Abstract:

In many educational contexts, including university studies, the independent and self-responsible organization of knowledge is crucial. Students often face the challenge of organizing and managing knowledge acquired over multiple semesters in various courses. In subjects such as philosophy, the understanding of connections between different content areas develops progressively throughout the duration of the study. Therefore, students need to organize their knowledge in a way that allows them to access it later, ideally with these connections already visible. Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) is thus an integral part of the student experience.

While many students organize their notes digitally or on paper in different systems, there are also digital tools specifically designed to systematically organize such notes. These programs are known as Knowledge Management Systems (KMS). KMS can thus help optimize PKM.

A feature of some KMS, like 'Obsidian', is the ability to connect different files. Unlike conventional methods, where files exist independently, KMS use hyperlinks to enable interconnected access between files. By interlinking files through hyperlinks, KMS enable the creation of a personal wiki. The ability to link files also means that these links can be graphically represented, illustrating connections between files and making further connections across multiple notes visible. KMS can thus provide a solution to the initial challenge of organizing knowledge and establishing links between notes.

This text aims to explain KMS and their features, with a focus on their potential for higher education, using the example of 'Obsidian'. Additionally, it will demonstrate, through a specific philosophical problem, how Obsidian can be used for PKM by organizing philosophical knowledge and illustrating relationships between files.

Keywords:

Personal Knowledge Management, Knowledge Management Systems, Higher Education.