more knowledge sharing and knowledge creating, especially in tacit knowledge. In addition, Dual Communication had only indirect effects on knowledge creation. This study also shows that knowledge sharing has significant mediating effect in this research model. Compare with explicit knowledge sharing, tacit knowledge sharing had more significant mediating effects on knowledge creation. Most of the past studies think communication mode and website design are just like the hardware and software to web-based learning and they should have influences on asynchronous web-based learning. The result of this study has confirmed such opinion. However, after considering the characteristics of different type of knowledge and mediating effect on knowledge sharing, this study has more in depth understanding and discussion on the learning model of web-based learning. Applying in web-based learning, the research results of this study at least show the following practical meanings: 1. As the purposes of web-based learning differ, the teaching design should also differ. Beside from making the students learn and understand the teaching materials from the learning site, the learning site providers should at least encourage students to share their own learning experience and knowledge. Furthermore, if one wants to take a step further to foster new knowledge creation through interaction among the students, some performance evaluation indexes about know creation should be added. 2. After confirming the target of the web-based learning, identify whether the target is knowledge sharing orientation or knowledge creating orientation and then find the corresponding reference model of communication mode and web page design from the results of this study. Basically speaking, if increasing willingness to share knowledge is the target, then, interaction between students and communication frequency are the main affecting variables. If knowledge creation is the concern, the level of teacher involvement is the main factor. Furthermore, increase website accessibility and usability and reduce the degree of curriculum professionalism have positive effects to knowledge sharing. But, too brisk and informal website design might in some cases affect the outcome of knowledge creation. 3. Besides learning target, if the knowledge system is based on explicit knowledge, then increasing both explicit and tactic knowledge sharing are important. If it is based on tactic knowledge, on the contrary, the importance of using methods to increase learners willingness of explicit knowledge sharing has greatly reduced. Different independent variables have different direct and indirect effect the explicit and tactic knowledge creation, researchers can apply the result of this study to effectively design different communication method and website for different courses. REFERENCES Anderson, James C. (1987), An Approach for Confirmatory Measurement and Structural Equation Modeling of Organizational Properties, Management Science, 33(April), p.p Brown, James. (1981), Cross-Channel Comparison of Supplier-Retailer Relations, Journal of Retailing, Vol.57: Cao, RuMin (2001), A research into the development of asynchronous learning websites evaluation indexes, Master thesis of Graduate school of vocational education, National Taipei University of Technology Chen, JianHong (2001), The impace of communication mode and network communication tools to learning outcome, Master thesis of Graduate school of Information Management, Private Providence University Davenport, T.H. and Prusak L.(1999), Working : How Organizations Manage What They Know, Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Drucker, P.F.(1999), -worker productivity:the biggest challenge, California Management Review, Vol.41, No.2: Garvin, David A. (1993), Building a learning organization, Harvard Business Review, July-August 1993 pp Gilbert, Myrna, Cordey-Hayes, (1996), Understanding The Process of Transfer to Achieve Successful Technological Innovation, 163

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