Higher education institutions, as knowledge-intensive organizations, produce huge volumes of knowledge through direct teaching-learning experiences. However, considering that the application of knowledge management in the higher education teaching-learning process is a relatively new area for this context, much of the knowledge produced is lost when stakeholders decide to leave. In order to contribute to the effective management of knowledge in this particular area, this presentation presents a theoretical model of experiential knowledge creation processes in the higher education teaching-learning process. Building on the foundational works of Kolb, Nonaka, Wenger, Eraut and others, the model describes individual and group processes that underlie the creation of experiential knowledge through the transformation of teaching-learning objects of attention, as well as the enabling conditions that promote a more favorable climate for experiential knowledge creation in the HE teaching-learning process. In addition to this, we describe how the proposed theoretical model can serve as a useful framework for three main activities connected to innovation in higher education: (1) the design and implementation of teaching-learning approaches; (2) the development of information and communication technologies and; (3) the design and implementation of assessment measures and methods for academic programs.

1. Experiential Knowledge Creation
Processes in the Higher Education
Teaching-Learning process
Didiosky Benítez, MSc
Dalgys Pérez, PhD
Frederik Questier, PhD
Chang Zhu, PhD

2. Knowledge acquired through life experiences
is one of the most important sources for
innovation in organizations, including higher
education institutions

3. Research Questions
1. What processes underlie the creation of knowledge
derived from teaching and learning experiences in
the Higher Education teaching-learning process?
2. How they are connected to innovation in Higher
Education?

4. Summary
• Basic concepts on experiential knowledge
• Experiential knowledge creation processes
• Enabling conditions
• Principles to encourage innovation in Higher
Education teaching-learning processes

5. Experiential knowledge
Refers to things perceived from concrete experiences,
things tacitly (or implicitly) learned or acquired after a
period of reflection on experiences
(Eraut 1994; Storkerson 2009)

6. Experiential knowledge in the
educational context
Knowledge
of People
Control Situational
Knowledge Knowledge
Experiential
Knowledge
Conceptual Knowledge
Knowledge of Practice
Process of
Knowledge
(Eraut, 1994)

7. Experiential knowledge in the Higher
Education teaching-learning process
In Teaching In Learning
Experiential Knowledge

8. Experiential knowledge
creation processes
Knowledge Knowledge
Production Use
• Knowledge
Creation Processes
• Knowledge
Evaluation
Knowledge Knowledge
Use Integration
McElroys’ Knowledge Life Cycle

9. Experiential knowledge creation processes in
the Higher Education teaching-learning process
Organizational
perspective
Construction of
Socialization of Development of Active
teaching-learning
stories “theories” experimentation
objects of attention
Enlarging
Sharing tacit
individual Conceptualization Crystallization
knowledge
knowledge
attention & reflection storytelling dialogue experimentation
Concrete Reflective Abstract Active
Experience observation conceptualization experimentation
Individual
perspective
(Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995)
(Kolb, 1984)

10. Experiential knowledge creation processes in
the Higher Education teaching-learning process
Socialization of Socialization of
teaching-derived learning-derived
stories stories
Development of Construction of Development of
teaching-derived Teaching-Centered Teaching-Learning Learning-Centered learning-derived
theories Objects of Attention theories
Active Active
experimentation of experimentation of
teaching-derived learning-derived
theories theories

11. Enabling conditions
• Individual commitment
Participants • Adaptive competencies
• Institutionalization of reflection
• Redundancy
Environment •
•
Requisite variety
Support of communities
• Challenging goals

12. Experiential knowledge creation processes
can be used as a useful framework to
encourage innovation in the Higher Education
teaching-learning process

13. • Teaching-learning approaches should
develop learner’s adaptive
competencies and commitment
• Teaching-learning approaches should
plan reflection activities
• Teaching-learning approaches should
support the development of informal
communities

14. • Stories, theories and social networks (around
stories and theories) should be considered
foundational concepts for the development of ICT
that support teaching-learning approaches
looking for innovations

15. • Academic program assessments should consider
the use of measures and methods supported on
the social network analysis of stories and theories

16. Thank You!
didiosky@uclv.edu.cu
dalgys2@uclv.edu.cu
frederik.questier@vub.ac.be
chang.zhu@vub.ac.be