Knowledge Acquisition

Nowadays the main usage of the word "heuristic" is mostly the adjective in the sense of "guiding discovery" or "improving problem solving." The greek mathematicians  used two ways to find a solution: They began by assuming the problem solved and worked from there or they started from the admitted body of mathematical knowledge and worked towards the desired result (analysis or synthesis).

There is also a shorter literature extract of this paper in academia.edu.

... a vice-president of O'Reilly Media Inc during a team discussion on a potential future conference about ... Web 2.0 emphasizes on micro-content, re-mixture ability and transformation of content. ... With blogs, wikis, podcasting, users can do the same thing at the same time through ...

Lack of knowledge and skills among small business managers has been well recognised, but how to effectively support small business managers in their knowledge acquisition and decision making with emerging information and communication technologies is still a challenge. This paper describes an application attempt to develop an intelligent web-based training system for SMEs to aid their learning and decision-making regarding the use of the Internet as a new marketing medium. Based on the training needs analysis carried out by a EU-funded research project TRIMAR, a case-based reasoning (CBR) approach is adopted as an effective tool to help small business managers to learn and to make better decisions. Over seventy small business Internet marketing cases were collected and processed. They form a case base for CBR in the system. The initial feedback from users proves using case base reasoning approach is effective, but the quality and the comprehensiveness of case base are key factors fo...

In this paper, we present the step by step knowledge acquisition process by choosing a structured method through using a questionnaire as a knowledge acquisition tool. Here we want to depict the problem domain as, how to evaluate teachers performance in higher education through the use of expert system technology. The problem is how to acquire the specific knowledge for a selected problem efficiently and effectively from human experts and encode it in the suitable computer format. Acquiring knowledge from human experts in the process of expert systems development is one of the most common problems cited till yet. This questionnaire was sent to 87 domain experts within all public and private universities in Pakistani. Among them 25 domain experts sent their valuable opinions. Most of the domain experts were highly qualified, well experienced and highly responsible persons. The whole questionnaire was divided into 15 main groups of factors, which were further divided into 99 individual questions. These facts were analyzed further to give a final shape to the questionnaire. This knowledge acquisition technique may be used as a learning tool for further research work.

To support the sharing and reuse of formally represented knowledge among AI systems, it is useful to define the common vocabulary in which shared knowledge is represented. A specification of a representational vocabulary for a shared domain of discourse—definitions of classes, relations, functions, and other objects—is called an ontology. This paper describes a mechanism for defining ontologies that are portable over representation systems. Definitions written in a standard format for predicate calculus are translated by a system called Ontolingua into specialized representations, including frame-based systems as well as relational languages. This allows researchers to share and reuse ontologies, while retaining the computational benefits of specialized implementations.We discuss how the translation approach to portability addresses several technical problems. One problem is how to accommodate the stylistic and organizational differences among representations while preserving declarative content. Another is how to translate from a very expressive language into restricted languages, remaining system-independent while preserving the computational efficiency of implemented systems. We describe how these problems are addressed by basing Ontolingua itself on an ontology of domain-independent, representational idioms.

The long-term objective of our project is to develop a knowledge-based tool for Search and Rescue (SAR) operations to support a Canadian search mission coordinator in determining the likely location of a missing aircraft overland. In order to attain this objective, we used a knowledge engineering approach to acquire, structure and model SAR experts’ knowledge. This knowledge was modeled and implemented in a knowledge-based system prototype. The input to the interactive prototype consists of the known information regarding a given SAR case. Its main output is a set of scenarios describing the various hypotheses on what might have happened to the missing aircraft, why and where, the plausible routes followed, as well as the possibility area, defined as the region most likely to contain the missing aircraft. In this paper, we introduce the knowledge model, present an application example and briefly describe the prototype.

The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) revolution has not only opened up new opportunities for economic growth and social development but has also posed problems and challenges. It can shape and enhance a wide range of developmental applications in agriculture, industry and social sectors and is influencing all sections of the society. ICT provides unique opportunities for human development. At the same time, ICT has been widening the gaps between and within countries, regions, gender while increasing disparities divide between the rural-urban, rich-poor, elite neglected and also within the different categories of women in various spheres of activity. It is necessary to build up women capacities to involve them in productive activities, institutional building, family and social transformation, decision-making process, political representation, trade and commerce, entrepreneurial development and social leadership. There is a need to enhance opportunities to women to enable them to own, manage and control industries and service enterprises including IT-based units. There is also need to provide more opportunities in e-related sectors to them in higher managerial, technical positions in government and non-government agencies, research, educational institutions in private and public sectors, without confining their role to only call centres, telecentres, data-entry level and lower levels in the organizations. ICT has to address all these problems of women as a whole and has to be used to facilitate to build women empowered society.

... 3. HOMER: the case-based CAD/CAM help-desk support system at DaimlerChrysler. 3.1. Characteristics of case-based help-desk support systems. ... 5. Processes during case-based help-desk system development and utilization. 5.1. Process types. ...

Data Mining has become a buzzword in industry in recent years. It is something that everyone is talking about but few seem to understand. There are two reasons for this lack of understanding: First is the fact that Data Mining researchers have very diverse backgrounds such as machine learning, psychology and statistics. This means that the research is often based on different methodologies and communication links e.g. notation is often unique to a particular research area which hampers the exchange of ideas and the dissemination to the wider public. The second reason for the lack of understanding is that the main ideas behind Data Mining are often completely opposite to mainstream statistics and as many companies interested in Data Mining already employ statisticians, such a change of view can create opposition.

The purpose of this study is twofold. First, we examine the effects of using database technology in the classroom on students' acquisition of database knowledge and performance on relation normalization tasks. Second, we solicit sstudnets' views on this methodology to determine their satisfaction. Our results suggest that designing an active learning exercise tha allows students to interact with a database management system during class improves knowledge acquisition, the ability to apply knowledge, and satisfaction with the course and the instructor.

E-Assessment which is also known as technology-enhanced assessment or online assessment is the continuous electronic assessment process where information and communication technology is used for the presentation of assessment activity, and the recording of responses. E-Assessment offers both teachers and students new possibilities for interacting in an immersive and responsive educational environment, moving beyond the static environment of the traditional pen and paper approach. E-Assessment is an emerging concept and it has become increasingly attractive in Higher Education. This paper presents a literature review of the e-assessment along the dimensions of its key elements, systems, tools, and approaches, with special emphasis on the assessment of both skills and knowledge. These dimensions can provide theory and technology which are useful for designing and developing an e-assessment system for skill and knowledge acquisition in an online course.

The aim of this study is to analyse the knowledge acquisition and transfer system in rural Poland, in comparison with nonrural areas. In addition, to determine the importance of market qualifications and the effects that the Integrated Qualification System can have in the rural areas. This study shows that life in the countryside is becoming more diverse and agriculture is no longer the main source of income because the share of income from non-agricultural activities is increasing. This is linked to the fact that rural areas have become more attractive for the development of non-agricultural jobs, which in turn is associated with the need not only to raise, but also to confirm qualifications acquired in everyday activities. The conducted analysis shows that acquisition and transfer of knowledge can come from two different platforms, individual and supralocal. These platforms work in two totally different ways. Our analysis also shows a gap between formal and non-formal or informal ...

The purposes of the present study were two-fold: first, to evaluate whether reflection journal writing was effective in promoting self-reflection and learning, and whether students become better at self-reflection if they engage continuously in reflection journal writing. To that end, the reflection journals of 690 first-year applied science students at a local polytechnic were studied by means of an automated coding procedures using software. Data was collected twice, once at the beginning and again towards the end of an academic year. Outcomes of the textual content analyses revealed that students reflected on both the process and contents of their learning: critical review of past learning experiences, learning strategies and summaries of what was learned. Correlational analyses showed weak to moderate inter-relationships between the textual categories and their classroom and knowledge acquisition test grades. Taken together, the findings suggest that self-reflection on both how and what students have learned does lead to improvements in academic performance, although to a limited extent.

This paper presents a technology-enhanced assessment system that can be used for both skill and knowledge
learning. For this purpose, a general technology-enhanced assessment system is designed and developed for
an online logic course at a fully online university, taking into account e-learning standards and
specifications, which can be easily adapted to any institute and subject requiring a high level of skill
learning. Through this system, both learning and formative assessment facilities are provided to students. To
evaluate its effects on student learning process, the system is applied in a real logic course at the Universitat
Oberta de Catalunya (UOC). Based on the evaluation, it shows that students’ are more engaged with the
system and, as a result, their performance in the subject had improved. Also, based on the feedback obtained
through the evaluation, it shows that students are satisfied with the facilities and assessments provided by
the system. Overall, the introduction of the technology-enhanced assessment system for skill and knowledge
learning has yielded some interesting results.

This study addressed two questions:(a) Do different forms of campus racial diversity contribute uniquely to students' learning and educational experiences when they are simultaneously tested utilizing multilevel modeling?(b) Does a campus where students take greater advantage of those diversity opportunities have independent positive effects on students' learning? Consideration of racial diversity extended beyond student composition and included social and curricular engagement. Results suggest that benefits associated ...

Objective: To compare the effects of active and didactic teaching strategies on learning- and process-oriented outcomes. Design: Controlled trial. Setting: After-hours residents' teaching session. Participants: Family and Community Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Pediatrics residents at two academic medical institutions. Interventions: We randomly assigned residents to two groups. One group received a didactic lecture on effective use of diagnostic tests; during this session, the teacher spent a full hour delivering content. The other group received the same content in a session structured to foster resident-to-resident interactions. In the latter session, the teacher spent only 30 minutes directly delivering content to residents. Measures and Main Results: We measured residents' knowledge about and attitudes toward the session content before, immediately after, and one month after each session. We measured residents' perceptions of engagement and session value immediately after each session. We employed blinded observers who used a structured instrument to observe residents' activities during each session. Both teaching methods led to improvements in residents' scores on both knowledge and attitude assessments. The amount of improvement was not statistically different between groups. Residents in the active learning session perceived themselves, and were observed to be, more engaged with the session content and each other than residents in the didactic session. Residents in the didactic session perceived greater educational value from the session compared to residents in the active session. Conclusions: We reduced the amount of time spent in teacher-driven content delivery by 50 percent and covered the same amount of content with no detrimental effects on knowledge acquisition or attitude enhancement. Teaching strategies that foster learner-to-learner interactions will lead to more active engagement among learners, however, these learners may value the session less. Further research is needed to explore learner perceptions of the teaching process and other outcomes of active learning in medical education.

Purpose-The current study probes the multi-dimensional link between total quality management (TQM) and knowledge management (KM) and investigates how different TQM's dimensions impacts KM processes and how this nexus impacts organizational performance (operational and financial performance) by considering KM as an intermediating variable between TQM and organizational performance. Design/methodology/approach-Six TQM practices are taken from "Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award", namely leadership, customer focus, strategic planning, human resource management, process management and information and analysis; KM processes include knowledge creation, acquisition, sharing and application and organizational performance comprises operational and financial performance. The researcher put together data from different sized services and manufacturing firms, from small, to medium and large firms located in the United Kingdom (UK). Findings-The results suggested that a positive correlation existed between TQM, KM and organizational performance. KM is also shown to have quite a strong and positive influence on firm operational and financial performance and partially mediates the relationship between TQM and corporate performance. Dimensional analysis indicates that leadership, strategic planning, customer focus and HRM have a significant positive impact on all KM process, while mixed results have been found for process management and information and analysis. The contextual analysis indicates that except for knowledge creation, TQM plays an equally significant role for the majority of manufacturing establishments and services firms. Originality/value-The present research makes a significant contribution to the scarce literature on the relationship between TQM and KM (mainly at dimensional level), particularly in the context of the UK, and provides a detailed understanding of the relations between different TQM and KM dimensions, and how their relationship impacts on the operational and financial performance of different sizes of manufacturing and services firms. Highlights (1) Total quality management (TQM) enhances firms' knowledge management (KM) capabilities (2) KM partially mediates the relationship between TQM and firms' performance (3) Leadership, customer focus and process management indicated insignificant impact on knowledge creation (4) TQM and KM are equally important for all sizes manufacturing and services firms