Engaging knowledge management learners through web-based ICT: An empirical study

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how to successfully blend an e-learning module into a knowledge management (KM) course aimed at getting KM students interested in the respective subject matter (= KM) in a web-based learning environment. Design/methodology/approach: Based on data obtained from 138 undergraduate business management students at a university in Singapore, practical aspects of effectively implementing an e-learning system with a focus on KM are analyzed and the importance determined of three conceptual variables in the context of successful blended learning approaches: online faculty to student interaction, social presence and personal e-learning experiences. Findings: The study shows some positive correlations between online faculty to student interaction, the degree of presence in a web-based learning environment, as well as personal e-learning experiences as potential drivers of students' desire to learn more about the subject matter KM. Research limitations/implications: There has been reliance on self-reported data in both the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats study and the student survey. The causal effects of students' perceptions on actual learning need to be explored in a future study with a larger sample size. Practical implications: To increase students' acceptance of a web-based KM course, instructors must ensure quality interaction between them and their students, strong social presence via intrinsically rewarding group interactions and enriching, personal e-learning experiences on the basis of real-life KM problems. Games, systematic performance monitoring and graded knowledge tests are critical, too. Originality/value: This study highlights several good design features of an effective student interface vis-à-vis the development of an effective online learning environment from the perspective of KM student learners. Implications for e-learning designers and instructors, as well as issues for further research, are outlined. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.