Individual knowledge management with MailTack

Abstract

We present our EU-sponsored research in the domain of individual knowledge management and collaborative learning: the MailTack system. MailTack is a stand-alone software tool that we use to understand and support our behaviour in complex e-mail discussions with the aim of contributing to a systematic Individual Knowledge Management and Team Learning. Based on a constructivist understanding of knowing, we have developed MailTack as a tool for Persistent Business Discussions combined with an Individual Knowledge Assessment. By helping the involved individuals in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of their asynchronous conversations we think that MailTack could contribute to make collaborative learning and asynchronous interactions (for cooperating, coaching, tutoring, etc.) more successful and attractive thus facilitating the dynamics of Communities of Practice and more generally of learning communities.