Managing knowledge to improve social care

This resource explores: •the diversity of external knowledge channels and sources and start identifying some that will be of practical value as you work •approaches to defining the knowledge you need to deal with specific situations and how to find it •listing useful sources that will help you when you need information and knowledge beyond your colleagues.

A short introduction to knowledge management (slide show).

This resource explores: •why sharing knowledge and experience makes the whole organisation more effective •recognising the risks organisations take if they ignore the need to share knowledge •identifying the conditions that enable sharing in organisations, especially culture •assessing your organisation and its culture from a knowledge sharing perspective •applying some practical techniques for sharing knowledge at work.

This resource explores: •day-to-day contexts in which you encounter a need to use various sources of knowledge •different sources and features of knowledge that contribute to professional practice •some of the constraints and uncertainties with regard to information and knowledge that you use on a daily basis •making an initial decision about how useful and how reliable different sources of knowledge are •recognising that the usefulness of sources is determined by the context in which you plan to use them.

This resource explores: •the different stages of the knowledge cycle •ways in which knowledge may be organised and accessed •the strengths and weaknesses of different ways in which you might classify and access knowledge •the practical consequences of poor organisation of knowledge •optimal methods for organising common resources used by yourself and your colleagues •the advantages and disadvantages of current approaches to knowledge organisation in your organisation

This resource explores: •the cycle that knowledge typically goes through •considering the factors that you need to bear in mind when considering what knowledge sources to use and when •using the SCIE Five types of knowledge framework in your work •making a meaningful link between different sources of knowledge and the types of knowledge that they contain •evaluating each of the types of knowledge for problems you are likely to face.

This resource explores: •the characteristics of effective teams and the risks faced by ineffective teams •the different knowledge, skills and experience within your team •common knowledge sharing processes in teams •strategies that may make team meetings more effective and maximise the transfer of knowledge, skills and experience across your team.

This resource explores: •a range of technologies that can support improved knowledge-sharing across your team •appropriate technology to support everyday tasks and activities •making the technology work for you and not the other way around

This resource explores: •the term web 2.0 and its associated technologies •the evidence that web 2.0 tools can support user centred care •how web 2.0 tools can be used to support your practice •how web 2.0 tools can be used to improve the health and experience of the care of people who use services.

This resource explores: •the impact of knowledge gaps in social care •how some of the more common gaps are caused by deficiencies in organising, managing and sharing knowledge •the value of the knowledge audit as a process for exploring team and organisation level knowledge needs, deficiencies and perceived knowledge challenges •simple strategies by which knowledge gaps might be addressed