Relevant issues on the management of learning environments

Organizational environments involve a complex of information flows that can be conducive through learning process with the objective of empowering individuals and communities by means of effective communication processes and/or registered contents in various sources of information. In the schema proposed by Nonaka and Takeuchi, the first type of flow carries information within tacit knowledge domain, whereas in the second type, there is an interaction of information between tacit and explicit expressions of knowledge. These interactions are supposed to continuously enhance knowledge - both in the mind of individuals and in sources of information. These information flows are continually generated, interchanged or retrieved by individuals from different sources that might be products, services, events and sources of information (or content). In order to strengthen the capability of sources to support and feed a continued learning process , they need to be enriched with interfaces to facilitate the flows to cover and reach the different learning strategies. Since 2001, the Direction of BIREME/PAHO/WHO is committed to developing a learning environment as part of the center daily operation. The aim is to increase its overall capacity and performance of its staff in the development of information products, services and training that are delivered and interchanged within the technical cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean health related institutions, in order to support decision-making processes with updated information and knowledge. This strategy is part of the establishing the VHL, Virtual Health Library as a space for interaction of information producers, intermediaries and users in the operation of a network of local-based information sources. In facing the development and management of a learning environment in the continuous operation of the VHL (the model of information and health scientific-technical knowledge management through w hich BIREME undertakes its mission), the authors identified the following issues as being the most relevant so far: A - Organization management should be based on knowledge and information sharing, on strengthening of the organization overall performance through its mission and how the organization accomplishes its mission which should be known by any staff; its priorities competences towards its mission and the work with multidisciplinary teams to run strategic and priority projects and activities;B - Sources of information should be readily available in order to enrich learning, to meet demands and to support decision-making processes of every staff member, as well as to share information and knowledge. In order to best drive the generation of and demand for explicit information, BIREME is mapping and socializing its workflow process;C - The communication approach is also relevant in the process of sharing information and knowledge throughout the organization. The results of efficient communication do impac t on the decision-making process and increase the social and intellectual capitals of the organization.BIREME is establishing its Learning Environment Methodology, it includes the following sources of information: the history mural (which shows its legacy since 1967); the plasma monitor that runs short news about what occurs with the staff and their activities on technical cooperation in Brazil and other countries; the online internal bulletin (PSI is the acronym for “For your information”); the Virtual Communities; presence and remote learning events; the online agenda for all and the establishing of social and informal meetings. These sources of information are being experimented in other organizations so that they can be mastered to be portable and therefore to integrate the VHL model for learning environment management.