Students as co-creators of the education process - assessment of the impact of selected factors on shaping the culture of knowledge sharing at universities

Abstract

The aim of the study is to analyze the relationship between 1) perceived organizational support from the university, and 2) student involvement in the study process described from the perspective of the concept of knowledge-sharing culture. In addition, we analyze the impact of these factors on the student's average grade obtained in the last academic year. The study presented here focuses on the interaction of the following factors: 1) perceived organizational support from the university, and 2) student involvement in the study process. The concept of the culture of knowledge-sharing is a theoretical basis for the analysis. As a result, the research explores the impact of the factors (1 and 2) mentioned above on the effectiveness of the student's academic development. Based on the literature review, it is being assumed that the culture of knowledge-sharing is built in a two-way process: on the one hand, the university is to support the students in their development, and on the other hand, students themselves are to show commitment to this process. However, the available literature does not clearly indicate the strength of the relationship or the directions of influence between the elements of the model. The study conducted to create this analysis consisted of two stages: the first was carried out in June 2019, the second in May 2020, after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This allowed for more complete conclusions regarding the interaction of factors responsible for building the academic culture of sharing knowledge. Regardless of whether students work in a classroom or in an e-classroom (remotely), the results show that the basis for their involvement is the support they perceive from universities, setting ambitious tasks for them, and accompanying them in overcoming emerging challenges. The factor modifying the relationship between university support and the effectiveness of academic development turned out to be the student's involvement in the study process.