Building a knowledge network

I plan on restarting my PhD, and am currently exploring tools to smooth the process. Open to any hacks I can find, recently I saw a video by Morgan Eua (2022), a Canadian PhD scholar who is using two key pieces of kit for her study: a system of notation called Zettelkasten; and a tool to trap the information called Obsidian.

The system: Zettelkasten

Zettelkasten is a note taking system or process. A knowledge management web, perhaps. It was designed by sociologist and professor Niklas Luhmann somewhere in the 1950s, enabling him to publish over 550 pieces of academic work during his lifetime. Having died in 1993, Professor Luhmann's papers apparently contain a hundred or more semi-complete papers which are still being worked through and are being published thirty years posthumously (Schmidt, 2016).

This prolific output is attributed to the card index system that Professor Luhmann developed to codify his ideas, the connection between ideas, and bridging theory. On some 67,000 A6 index cards, he collected bibliographic information, small excerpts from readings, and page numbers detailing the academic reading. Each card contains one idea from a reading, which he later connected to other cards via his filing method. The filing method used a numbering system similar to a Word document outline: setting master chapters (e.g. 3), then each sub-heading (3.1), and sub-sub-heading (3.1.1) slipped underneath where there was connection (Schmidt, 2016). Thus ideas were cross-tabbed as they were consumed and processed.

Professor Luhmann effectively created a far more detailed Dewey decimal system to reorganise his notes into concept clusters, as each was filed (Schmidt, 2016). Each idea had a separate note, and bibliographic links/ideas would be filed in multiple places, wherever the source linked to any other idea in his taxonomy. This enabled him to more easily write: he effectively had a non-computerised database.

For the more practical applications of Zettelkasten, also read Ahrens (2017), and Fast (2020).

The tool: Obsidian

Luckily, we can use Professor Lehmann's system using a computer instead of index cards. Obsidian allows us to trap the same ideas using a live link label feature. Even better, we only need trap each idea once to allow multiple notes/links/nodes to form, building a nodular cloud (Eua, 2022, 15:03). While there are a number of tutorials for how to do this, I was very taken with Morgan Eua's video (2022), which laid out her thought process with a quick tutorial clearly showing the benefits of where the two systems connect.

We can create labels for the bibliographic entry, insert quotes, page numbers, write the item in our own words for what each idea actually means to us, and link to multiple other notes. One entry on its own has no value. 100 entries from a single piece of work has a small amount of meaning. But 100 entries from 100 pieces of academic writing starts to map a PhD (Eua, 2022), and helps us to see connections which we may not have seen without a lot more time to think.

The best thing is that Obsidian is downloadable as freeware if you are a single user (2022). See the link below.

Morgan recommended a list of sources, which I relist below, along with Morgan's video, which is well worth a watch (Eua, 2022).

Good luck!

Sam

References:

Ahrens, S. (2017). How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking – for Students, Academics and Nonfiction Book Writers. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Eua, M. (28 January 2022). The FUN and EFFICIENT note-taking system I use in my PhD [video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/L9SLlxaEEXY

Fast, S. (27 October 2020). Introduction to the Zettelkasten Method. https://zettelkasten.de/introduction/

Obsidian. (2022). Pricing [and download link]. https://obsidian.md/pricing

Schmidt, J. F. K. (2016). Chapter 12: Niklas Luhmann’s Card Index: Thinking Tool, Communication Partner, Publication Machine. In A. Cevolini (Ed.) Forgetting Machines: Knowledge Management Evolution in Early Modern Europe (pp. 287-311). Brill Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004325258_014

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The History of the World

Ah: I am coming late to this party, but - just in case you haven't heard of this resource - Columbia University has a series of lectures freely available here on the history of the world. Dating from 2010, this series of 46 lectures is in two parts: the History of the World to 1500 CE; then History of the World Since 1500 CE. These are loaded onto YouTube as a lecture course (Columbia University, 2010).

Once you get past the American-centric views and internal education politics, the lectures are slow, but very interesting. The lecturer, Richard Bulliet talks us through (2010). He all too obviously knows his stuff in his unaccompanied talks. Having a copy of his co-authored book for the the History of the World to 1500 CE series will help to anchor us: create an Internet Archive account and borrow an old version from here; rent the 5th edition for USD$10 here (or rent a 7th edition for USD$35 here).

These lectures are supported by other materials, images, and books which we can find at the Open Culture here (2013).

And, speaking of open culture, have a look down the right-hand sidebar on the Open Culture page. You will see a staggering amount of famous people's lectures. A good place to browse for your next watch :-)


Sam

References:

• Columbia University (12 Sep 2010). Richard Bulliet - History of the World to 1500 CE (Session 1) - Introduction to World History.https://www.youtube.com/course?list=EC49C7AA14331CFEF3
• Columbia University (1 June 2014). Richard Bulliet - History of the World Since 1500 CE. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzBOVNyXEoHJxBA0NqewmSg-0b60ij9zO
  
• Open Culture (1 April 2013). The History of the World in 46 Lectures From Columbia University. http://www.openculture.com/2013/04/the_history_of_the_world_in_46_lectures.html#:~:text=Today%2C%20we're%20featuring%20two,the%20cusp%20of%20early%20modernity

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Creating your own learning site

One of the fabulous things about teaching in an institution is access to the systems to set up online learning, such as Moodle.

In my teaching, I use Moodle all the time as an information bank. I create and use glossaries to store participant questions, and to provide a searchable way for learners to find answers to their burning questions. I can write an introduction so that learners know what each element is for, then link to different websites, pdfs, files, or videos which will increase their understanding, or smooth their path to mastery.

However, what I wasn't aware of is that, as a private individual, I can create my own Moodle site, using MoodleCloud (here). I had thought that - while Moodle is open source software - that you had to be running your own server in order to have a Moodle site. Instead, MoodleCloud acts as the cloud server for your site, meaning that any of us with the patience to learn the software can set up our own courses.

Whether that is showing people how to navigate a new HR system, or setting up a bug reporting service, or creating our own courses, MoodleCloud can help us get it done.

I am currently setting up one of the free MoodleCloud sites to share resources with my post-graduate supervisees, supported by a glossary to answer many of their common questions. In taking this approach, I am showing a philosophical difference to some of my fellow supervisors, who don't think we need to provide such resources to assist Master's students. However, I feel that, as I have many of the resources already developed from my undergraduate teaching, there is no harm in making them available to help post-graduate learners plug knowledge gaps.

By creating my own MoodleCloud site, my supervisees can access all of the material I have developed, in an environment they are familiar with, while my resources remain separate from the "official" Moodle site.

The development will take some time, and, as there is an overall size limit of 200 MB on the free sites, I have to get quite clever about linking my materials in from off-site. I am considering setting up a separate Google drive to host these additional resources, but I haven't quite decided yet. I will need to do some more research. Additionally, the sites don't look that flash. It seems likely that there are an underwhelming number of plug-ins activated, probably to keep the platform more stable, but it does make the site very plain.

I am looking forward to exploring the site's potential.

I will keep you posted on progress :-)


Sam

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Knowledge versus Information

I read a great quote the other day, from Canadian novelist, Louise Penny.

In one of her Inspector Gamache novels, "Bury Your Dead" one of her support characters, Inspector Langlois thinks that a particular library

"smelled of the past, of a time before computers, before information was 'Googled' and 'blogged.' Before laptops and BlackBerries and all the other tools that mistook information for knowledge" (2010, p. 58).

I thought that this phrase was quite telling. Why? Because I think we regularly mistake information for knowledge.

Often.

Knowledge is defined as the "facts, information, and skills acquired through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding" (Google, 2017b). It implies mastery of something.

Information is, as we can see by the definition above, a subset of knowledge. Information are the "facts provided or learned about something or someone" ((Google, 2017a).

A deep and abiding knowledge of something can be fudged for a short time by using superficial information. However, when we need to tackle something that is not in the ordinary run of things, we need knowledge. We need knowledge in the sense of understanding, command, or mastery.

We can give students lots of information via MOOCs, but until they apply the learning, trial it, fail at it a few times and finally master it, it remains information and does not become knowledge.

Nothing beats careful, complete and diligent scaffolded learning.

And that is probably why MOOCs on their own will not replace degree programmes in the near future.


Sam

References:

• Google (2017a). Definition of Information. Retrieved 2 May 2017 from https://tinyurl.com/kormqsc
• Google (2017b). Definition of Knowledge. Retrieved 2 May 2017 from https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=Definition+of+knowledge&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b&gfe_rd=cr&ei=ZLEHWfW5Gsnr8AfAtrBo
• Penny, L. (2010). Bury Your Dead. USA: Three Pines Creations.

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