Melbourne Students & Learning - Research Publications
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ItemEstablishing and fostering communities of practice( 2012)This paper reviews the foundation literature on communities of practice. It describes two communities of practice established at the University of Melbourne Library and the lessons learned in the development of these communities. It outlines plans for the future and strategies being used to make communities of practice self-supporting.
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ItemContext entity analysis: using public domain knowledge to build information infrastructure( 2012)The purpose of this paper is to surface in an explicit way the challenges of corporate self-knowledge. The emphasis is on how corporations, and the individuals that comprise them, provide public access to authoritative records and information that adequately explains who they are, what they do, how they function, and the ways important organisational narratives evolve through time. The paper reports on a case study completed by the University of Melbourne’s eScholarship Research Centre in December 2011, for a Division of a Victorian Government agency, Australia, the Department of Primary Industries (DPI). The study utilised a research and analytical methodology called Context Entity Analysis (CEA). CEA provides a means through which knowledge resources generated using narrative techniques, such as reports, journal articles, books, or websites can be utilised to create open complex networks of entities that more closely mirror the multiplicity of what actually happens, both within corporations and at the intersection between corporations and the citizenry.
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ItemLinking agricultural extension, decision support systems and context: implications for knowledge management practice( 2012)There exists a substantial knowledge management challenge for organisations with responsibilities to mediate public interests. This challenge relates to the means by which knowledge assets are managed to integrate a hierarchy of knowledge in a continuum from the micro-level (individual), group (institutional / organisational), formal (peer-authorised) to the macro-level of focus (societal norms). The purpose of this paper is to present an analysis of a specific program – FarmPlan 21. FarmPlan21 was introduced within the Australian state of Victoria to promote the uptake of whole-farm planning practices. Through this initiative an objective has been to mediate private and public interests related to the integration of commercial and sustainable land management practices. The analysis of FarmPlan21 is presented through the lens of two different knowledge hierarchies – one for a farmer and one for an agricultural extension officer engaged within the Victorian Department of Primary Industries.
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ItemA tale of two libraries: the Melbourne/Griffith exchange program( 2011)This paper describes an exchange program between the libraries of The University of Melbourne and Griffith University. The paper covers the reasons behind the decision to arrange an exchange, the preparations, the actual exchange experience and the follow up. The advantages for professional and personal development and the value of bringing staff from two university libraries together in a co-operative program are also explained. The initial exchange involved a team of Senior Library Service Officers from The University of Melbourne, who participated in a five-day visit to Griffith University. Two team members were based at the Griffith University Gold Coast campus and the other member was at the South Bank (Brisbane) campus. This took place in August and September 2010 and was followed by a reciprocal visit to The University of Melbourne by a team from Griffith University. The main aims were for the team members to observe the functioning of another academic library, and to facilitate discussion and the interchange of ideas. Although Griffith University Library has a similar academic role to the author's home library, it was found that a number of influences helped to create distinctive characteristics at the two libraries. Influences include the location of the Griffith Gold Coast campus within a tourism region and The University of Melbourne Campus in an inner-city area. Climate also plays a part, as does the age of the two universities. Melbourne's traditional heritage and the more recently established Griffith campuses have contributed to the contrast in their layout and physical environment. A further distinction was Melbourne's research-based collection and Griffith's subject-based collection, which appear to be products of each university’s individual philosophy. This exchange program with Griffith University was an excellent opportunity for both professional and personal development. The skills and knowledge gained enabled the author to expand her vision for the future of the academic library and provided a variety of aspects that could be discussed with colleagues at her home library. To be able to speak face-to-face with the staff at Griffith and to observe the way in which another library functions were invaluable. It is an experience that can only be given the highest recommendation and it is suggested that further exchange programs between university libraries would be a worthwhile professional and personal development exercise.