A free-standing module from Lancaster University's Advanced Learning Technology (ALT) Programme requiring 60 hours of study time. Some of this time will be spent on-line communicating with other course participants and tutors. Most of the time will be spent reading and preparing a course assignment off-line.
The course will run from 1 February to 30 June 1997 for the MECPOL user trials. The last date for starting study on this course is 30 April 1997.
We will need two weeks notice in order to dispatch course material to you.
A good command of English is required. Much of the work on the module requires on-line discussion and the writing of an assignment. The on-line discussion is NOT real-time, and therefore you will have the chance to prepare your contributions before going on-line.
Centre for Studies in Advanced Learning Technology (C SALT), Department of Educational Research, Lancaster University, UK.
INSTITUTION COURSE CODE: ITL10
This module introduces some key ideas, tools and techniques from Artificial Intelligence. Of particular interest are knowledge-based systems such as expert systems, expert system shells, and Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs). The module examines the structure and underlying principles of such systems, and discusses the ways in which they have been used in training and education.
The readings for this module are divided into a number of groups:
Introduction to Knowledge Based Systems. The readings in this group will provide you with a good introduction to artificial intelligence, and an understanding of the main ideas surrounding the design, development and use of expert systems.
Expert systems and expert system shells in education and training. This group of readings covers some of the ways that expert systems and expert system shells have been used in education and training. Note that there are two very different ES-related activities covered, with very different learning goals: consulting, where the user interacts with an expert knowledge base to obtain some advice or information, and building, where users acquire enough knowledge about a subject area to construct their own knowledge base.
Intelligent Tutoring Systems. The readings in this section are all concerned with Intelligent Tutoring Systems. These are knowledge based systems which, unlike expert systems, are specifically designed for teaching and learning.
The Lancaster University Advanced Learning Technology (ALT) Programme has been designed to support the continuing professional development of people working with computer-based learning technologies.
This module is open to people who are currently involved in the design, development, use or evaluation of ALT systems. It is open to those involved in training and to staff working in higher, further or adult education who want to learn more about ALT. It is not oriented towards the needs of those who are primarily concerned with the use of computers in schools.
ALT is broadly defined, to include such things as the use of electronic communications and groupware, multimedia systems, electronic books, on-line help and performance support systems, simulations and exploratory learning tools, as well as more mainstream elements of technology-based training.
You will need access to a computer and the Internet using a World-Wide Web browser such as Netscape (version 2.x or above) or MS Internet Explorer (version 2.x or above). You will be accessing Lotus Notes discussion databases (conferences) via your Web browser.
A participant pack will be provided on request. This pack includes readings for this module. Alternatively, you may choose to find the readings yourself from a reading list which we will supply.
Other learning resources are provided on the module's Web pages, ALTLinks V1 and ALT Links V2.
The assessment task is meant to act as the motor for your learning on the module. It provides a focus for your studying and reflecting on the readings. It is the vehicle through which you can
The two types of assignment which we would expect for this module are:
(i) an essay-only assignment with no practical element.
(ii) a small ES prototype which demonstrates one or more ideas you have about ES, with some accompanying text (i.e. a shorter essay or report than for (i) above). The accompanying text for this type of assignment should not be a technical report about the prototype: it should comment reflectively on the ideas you have tried to demonstrate.
The following are some suggestions for the sort of topic you might want look at. However, you are free to do your assignment on any other topic relevant to the concerns of the module.
(a) Knowledge Acquisition and Knowledge Representation. What sort of problems might you face trying to get together the sort of domain knowledge needed to develop an expert system? How difficult might it be to integrate knowledge from several different sources? How might you deal with problems such as incompatible or conflicting information about a domain?
(b) Expert Systems for education and training. Are expert systems potentially good tools for education and / or training? What are their strengths and weaknesses for these tasks? If you feel that ES (& ESS) are inadequate for these tasks as they are now, what features would improve matters?
(c) Users as knowledge engineers. Is there any value in having trainees develop their own expert systems, either using shells or from scratch? What might they gain from this task? What problems might they encounter?
(d) Appropriate expert system domains. Some problems are more appropriate than others for expert systems to deal with. Reflect on different domains which they might be used for within and educational or training environment, and discuss why ES might be more or successful in each of these.
(e) Expert Systems within your organisation. Has your company ever had any experience in implementing and / or using ES or ESS? If so, reflect on what was done and why, and on the overall success (or otherwise) of the project. If not, discuss how ES or ESS could be brought into your organisation (e.g. how they could be used, where, why etc).
Consult the tutors electronically to discuss ideas that you could explore for your own assessment task.
In assessing your work we will be expecting you:
Assignments should be 2500 -3000 words, or an equivalent.
This module has a 6 CATS points credit
rating in the UK.
(A full masters course = 120 CATS points)
You will be assigned to one tutor who will discuss an appropriate assessment task with you and will provide tutorial support for an agreed period. The normal means of communication will be computer-based conferencing, email or fax, with telephone by arrangement. You will be expected to communicate regularly with the tutor.
The period between your official start date on the module and the submission date for your assignment will not normally be less than four weeks or more than twenty weeks.
Tutors are:
Dr. Karen Valley and Dr Michael Twidale from Lancaster University, UK.
£100 for the participant pack for MECPOL partner students, otherwise £450.00 (pounds sterling). Please allow up to two weeks to receive your pack from the time of ordering. Packs will be dispatched by surface mail within one week. If you wish to receive your pack by courier there would be an additional charge.
MECPOL partner students may wish to acquire the readings for themselves, in which case no fees will be payable.
If you already have access to the Internet via a Web browser there is no additional cost. If you pay telephone charges related to your use of the Internet, then you will have additional call charges.
If you would like to register for this module, or you have any other queries, please contact:
ALT Programme Organiser- Alice Jesmont
C SALT (Centre for Studies in Advanced Learning Technology)Further details regarding the ALT programme may be found on:
http://www.lancs.ac.uk/users/edres/research/altprog.html