9 Next steps
What is ecology and why is it important to our understanding of the world around us? This unit looks at how we can study ecosystems to explore the effect that humans are having on the environment.
8 Summary
What is ecology and why is it important to our understanding of the world around us? This unit looks at how we can study ecosystems to explore the effect that humans are having on the environment.
7 Ecological health
What is ecology and why is it important to our understanding of the world around us? This unit looks at how we can study ecosystems to explore the effect that humans are having on the environment.
6 Mapping interrelationships
What is ecology and why is it important to our understanding of the world around us? This unit looks at how we can study ecosystems to explore the effect that humans are having on the environment.
Glossary Click on the link below to open the unit glossary. Original Copyright © 2008 The Open University. Now made available within the Creative Commons framework under the CC Attribution – Non-commercial licence (see http://creativecommons.org/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/).
Introduction The aim of this unit is to answer five questions: Why is systems engineering important? What is modern engineering? What is systems? What is systems engineering? What approach to systems engineering does the course adopt? This unit is from our archive and is an adapted extract from Systems engineering (T837) which is no longer taught by The Open University. If you wan
References 4.3.2 Setting goals and objectives 2.3.4 The contract team 3.10 Systems techniques The two systems methodologies provide a framework for the application of problem solving, analysis and design techniques. These fall into three groups. Diagramming: ranging from single systems maps to complex flow charts. Diagrams of one sort or another provide a method of analysis, design and communication. Modelling: simulation is used extensively to analyse the dynamics of an existing system and to predict the behaviour of a propos Stage 7: Implement changes Finally, the agreed changes are implemented. Like the hard systems approach, soft systems methodology is not seen as a ‘one pass’ procedure, but as a learning process. Iteration is a feature of the methodology's application. Learning is achieved in both approaches by the use of models, although soft systems has subsequently been enhanced to include a specific analysis of the culture and politics of the problem situation, as shown in Author(s): Stage 3: Relevant systems and root definitions The issues and key tasks extracted from the rich picture become the basis for defining what are called the ‘relevant systems’. For example, suppose the problem situation is a deteriorating performance in a call centre. One of the issues might be the (high) turnover of call centre operators. This might lead (depending on the point of view taken) to an idea of the call centre as an ‘employment-providing system’ or an ‘entertainment system’. There is no reason to restr Learning outcomes By the end of this unit you should be able to: critically evaluate disasters and their causes, especially from mechanical or material failures; demonstrate the importance of systematic and rigorous analysis of disasters, so that future failures can be avoided or prevented. Original Copyright © 2006 The Open University. Now made available within the Creative Commons framework under the CC Attribution – N 4.13.1 Standards and classification ICTs depend on myriad standards in order to provide interconnectivity. If this was a computer science course, you would be learning about standard network protocols which enable computers to communicate with each other or with other devices, whether over the internet or from your computer to a network printer. Standards enable us to send email and browse websites without worrying about the underlying mechanisms (until they fail, forcing us to focus on the tool instead of our work). 4.13 Technologies and explicit knowledge Knowledge-based systems have the ability to analyse specific kinds of information in order to take action. Since we have earlier defined knowledge as arising out of the interpretation of information as mediated by representations, we can claim that in a limited sense such systems can ‘know’ things: they have a representation of part of the world, and they have some rules that allow them to analyse that representation, from which they can decide on a course of action. In that sense, t 4.1 Technologies and meta-knowledge Meta-knowledge is knowledge about knowledge; for example, ‘I know that I know my age’. Meta-knowledge is crucial for managing our own learning and knowledge. For instance, I need to be able to recognise that I am lacking information before I will go and seek it out. Not surprisingly, meta-knowledge is also crucial to organisational knowledge management. How can an organisation coordinate its activities or learn from the experiences of its members if it has no idea of wha 2.3 Codification and formalisation Much of the knowledge management literature argues the importance of making tacit knowledge explicit, and then codified. For instance, an explicit goal when auditing intellectual capital is to identify human capital as one of the key assets that give an organisation its true value. Some organisations are realising that a large quantity of their ‘assets’ leave the office for home each evening, perhaps never to return, and as a consequence want to capture these in a less vulnerable for 1.4 Aims The aims of this unit are: to develop an understanding of the relationships between information, interpretation, knowledge and computer-based representations to summarise the range of different technologies that are available and on the horizon, and how they relate to different kinds of knowledge processes to provide frameworks for thinking about technologies for managing knowledge, and for evaluating the claims made 1.3 Scope of this unit ICT technical developments are announced on almost a monthly basis, so this unit cannot provide an up-to-the-minute snapshot of knowledge management technologies. While we describe many examples of relevant technologies, it is important not to let these particular examples constrain how you think about the possibilities; they are simply examples of commercial products and point to emerging technologies in research laboratories. Our emphasis, therefore, is on providing conceptual framewo Learning outcomes After studying this unit you should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the following issues, explaining in your own words, with appropriate examples: the importance of representation, interpretation and formalisation in relation to ICT and managing knowledge; the concept of a ‘community of practice’ in relation to ICT; the main functions that ICT can play in helping to manage knowledge; the potential, an
Are you always the quiet one when it comes to group discussion? This unit will help you improve your working relationships with other people in groups of three or more. This unit also deals with project life cycles, project management and the role of the leader.
Are you always the quiet one when it comes to group discussion? This unit will help you improve your working relationships with other people in groups of three or more. This unit also deals with project life cycles, project management and the role of the leader.
