Between syntatic and semantic information

Ikujiro Nonaka in his book ‘Hitotsubashi on Knowledge Management’ describes that there are two types of information; syntactic and semantic. Syntatic information is measured by volume of information while semantic by the meaningful of information. The semantic information is the useful input for knowledge creation.

Now, let’s look into the approaches of lecturers in their classes. From my observation, most of lecturers use approaches base on their perceiveness on what learning activities are all about. A lecturer who perceives learning as a practical approach will conduct cheerful activities such as enjoyable outdoor programme or hands-on project. A lecturer who consider learning as reading and memorizing activity will give long hour lectures and abundant of assessment. A lecturer who considers that students have to know everything will force student to know as much as possible and will deliver as much as they can.

Me? I believe that students are not required to know everything. Several terms are important but some not, even for me. However, it is sad to say that most of colleges depend much on the western text book. Therefore, the content creation base on the local situation is required. From my point of view students must be able to imagine through the real case where subjected to their environment – not only on the western cases.

And as far I could remember there was a lecturer during my final year, who always gave examples base on the local project – the development of university system in Malaysian Public University. I determine to follow his step, gives examples as much as I could especially which relevant with students' context. More importantly, the points on the slides not should not become syntactic information to be memorized and externalized during the exam, but as semantic information to be understood and appreciated for their life long learning.