Subject: [IFETS-Discuss] Managing lecturers' overload in VLEs
mharrsch@oregon.uoregon.edu
Date: Sat 10 Jun 2000 - 00:18:15 MEST
From: mharrsch@oregon.uoregon.edu Subject: [IFETS-Discuss] Managing lecturers' overload in VLEs Date: Fri, 09 Jun 2000 15:18:15 -0700
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One approach to managing the volume of student queries in a virtual learning
environment is to view the instructor's knowledge as an expert system and
develop tools to capture and dispense the expert knowledge without depending
solely on one-on-one contact with the instructor. Some of our instructors
have developed online FAQ lists similar to those used by technology
companies. Adding a search function further enhances the value of this
device. Developing a virtual assistant with artificial intelligence
software is another approach that combines both a knowledgebase and search
function with a natural language interface and graphics that will not only
provide the information students require but engage them in a conversational
way providing the illusion of a personal dynamic. I am working on one such
tool here at the college. It began as a technology assistant but I am
expanding "Gabrielle's" knowledgebase so that she can answer questions about
research and academic programs as well (http://128.223.24.66:1035/ ). This
type of assistant could be easily customized to provide answers from a
specific body of content. The key is to develop a list of the type of
questions students ask most frequently and develop appropriate web page
illustrations which can be displayed for additional reinforcement. The
product I use records each interaction so I can study the conversation logs
and add information to her knowledgebase based on questions she could not
answer.
Although Gabrielle was developed with software from Artificial-Life, Inc.
(http://www.artificial-life.com/ ), a new network query language has been
developed by NQL solutions (http://www.nqlsolutions.com/ ) that provides the
tools to develop intelligent agents, in conjunction with Microsoft's agent
products, that can perform such tasks as submitting a web form; extracting
content from a web site; sending or reading e-mail; interacting with
databases; and connecting to a legacy system as a terminal in addition to
simple retrieval of an existing web page. Microsoft agents can also be
programmed to use and interpret speech as well as basic text input.
A properly designed agent could "read" e-mail and extract key phrases which
could then be used to query the knowledgebase and retrieve and e-mail an
appropriate response without instructor intervention.
Mary Harrsch
Network & Information Systems Manager
College of Education
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403
(541) 346-3554
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~mharrsch/
Commentary Section Editor
The Technology Source
http://horizon.unc.edu/ts/
A free refereed web periodical that features
articles on methods and efforts to infuse technology
into educational organizations.
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