NSF Org:	DRL Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL)
Recipient:	VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE & STATE UNIVERSITY
Initial Amendment Date:	June 8, 2001
Latest Amendment Date:	May 8, 2003
Award Number:	0106552
Award Instrument:	Continuing Grant
Program Manager:	James S. Dietz DRL  Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) EDU  Directorate for STEM Education
Start Date:	December 1, 2001
End Date:	November 30, 2003 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$710,232.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$515,351.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2001 = $233,661.00 FY 2002 = $0.00 FY 2003 = $0.00
History of Investigator:	John Carroll (Principal Investigator) jcarroll@ist.psu.edu Mary Beth Rosson (Co-Principal Investigator) Daniel Dunlap (Co-Principal Investigator) Frederick Morton, IV (Co-Principal Investigator) Robert McCracken (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 300 TURNER ST NW BLACKSBURG VA  US  24060-3359 (540)231-5281
Sponsor Congressional District:	09
Primary Place of Performance:	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 300 TURNER ST NW BLACKSBURG VA  US  24060-3359
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	09
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	QDE5UHE5XD16
Parent UEI:	X6KEFGLHSJX7
NSF Program(s):	RESEARCH ON LEARNING & EDUCATI
Primary Program Source:	app-0401  04000203DB NSF Education & Human Resource app-0403
Program Reference Code(s):	9177, 9251, SMET
Program Element Code(s):	166600
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.076

ABSTRACT

Organizations have knowledge. The knowledge is typically dispersed
throughout the organization. Some of it is codified in documents and
policies, some is embodied in projects and strategies, and some is tacitly
held by individuals and small groups. The problem of knowledge management
is that an organization's knowledge is often locally produced, haphazardly
disseminated, and ineffectively indexed. It is inaccessible when and where
it is needed. Knowledge management techniques take a participatory approach
to identifying, codifying, and integrating knowledge resources throughout
the organization. Their objective is to help people make sense of their
organizations, to develop and maintain trust, to make commitments and take
responsibility, to more effectively challenge, negotiate, and learn, and
thereby to improve the quality of the contributions people make to their
organizations.

This project will adapt knowledge management concepts and techniques, and
the information technology they employ, to understand and enhance knowledge
management in school organizations. We will work with school
administrators, but chiefly with teachers. First, we will investigate and
characterize knowledge management practices as they exist today, and
identify needs and opportunities to improve knowledge management. We will
facilitate teacher-initiated development of organizational knowledge
resources, and identify, and accessibly codify the critical knowledge of
the school systems.

We will assess the impact of this intervention on teachers, on the school
system, and on the perception of the school by the community. We will
compare and contrast this analysis and intervention to knowledge management
interventions now becoming typical in business organizations.

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