Taking steps towards the knowledge society : reflections on the process of knowledge development

This book examines ways in which professional and vocational education and training can contribute towards building the emerging 'knowledge society'. In particular, it explores ways in which education and training can support the generation of the 'action-oriented' and social knowledge that people require for living and working in today's world. A special focus of the book is on the distinctive role and contribution of the research and development community in taking proactive steps to shape the form of the knowledge society coming into being. The book contains a number of reflections and illustrations by those engaged in research and development work about the most appropriate knowledge development strategies to be employed in today's context. One of the key challenges highlighted by many of the authors in this volume is the need for researchers to adopt more 'action-oriented' approaches. This entails working closely with practitioners in 'collaborative learning networks' for the co-development of knowledge.