Knowledge is shareable like love

The evolution of language has laid the foundations to human understanding. Today the internet opens up almost unlimited possibilities of communication. Steve Wheeler, Associate Professor in Learning Technology at the University of Plymouth (UK), sees this as an advantage for humanity. “Making knowledge accessible in every possible way is the way forward”, says the advocate of Open Learning who will honour the conference Professional Learning Europe and the HRM Expo in Cologne on Thursday, 22th September.

“For me, knowledge is like love: You can give it away as much as you like but you still get to keep it”, says Wheeler, who has been involved in learning technology for 35 years. He regards social media as the most important development in recent years. Its emergence does not represent a revolution for Wheeler, but rather an evolution – another stepping stone in the history of communication. The scientist regards the evolution of language as the first achievement upon which everything else is based. Building on this, technical progress has constantly expanded the communication radius – from the telegraph to radio broadcasting and television to the present World Wide Web. “All of these are versions of language and ways of sharing our ideas with each other.”

Open Learning: Benefit for all involved
As an advocate of Open Learning, Steve Wheeler makes his knowledge and findings freely available on the internet. “All of my blog posts are free and so are my slides, pictures, photos and videos”, explains the Professor who has been rewarded with feedback from interested people from all over the world. “Open scholarship means that as an academic I allow myself to be open to constructive criticism. Other people can point out to me what I may have missed out on or what mistakes I may have made”, emphasises Wheeler who has gained benefits from giving and taking within his professional network.

Even companies benefit from information flow
It is not only scientists and teaching institutions who should open themselves up to these benefits, but also companies, says Wheeler. Apart for the need to protect certain important internal information which might otherwise leak out, everything else should be open for access through the new communication channels. Wheeler gives the following example: “Companies can use ways of marketing where messages become viral, enabling them to exploit the power and potential of social media, to sell their ideas to people.” The British professor also regards restricting employee use of social media as a mistake: “The ability to tap into a professional network is one of the most valuable things that any employee can have.” In order to increase their social significance and credibility, companies should not ban social media from the workplace, but rather ease accessibility to them.

Social Media requires new cultural skills
Successful use of the internet is not dependent upon demographics such as age, stresses Wheeler. “What matters is what uses you see for the technology, and then there is a willingness to learn to use it“, the scientist is convinced. Of course, social media require new decoding and cultural skills which Wheeler calls “literacies”. As an example he mentions “transliteracy”: the ability to present yourself and your ideas across multiple platforms and to switch very quickly between them without losing quality of content. This would include the ability to be wise to the fact that not all content on the internet is correct, accurate or up to date.

The British expert will present more detailed information on this topic on Thursday 22 September at the conference Professional Learning Europe and the HRM Expo in Cologne:

„Lifelong Learning in a Digital Age: A look into the future?"
Thursday 22 September 2011, 2 pm till 3 pm, Forum 1, hall 3.2, Koelnmesse, Cologne (there will be a public interview afterwards)
More information at www.hrm-expo.com

About Steve Wheeler
As Associate Professor in Learning Technology at the University of Plymouth (UK), Steve Wheeler convenes the University's e-learning research network and co-ordinates technology mediated learning for the Faculty of Education. He serves on the editorial boards of ten international journals, writes his own blog at http://steve-wheeler.blogspot.com and tweets regularly on Twitter under the name of @timbuckteeth.

About the Leonardo - Corporate European Learning Award
In order to make the European economy more efficient and responsible, an initiative group involved in the HRM Expo has established an award that distinguishes ideas that have a pan-European effect and provide new approaches to corporate learning. With the “Leonardo - Corporate European Learning Award”, people are honoured who have initiated and put into practice “beacon projects” for European education and have thus become benchmarks for other participants throughout Europe. The award winners receive their awards annually at the HRM Expo in autumn.
About the HRM Expo
The HRM Expo, Europe’s largest exhibition on all HR matters in companies, will take place for the 12th time from September 20th to 22nd, 2011. 11,837 HR managers from Germany and abroad informed themselves about strategies and solutions for HR management in Cologne in 2010. The exhibition is especially well known for its comprehensive programme of lectures on current trends. The spectrum of topics ranges from recruiting and retention to issues such as leadership, professional learning, employment law and software, as well as the general future of the working world.

About spring Messe Management GmbH & Co. KG
spring Messe Management is the organiser of trade fairs on the topics of personnel management, training, e-learning, work safety, public sector, IT & business management and online marketing in 9 European cities. Many years of experience in trade fairs, thematic expertise and sustained customer orientation have made the events by spring well-established industry platforms. spring trade fairs are a seismograph for new products, ideas and management developments. The company is represented in five countries: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary and Russia.