CPE/CSC 580: Knowledge Management

CPE/CSC 580: Knowledge Management Dr. Franz J. Kurfess Computer Science Department Cal Poly

Introduction Knowledge Processing Knowledge Acquisition, Representation and Manipulation Knowledge Organization Classification, Categorization Ontologies, Taxonomies, Thesauri Knowledge Retrieval Information Retrieval Knowledge Navigation Knowledge Presentation Knowledge Visualization Knowledge Exchange Knowledge Capture, Transfer, and Distribution Usage of Knowledge Access Patterns, User Feedback Knowledge Management Techniques Topic Maps, Agents Knowledge Management Tools Knowledge Management in Organizations Course Overview

Motivation Objectives Knowledge Capture Explicit Capture Extraction From Text Case-based Reasoning Enhancement of Existing Documents Transfer of Knowledge Communication Basic Concepts Language and Communication Natural Language Formal Languages Communication Models Distribution of Knowledge Knowledge Repositories Distribution Models Important Concepts and Terms Chapter Summary Overview Knowledge Exchange

Logistics • Term Project • Documentation • Schedule • Lab and Homework Assignments • Schedule • Exams • Grading

WWW The Need for Knowledge Exchange Richer representations More ambiguous More versatile Introductory texts, expert hints, explanations, dialogues, comments, examples, exceptions,... Info. extraction templates, dialogue segments and pegs, filled-out forms, high-level connections,... Knowledge Base Descriptions augmented with prototypical examples & exceptions, problem-solving steps and substeps, ... More formal More concrete More introspectible Alternative formalizations (KIF, MELD, CML,…), alternative views of the same notion (e.g., what is a threat) ((( )) ()))) (defconcept bridge ())) [Gil 2000]

Knowledge Mobility • multiple views and versions of the same information • need to provide tools that establish connections among alternative versions/views of the same information • hyper-connectivity • need to provide tools that suggest further connections to related sources when users compose documents • need to annotate hyperlinks • basis to support information morphing • how one or more knowledge sources are used for • alternative purposes • track alternative knowledge transformations • various renderings and implementations of a knowledge source [Gil 2000]

Pre-Test

Motivation

Objectives

Knowledge Capture • Explicit Capture • Extraction From Text • Case-based Reasoning • Enhancement of Existing Documents

Explicit Capture • conventional techniques for knowledge acquisition • interviews with experts • knowledge engineers • advantages • carefully constructed • suitable knowledge representation methods • usually common-sense evaluation • sometimes formal evaluation • consistency checks, other formal aspects

Extraction From Text • syntactic level • keywords • essentially construction of an index • descriptive features • semantic level • document structure • requires information about structure • tags, DDT, RDF • sentence structure • natural language processing (NLP) • pragmatic level • context • thesaurus, ontology, NLP

Case-based Reasoning • solutions to a problem in a specific context are collected • represented in a structured format • problem, context, solution • usable by a computer-based system • cases are often represented through frames or similar mechanisms • new cases are matched against existing ones • patterns in the frames provide the basis for matching • the suitability of the solution is judged by the user

Enhancement of Existing Documents • in addition to the methods mentioned above, collections of documents can be enhanced • addition of meta-knowledge • integration into an existing framework/ontology • manually through categorization • automatically through keyword extraction • indirectly through statistical correlations with other documents

Transfer of Knowledge • Communication • Basic Concepts • Language and Communication • Natural Language • Formal Languages • Communication Models

Basic Concepts • communication • exchange of information • requires a shared system of signs • greatly enhanced by language • speaker • produces signs as utterances • general: not only spoken language • listener (hearer) • perceives and interprets signs

Purpose of Communication • sharing of information among agents or systems • query other agents for information • responses to queries • requests or commands • actions to be performed for another agent • offer • proposition for collaboration • acknowledgement • confirmation of requests, offers • sharing • of experiences, feelings

Communication Problems • intention • what is the expected outcome (speaker’s perspective) • timing • when is a communication act appropriate • selection • which act is the right one • language • what sign system should be used • interpretation • will the intended meaning be conveyed to the listener • ambiguity • can the intention be expressed without the possibility of misunderstandings

Language and Communication • Natural Language • used by humans • evolves over time • moderately to highly ambiguous • Formal Languages • invented • rigidly defined • little ambiguity

Natural Language • formal description is very difficult • sometimes non-systematic, inconsistent, ambiguous • mostly used for human communication • easy on humans • tough on computers • context is critical • situation, beliefs, goals

Formal Languages • symbols • terminal symbols • finite set of basic words • not: alphabet, characters • non-terminal symbols • intermediate structures composed of terminal or non-terminal symbols • strings • sequences of symbols • phrases • sub-strings grouping important parts of a string

Formal Languages Cont. • sentences • allowable strings in a language • composed from phrases • grammar • rules describing correct sentences • often captured as rewrite rules in BNF notation • lexicon • list of allowable vocabulary words

Communication Models • encoded message model • a definite proposition of the speaker is encoded into signs which are transmitted to the listener • the listener tries to decode the signs to retrieve the original proposition • errors are consequences of transmission problems • situated language model • the intended meaning of a message depends on the signals as well as the situation in which they are exchanged • mis-interpretation may lead to additional problems

Communication Types • telepathic communication • speaker and listener have a shared internal representation • communication through Tell/Ask directives • language-based communication • speaker performs actions that produce signs which other agents can perceive and interpret • communication language is different from the internal representation • more complex • involves several mappings • language needs to be generated, encoded, transmitted, decoded, and interpreted

Telepathic Communication [Russell & Norvig 1995]

Language-Based Communication [Russell & Norvig 1995]

Communication Steps: Speaker • intention • decision about producing a speech act • generation • conversion of the information to be transferred into the chosen language • synthesis • actions that produce the generated signs

Communication Steps: Listener • perception • reception of the signs produced by the speaker • speech recognition, lip reading, character recognition • analysis • syntactic interpretation (parsing) • semantic interpretation • disambiguation • selection of the most probable intended meaning • incorporation • the selected interpretation is added to the existing world model as additional piece of evidence

Communication Example [Russell & Norvig 1995]

Distribution of Knowledge • Knowledge Repositories • Digital Libraries • Distribution Models

Knowledge Repositories • persistent storage of digital documents • internal representation in the original format • loss-less transformation may be acceptable • transparent internal organization • multiple presentation methods for various users and usage methods • multiple access methods • according to users’ needs and capabilities

Digital Libraries • collections of documents and artifacts stored and accessed via computers • remotely accessible through networks • enhanced functionality compared with paper-based libraries • access methods • organization principles • duplication • implementation and usage unclear

Vision... “… a network of learning environments and resources for Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology education, will ultimately meet the needs of students and teachers at all levels—K-12, undergraduate, graduate, and lifelong learning—in both individual and collaborative settings.” NSF [NEEDS 2000]

NEEDS • National digital library emerging from the Synthesis Coalition (1990 - 1999) • Integrated database of multimedia courseware • Multilevel courseware evaluation system • Community of Engineering Educators Berkeley UMBC Stanford Virginia Tech Northern Arizona [NEEDS 2000]

www.needs.org - Contents [NEEDS 2000]

www.needs.org - Communities • Community - a group of individuals who engage in communication through a common bond. • Faculty prefer to learn where they are a member of a community that is built upon shared values and interests regarding teaching, learning, and pedagogy • GOAL: Provide faculty a means to learn from one another unconstrained by barriers of time, distance, technology, and geography. [NEEDS 2000]

Towards A National SMETE Digital Library... • April 1996 - NSF Committee Meeting (LIBUSE) • “Towards a National Library for Undergraduate Science Education Resources in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology” • August 1997 National Research Council • Digital National Library for SME&T Education Workshop • July 1998 National Science Foundation • SMETE-Lib Workshop • January 1999 National Science Foundation • Digital Libraries and Education Workshop Should NSF Establish and Fund a National Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology Education Digital Library? Funding through Digital Libraries Initiative – Phase 2 And NSDL Programs [NEEDS 2000]

www.needs.org • Development • Courseware Studios • Instructional Labs • Faculty Offices & Residences • Libraries • Anywhere • Delivery • Classrooms • Instructional Labs • Small Study Groups • Residences • Libraries • Anywhere Database NEEDS is the foundation for the National SMETE Digital Library at www.smete.org. [NEEDS 2000]

NEEDS Aspects • Digital Library of Multimedia Engineering Courseware • Bibliographic records with downloadable courseware • Multimedia elements - downloadable movies, images, and text • Multilevel Courseware Evaluation System • Peer Review of Courseware • Premier Award for Excellence in Engineering Education Courseware • Expanding Services and Features [NEEDS 2000]

How does NEEDS help users “re-use” learning materials? • Provides mechanisms to help user locate materials • Uses standardized descriptions (metadata) to describe resources • Provides mechanisms to help users evaluate the “quality of materials” • Developed upon an extendable platform to: • Support multiple uses • Integrate new services and features • Integrate research [NEEDS 2000]

Quality Review of Coursewareon the NEEDS Database • Establish credibility of NEEDS as a source of Quality educational material • Enhance recognition of scholarly and creative effort of courseware developers • Peer/Expert Review of Courseware • Premier Award for Excellence in Engineering Education Courseware [NEEDS 2000]

The Premier Award for Excellence in Engineering Education Courseware • A national competition to identify and reward the authors of high-quality, non-commercial courseware designed to enhance engineering education. • The Premier Award is about the entire experience of using the courseware by learners, not just the courseware itself • A dissemination system to distribute the Premier Courseware (via CD’s and presentation at engineering education conferences).

Premier Courseware of 1997-1999 • Virtual Disk Drive Design Studio • Drill Dissection and Bicycle Dissection • Mars Navigator • Della Steam Plant • MDSolids • Structural Engineering Visual Encyclopedia - UNH • Engineering Graphics • Cracking Dams 6,700 CD-ROMs Distributed For more info or to receive copies go to http://www.needs.org/engineering/premier/

Needs Assessment with Members of the Math, Science and Engineering Community Purpose: To understand the math, science and engineering communities of educators and examine their needs in order to design services and structures to support users from multiple communities. Research Questions: • What services, features & programs are integral to success? • What do users expect with regards to quality of the holdings? • Who makes up the SMETE digital library community? American Association of Physics Teachers, American Mathematical Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, members of the NSF Chemistry Consortia and the NSF Engineering Education Coalitions [NEEDS 2000]

Translating Findings into Services & Features Quality • System to rapidly identify the quality of holding • Place to comment about a learning object or regarding something of interest to the community • Reviewers should include experts in pedagogy and content [NEEDS 2000]

Translating Findings into Services & Features Community • Embedded structures for developing and maintaining communication links • Developing community should be on par with building content • Build on discipline based communities to establish connection to a broader community Content • Useful content and community interaction ensures user participation as authors, reviewers, adapters/adopters, and consumers [NEEDS 2000]

Prototype: www.smete.org John Wiley Prototype Goals (1998-2001) Develop a Prototype National SMETE Digital Library • test interoperability of federated searches/shared services with partners • expand requirements analysis to include K–12 • develop criteria and standards to assess the impact of learning objects across disciplines • implement community feedback systems, evaluate services Math Forum Berkeley UMBC ENC UCOP Stanford Virginia Tech Northern Arizona [NEEDS 2000]

Building a National SMETE Digital Library at www.smete.org • Searching for learning resources • Cataloging (adding) learning resources • Standards, IEEE and IMS • Evaluating the quality of learning resources • “User” reviews • “Expert” reviews • Forming a community of users in SMETE • PKAL workshops and seminars • Research on adapters [NEEDS 2000]

Systems Development • Expanding www.smete.org/NEEDS platform • Continuing to participate in the development of IEEE/IMS Learning Object Metadata Standards • Adopting emerging IEEE standards • Expanding user comments • Implementing discussion systems • Implementing customized user profiles • Expanding Collections • Expanding into Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics Total Collection Engineering 58% Chemistry 21% Physics 14% Math 5% Other 2% [NEEDS 2000]

Collaborating with Partners • Working with University of California Office of the President - (10 campuses) • Identifying courseware under development systemwide • Developing TLT@UC Website to showcase teaching and learning with technology at the University of California [NEEDS 2000]

CPE/CSC 580: Knowledge Management