Facilitating Collaborative Knowledge Management and Self-directed Learning in Higher Education with the Help of Social Software

The application of social software in higher education is often restricted to dedicated learning contexts, namely lectures or seminars. Thus their inherent potentials for fostering knowledge management and self-directed learning are usually chained to the narrow restrictions of Learning Management Systems based virtual classroom walls. This paper’s focus has a different perspective: The provision of social software as an information and communication infrastructure that goes beyond lectures and encompasses the whole institution and all members of the university, respectively. Thereby an online space is provided for self-expression, information access and knowledge exchange on manifold social levels. Following this prospect, the technical and organisational concept of CollabUni, a social information and communication infrastructure, is described. First results from the implementation of CollabUni that is currently underway, delivers a differentiated, overall encouraging picture. With respect to acceptance and use of this environment, the importance of an elaborate community building approach as well as the need for gaining information and communication literacy on part of the students are evident.