Customizable Knowledge Portals for Teaching

Abstract

The paper describes knowledge portals as providing services that can be customized to a variety of learning environments. It defines portals to be made up of three main components, a community of practice, a body of knowledge, and services to maintain the body of knowledge. The body of knowledge is organized around a knowledge map, which can be accessed through a number of services. The services support a general learning process, which is defined using knowledge sharing as grounded theory. The communities can be organized for different environment. The paper describes the services needed to support a general learning process including collaboration, knowledge evolution and illustrates them with an example in a learning environment.