Tsang-Hsiung Lee

Enhancing Skills of Application Software via Web-Enabled Problem-Based Learning and Self-Regulated Learning: An Exploratory Study

The computer software education in vocational schools in Taiwan can hardly be deemed as effective. To increase students’ learning motivation and develop practical skills, innovative learning designs such as problem-based learning(PBL) and self-regulated learning (SRL) are on trial in this specific context. We conducted a series of quasi-experiments to examine effects of these designs mediated by a web-based learning environment. Two classes of 106 freshmen in a semester course at Institute of Technology in Taiwan were chosen for this empirical study. Result sreveal that effects of web-enabled PBL, web-enabled SRL, and their combinations, on students’ skills of application software have significant differences. The implications of this study are also discussed.

Developing Long-Term Computing Skills among Low-Achieving Students via Web-Enabled Problem-Based Learning and Self-Regulated Learning.

Many private vocational schools in Taiwan have taken to enrolling students with lower levels of academic achievement. The authors re-designed a course and conducted a series of quasi-experiments to develop students’ long-term computing skills, and examined the longitudinal effects of web-enabled, problem-based learning (PBL) and self-regulated learning (SRL) on vocational students’ computing skills. Two classes of 76 students in a one-semester course were chosen for this empirical study. These low-achieving students were re-examined for their long-term computing skills 36 months after the course started. The results indicate that students who received web-enabled PBL and SRL had significantly better computing skills in the 36th month than those who received traditional didactic lectures. The authors discuss the implications for schools, and for scholars and teachers engaged in e-learning.

The Implementation of Knowledge Management in Service Businesses

Knowledge management is increasingly being mentioned in practice and research as a mechanism for gaining competitive advantage. Not only the high-tech industry needs to put knowledge management to use, but also the service industry. This article presents a conceptual framework to provide insights for managers to implement knowledge management in service businesses. Especially, we provide a four-stage approach in this study that was adopted from the processes of knowledge management proposed by Alavi and Leidner (2001) and we suggest two to four strategies for each process.

Enabling Organizational Learning to Contribute toward a Learning Organization: An Exploratory Case Study of Knowledge Management Practices in Taiwan’s Electronics Industry

How can practices of knowledge management (KM) enable organizational learning to occur and then lead toward a learning organization? We seek the answer to this question by exploring three cases, Winbond, Worldpeace, and TSMC, chosen respectively from upstream, midstream, and downstream firms in the IC industry in Taiwan. We studied KM practices focusing on aspects of knowledge creation, storage/retrieval, transfer and application. Results showed that KM may play different enabling roles among IC designer, distributor and manufacturer. In this study it was found that IC designers may focus more on knowledge storage, while IC distributors pay more attention to knowledge application, and IC manufacturers emphasize knowledge creation.

The Different Key Processes in the Implementation of Knowledge Management among IC Designers, Distributors and Manufacturers

This study is an exploratory investigation of the enabling roles of knowledge management for integrated circuit (IC) Designers, Distributors, and Manufacturers. This study explores the different enabling roles in terms of knowledge creation, storage/retrieval, transfer and application when businesses implement knowledge management in upstream, midstream, and downstream firms in the IC industry. Three cases, Winbond, Worldpeace, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) were studied and analyzed systemically to illustrate the findings and insights in this study. The findings in this study point out that IC designers may focus more on knowledge storage, while IC distributors pay more attention to knowledge application and IC Manufacturers emphasize knowledge creation. The necessity to implement knowledge management in the distribution industry is also emphasized in this study. Moreover, the reasons for the different enabling roles are presented in the ‘Insights from Case Studies’ section of the paper.