Distributed Case Based Reasoning for Intelligent Tutoring System: An Agent Based Student Modeling Paradigm

Online learning with Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) is becoming very popular where the system models the student-s learning behavior and presents to the student the learning material (content, questions-answers, assignments) accordingly. In today-s distributed computing environment, the tutoring system can take advantage of networking to utilize the model for a student for students from other similar groups. In the present paper we present a methodology where using Case Based Reasoning (CBR), ITS provides student modeling for online learning in a distributed environment with the help of agents. The paper describes the approach, the architecture, and the agent characteristics for such system. This concept can be deployed to develop ITS where the tutor can author and the students can learn locally whereas the ITS can model the students- learning globally in a distributed environment. The advantage of such an approach is that both the learning material (domain knowledge) and student model can be globally distributed thus enhancing the efficiency of ITS with reducing the bandwidth requirement and complexity of the system.

2D-Modeling with Lego Mindstorms

The whole work is based on possibility to use Lego Mindstorms robotics systems to reduce costs. Lego Mindstorms consists of a wide variety of hardware components necessary to simulate, programme and test of robotics systems in practice. To programme algorithm, which simulates space using the ultrasonic sensor, was used development environment supplied with kit. Software Matlab was used to render values afterwards they were measured by ultrasonic sensor. The algorithm created for this paper uses theoretical knowledge from area of signal processing. Data being processed by algorithm are collected by ultrasonic sensor that scans 2D space in front of it. Ultrasonic sensor is placed on moving arm of robot which provides horizontal moving of sensor. Vertical movement of sensor is provided by wheel drive. The robot follows map in order to get correct positioning of measured data. Based on discovered facts it is possible to consider Lego Mindstorm for low-cost and capable kit for real-time modelling.

Choosing an Ontology Language

We summarize information that facilitates choosing an ontology language for knowledge intensive applications. This paper is a short version of the ontology language state-of-the-art and evolution analysis carried out for choosing an ontology language in the IST Esperonto project. At first, we analyze changes and evolution that took place in the filed of Semantic Web languages during the last years, in particular, around the ontology languages of the RDF/S and OWL family. Second, we present current trends in development of Semantic Web languages, in particular, rule support extensions for Semantic Web languages and emerging ontology languages such as WSMO languages.

Adoption of E-Business by Thai SMEs

The use of e-business in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has been recently received an enormous attention in information systems research by both academic and practitioners. With the adoption of new and efficient technologies to enhance businesses, Thai SMEs should be able to compete worldwide. Unfortunately, most of the owners are not used to new technologies. It is clear that most Thai SMEs prefer to work manually rather than electronically. This paper aims to provide a fundamental conceptual framework for E-business adoption by Thai SMEs. Rooted in Knowledge transfer model, several factors are identified, which drive and enable e-business adoption. By overlooking the benefits associated with implementing new technologies, it is difficult for Thai SMEs to perform well enough to compete globally. The paper also helps Thai SMEs to understand factors related to E-business adoption.

A Web Text Mining Flexible Architecture

Text Mining is an important step of Knowledge Discovery process. It is used to extract hidden information from notstructured o semi-structured data. This aspect is fundamental because much of the Web information is semi-structured due to the nested structure of HTML code, much of the Web information is linked, much of the Web information is redundant. Web Text Mining helps whole knowledge mining process to mining, extraction and integration of useful data, information and knowledge from Web page contents. In this paper, we present a Web Text Mining process able to discover knowledge in a distributed and heterogeneous multiorganization environment. The Web Text Mining process is based on flexible architecture and is implemented by four steps able to examine web content and to extract useful hidden information through mining techniques. Our Web Text Mining prototype starts from the recovery of Web job offers in which, through a Text Mining process, useful information for fast classification of the same are drawn out, these information are, essentially, job offer place and skills.

Design of Cooperative Processes of Innovation

This paper invites to dialogue and reflections on innovation and entrepreneurship by presenting concepts of innovation leading to the introduction of a complex theoretical framework; Cooperative Innovation (CO-IN). CO-IN is a didactic model enhancing and scaffolding processes of cooperation creating innovation drawing on a Scandinavian tradition. CO-IN is based on a cross-sectorial and multidisciplinary approach. We introduce the concept of complementarity to help capture the validity of diversity and we suggest the concept of “the space in between" to understand the creation of identity as a collective mind. We see dialogue and the use of multi modal techniques as essential tools for conceptualizations giving possibility for clarification of the complexity and diversity leading to decision making based on knowledge as commons. We introduce the didactic design and present our empirical findings from an innovation workshop in Argentina. In a final paragraph we reflect on the design as a support of the development of common ground, collective mind and collective action and the creation of knowledge as commons to facilitate innovation and entrepreneurship.

Density Clustering Based On Radius of Data (DCBRD)

Clustering algorithms are attractive for the task of class identification in spatial databases. However, the application to large spatial databases rises the following requirements for clustering algorithms: minimal requirements of domain knowledge to determine the input parameters, discovery of clusters with arbitrary shape and good efficiency on large databases. The well-known clustering algorithms offer no solution to the combination of these requirements. In this paper, a density based clustering algorithm (DCBRD) is presented, relying on a knowledge acquired from the data by dividing the data space into overlapped regions. The proposed algorithm discovers arbitrary shaped clusters, requires no input parameters and uses the same definitions of DBSCAN algorithm. We performed an experimental evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of it, and compared this results with that of DBSCAN. The results of our experiments demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is significantly efficient in discovering clusters of arbitrary shape and size.

A Study of Computational Organizational Narrative Generation for Decision Support

Narratives are invaluable assets of human lives. Due to the distinct features of narratives, they are useful for supporting human reasoning processes. However, many useful narratives become residuals in organizations or human minds nowadays. Researchers have contributed effort to investigate and improve narrative generation processes. This paper attempts to contemplate essential components in narratives and explore a computational approach to acquire and extract knowledge to generate narratives. The methodology and significant benefit for decision support are presented.

Data Mining Using Learning Automata

In this paper a data miner based on the learning automata is proposed and is called LA-miner. The LA-miner extracts classification rules from data sets automatically. The proposed algorithm is established based on the function optimization using learning automata. The experimental results on three benchmarks indicate that the performance of the proposed LA-miner is comparable with (sometimes better than) the Ant-miner (a data miner algorithm based on the Ant Colony optimization algorithm) and CNZ (a well-known data mining algorithm for classification).

A Framework for Data Mining Based Multi-Agent: An Application to Spatial Data

Data mining is an extraordinarily demanding field referring to extraction of implicit knowledge and relationships, which are not explicitly stored in databases. A wide variety of methods of data mining have been introduced (classification, characterization, generalization...). Each one of these methods includes more than algorithm. A system of data mining implies different user categories,, which mean that the user-s behavior must be a component of the system. The problem at this level is to know which algorithm of which method to employ for an exploratory end, which one for a decisional end, and how can they collaborate and communicate. Agent paradigm presents a new way of conception and realizing of data mining system. The purpose is to combine different algorithms of data mining to prepare elements for decision-makers, benefiting from the possibilities offered by the multi-agent systems. In this paper the agent framework for data mining is introduced, and its overall architecture and functionality are presented. The validation is made on spatial data. Principal results will be presented.

Auto Regressive Tree Modeling for Parametric Optimization in Fuzzy Logic Control System

The advantage of solving the complex nonlinear problems by utilizing fuzzy logic methodologies is that the experience or expert-s knowledge described as a fuzzy rule base can be directly embedded into the systems for dealing with the problems. The current limitation of appropriate and automated designing of fuzzy controllers are focused in this paper. The structure discovery and parameter adjustment of the Branched T-S fuzzy model is addressed by a hybrid technique of type constrained sparse tree algorithms. The simulation result for different system model is evaluated and the identification error is observed to be minimum.

Ready or Not? Markers of Starting Romantic Intimacy at Emerging Adulthood: The Turkish Experience

Emerging adulthood, the new period which is especially prevalent in the developed or industrialized countries during ages 18 to 29, is a new conceptualization proposed by Arnett. Intimacy is a superordinate concept which includes intimate interaction and intimate relationship. This study includes two proceses which are scale development and conduction of gender differences about markers of starting romantic intimacy among Turkish emerging adults. In first process, Markers of Starting Romantic Intimacy Scale, with 17 items and 5 factors, was developed using by 220 participants. In the second step, the scale was administered to 318 Turkish male and female emerging adults between ages 22 and 25. Results show that there is no significant difference between gender and total score of the scale. With respect to gender, there are significant differences between gender and in four subscales which are self perception, affective and cognitive intimacy, self knowledge and romantic verbalizations. Moreover, there is no significant relationship between gender and behavioral intimacy subscale.

An Approach for a Bidding Process Knowledge Capitalization

Preparation and negotiation of innovative and future projects can be characterized as a strategic-type decision situation, involving many uncertainties and an unpredictable environment. We will focus in this paper on the bidding process. It includes cooperative and strategic decisions. Our approach for bidding process knowledge capitalization is aimed at information management in project-oriented organizations, based on the MUSIC (Management and Use of Co-operative Information Systems) model. We will show how to capitalize the company strategic knowledge and also how to organize the corporate memory. The result of the adopted approach is improvement of corporate memory quality.

Use of Detectors Technology for Gamma Ray Issued from Radioactive Isotopes and its Impact on Knowledge of Behavior of the Stationary Case of Solid Phase Holdup

For gamma radiation detection, assemblies having scintillation crystals and a photomultiplier tube, also there is a preamplifier connected to the detector because the signals from photomultiplier tube are of small amplitude. After pre-amplification the signals are sent to the amplifier and then to the multichannel analyser. The multichannel analyser sorts all incoming electrical signals according to their amplitudes and sorts the detected photons in channels covering small energy intervals. The energy range of each channel depends on the gain settings of the multichannel analyser and the high voltage across the photomultiplier tube. The exit spectrum data of the two main isotopes studied ,putting data in biomass program ,process it by Matlab program to get the solid holdup image (solid spherical nuclear fuel)

Development of a Simulator for Explaining Organic Chemical Reactions Based on Qualitative Process Theory

This paper discusses the development of a qualitative simulator (abbreviated QRiOM) for predicting the behaviour of organic chemical reactions. The simulation technique is based on the qualitative process theory (QPT) ontology. The modelling constructs of QPT embody notions of causality which can be used to explain the behaviour of a chemical system. The major theme of this work is that, in a qualitative simulation environment, students are able to articulate his/her knowledge through the inspection of explanations generated by software. The implementation languages are Java and Prolog. The software produces explanation in various forms that stresses on the causal theories in the chemical system which can be effectively used to support learning.

An Incomplete Factorization Preconditioner for LMS Adaptive Filter

In this paper an efficient incomplete factorization preconditioner is proposed for the Least Mean Squares (LMS) adaptive filter. The proposed preconditioner is approximated from a priori knowledge of the factors of input correlation matrix with an incomplete strategy, motivated by the sparsity patter of the upper triangular factor in the QRD-RLS algorithm. The convergence properties of IPLMS algorithm are comparable with those of transform domain LMS(TDLMS) algorithm. Simulation results show efficiency and robustness of the proposed algorithm with reduced computational complexity.

Managers' Empowerment in High School by Knowledge Management

The purpose of the present study is the investigation of the relationship between knowledge management and enabling managers based on achieving proper function. This research is descriptive and investigative. The sample includes all male and female high school managers of first and second regions of Urmia including 98 school and accordingly 98 managers. The instrument applied was a questionnaire. To sum up, there is a statistically significant relationship between knowledge management and empowering managers. In the end, several suggestions are provided.

Integrated Learning in Engineering Services: A Conceptual Framework

This study explores how the mechanics of learning paves the way to engineering innovation. Theories related to learning in the new product/service innovation are reviewed from an organizational perspective, behavioral perspective, and engineering perspective. From this, an engineering team-s external interactions for knowledge brokering and internal composition for skill balance are examined from a learning and innovation viewpoints. As a result, an integrated learning model is developed by reconciling the theoretical perspectives as well as developing propositions that emphasize the centrality of learning, and its drivers, in the engineering product/service development. The paper also provides a review and partial validation of the propositions using the results of a previously published field study in the aerospace industry.

Migration and Unemployment Duration: The Case of the OECD Countries

This paper examines whether or not immigration has a positive influence on the duration of unemployment, in a macroeconomic perspective. We analyse also whether the degree of labor market integration can influence migration. The integration of immigrants into the labor market is a recurrence theme in the work on the economic consequences of immigration. However, to our knowledge, no researchers have studied the impact of immigration on unemployment duration, and vice versa. With two methodology of research (panel estimations (OLS and 2SLS) and panel cointegration techniques), we show that migration seems to influence positively the short-term unemployment and negatively long-term unemployment, for 14 OECD destination countries. In addition, immigration seems to be conditioned by the structural and institutional characteristics of the labour market.

Attentiveness of Building Commissioning in the Malaysian Construction Industry

This paper provides some thoughts about the lack of attentiveness of building commissioning in the construction industry and the lack of handling in project commissioning as an integral part of the project life-cycle. Many have perceived commissioning as the problem solving process of a project, rather than the start up of the equipment, or the handing over of the project to the client. Therefore, there is a lack of proper attention in the planning of commissioning as a vital part of the project life-cycle. This review paper aims to highlight the benefits of building commissioning and to propose the lacking of knowledge gap on building commissioning. Finally, this paper hopes to propose the shift of focus on this matter in future research.