Harnessing Knowledge Management for Transformative Change in Education

This approach was highlighted during NASCEE’s webinar on March 12, titled Unlocking Value Using Knowledge Products in Practice. The event, attended by over 90 participants, marked the launch of BRIDGE’s legacy repository of knowledge products, now accessible on the NASCEE website here.

The webinar included a demonstration of the repository’s functionalities and practical use cases, followed by a panel and plenary discussion.

Four insights on knowledge management in education that emerged from the conversation were:

• Broaden the knowledge ecosystem
  Knowledge management in education extends beyond academic research. NGOs contribute invaluable lived experiences and practical insights that enrich educational research. Donor reports, evaluations, and case studies are vital sources of knowledge.

• Enhance organisational learning
  A robust knowledge management strategy cultivates an internal culture of learning. It supports staff development and aligns organisational efforts with strategic goals.

• Strengthen evidence for change
  Lessons learned provide a foundation for refining educational strategies. Governments, funders, and institutions rely on evidence-based approaches to adapt programmes effectively. Integrating monitoring and evaluation systems into knowledge management demonstrates the value of diverse methodologies.

• Encourage collaboration
  Sharing knowledge promotes collaboration across stakeholders in education, enabling partnerships that amplify reach and scale.

AI’s role in knowledge management includes the following useful practices:

• Share data effectively: AI can help NGOs streamline evidence collection to bolster government initiatives at various levels for systemic change.

• Reduce duplication: AI can detect similar or overlapping programmes by analysing reports and creating knowledge maps to encourage collaboration.

• Connect stakeholders: AI can match policymakers, academics, and implementers based on shared goals, location, and interests, fostering partnerships and reducing silos.

• Link knowledge seekers: AI can scan diverse reports and generate summaries to provide relevant insights to those seeking information, such as policymakers.

• Highlight local data : AI can prioritize local knowledge and data, ensuring meaningful connections and collaboration among stakeholders.

The following suggestions on using AI to grow the BRIDGE Repository were made:

• Create an AI-powered chatbot that offersreal-time responses to user queries.

• Use prompts to build on this base and encourage users to contribute to the repository by adding impact stories, tools, templates, and lessons learned.

• Track engagement by analysing repository usage to refine design and content focus.

Some cautionary notes for AI use included:

• Ethical use: Ensure AI-driven systems align with stakeholder principles and values.

• Bias awareness: Recognize biases in AI-generated outputs and human interpretation.

• Human agency: Maintain human oversight in decision-making processes.

The launch of BRIDGE’s repository represents a significant milestone in NASCEE’s commitment to advancing knowledge sharing within the education sector. By providing access to valuable tools, insights, and resources, NASCEE aims to foster collaboration among stakeholders for greater impact. This initiative underscores the transformative potential of effective knowledge management in driving meaningful change in education.

Thanks to Melissa King (NASCEE), Hassiena Marriott (Global Teachers Institute) and Busi Ndlovu (Ntataise) for use case inputs, and panellists Gail Campbell (Zenex Foundation), Zonke Ngidi (LEAP Institute), Barbara Dale-Jones (The Field Institute) and panel moderator Giles Gillett (NASCEE) for their insights.