Domain Module

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The domain module consists of the domain knowledge and can fall in a continuum between an opaque or black-box representation or a transparent or glass-box representation. In the black-box representation, only final results are available to the learner, whereas in the transparent representation, each reasoning step can be inspected and interpreted by the learner (Wenger, 1987). In an intelligent tutoring system, the knowledge representation should be transparent to allow the learner to see the reasoning on how to solve problems (Wenger, 1987). This is critical for learners who are new in the field so that they can develop the appropriate line of reasoning. The domain module contains the domain knowledge that the system intends to teach. The domain knowledge includes both the content to be taught and the application of that knowledge to solve related problems. The application of the knowledge is critical for developing higher-level learning outcomes and for learners to personalize the information. The domain module consists of the expertise of experts in the form of declarative and procedural knowledge. The content that the expert possesses is referred to as declarative knowledge (facts, concepts, and principles) and the application of the knowledge as procedural knowledge (Tennyson & Park, 1987). The procedural knowledge is the procedure used by experts to solve problems.

Some artificial intelligence methods that are used to organize the domain knowledge include development of semantic networks, application of production systems, representations of procedures, building of script frames, development of concept maps, and development of logic for making inferences from facts. The knowledge structure in a domain module may be used for acquiring new knowledge with its self-learning capabilities, for retrieving facts from the knowledge base relevant to the given problem, and for reasoning about these facts in search of a solution (Tennyson & Park, 1987). As the learner interacts with the domain expertise, the system forms a model of the learner based on the interaction. This model, also referred to as the student model, should be equivalent to that formed by a good human tutor in a one-to-one learning situation. The next section describes the student model.



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Designing Distributed Environments with Intelligent Software Agents
Designing Distributed Learning Environments with Intelligent Software Agents
ISBN: 1591405009
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 121

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