The Semantic Web, Knowledge and Implications for Education Alan McLean Postgraduate student, Universiti Tun Abdul Razak, Malaysia (UNITAR)

The Semantic Web, The Semantic Web, Knowledge and Knowledge and Implications for Implications for

EducationEducation

Alan McLeanAlan McLeanPostgraduate student, Postgraduate student,

Universiti Tun Abdul Razak, Universiti Tun Abdul Razak, Malaysia (UNITAR)Malaysia (UNITAR)

Presented atPresented at

The International Conference on The International Conference on Knowledge Management (ICKM) Knowledge Management (ICKM)

2005 on 7 - 9th July 2005 at 2005 on 7 - 9th July 2005 at Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala

Lumpur, Malaysia Lumpur, Malaysia

(http://www.ickm.upm.edu.my/) (http://www.ickm.upm.edu.my/)

Full text available from: Full text available from: http://www.angelfire.com/linux/alan1http://www.angelfire.com/linux/alan1/semantic.html/semantic.html

My contact details & My contact details & aims:aims:

http://www.angelfire.com/linux/alan1http://www.angelfire.com/linux/alan1 016 636 0754016 636 0754

My aims:My aims:Outline some main ideasOutline some main ideasGet some constructive criticismGet some constructive criticismPossibly find collaboratorsPossibly find collaboratorsIdentify expertise useful to my Identify expertise useful to my researchresearch

… … I don’t know so much I don’t know so much … …

My experience is in Higher My experience is in Higher Education and the last two years of Education and the last two years of secondary education. What I say secondary education. What I say today may not be applicable to today may not be applicable to primary education – or the middle primary education – or the middle years.years.

I am looking for guidance and I am looking for guidance and correction from you on: Semantic correction from you on: Semantic WebWeb

… … I don’t know so much I don’t know so much ……

My experience is in Higher My experience is in Higher Education and the last two years of Education and the last two years of secondary education. What I say secondary education. What I say today may not be applicable to today may not be applicable to primary education – or the middle primary education – or the middle years.years.

I am looking for guidance and I am looking for guidance and correction from you on: Semantic correction from you on: Semantic Web, Theories of Learning, Web, Theories of Learning,

… … I don’t know so much I don’t know so much ……

My experience is in Higher Education My experience is in Higher Education and the last two years of secondary and the last two years of secondary education. What I say today may not education. What I say today may not be applicable to primary education – be applicable to primary education – or the middle years.or the middle years.

I am looking for guidance and I am looking for guidance and correction from you on: Semantic correction from you on: Semantic Web, Theories of Learning, Cognitive Web, Theories of Learning, Cognitive ArchitecturesArchitectures

… … I don’t know so much I don’t know so much ……

My experience is in Higher Education My experience is in Higher Education and the last two years of secondary and the last two years of secondary education. What I say today may not education. What I say today may not be applicable to primary education – be applicable to primary education – or the middle years.or the middle years.

I am looking for guidance and I am looking for guidance and correction from you on: Semantic correction from you on: Semantic Web, Theories of Learning, Cognitive Web, Theories of Learning, Cognitive Architectures, Educational Design.Architectures, Educational Design.

Education needs to Education needs to changechange

The Semantic WebThe Semantic Web (Tim Berners-Lee (Tim Berners-Lee www.w3.org/www.w3.org/). ).

Ubiquitous Computing Ubiquitous Computing

(Mark Weiser (Mark Weiser www-sul.stanford.edu/weiser/)www-sul.stanford.edu/weiser/)

Second generation KnowledgeSecond generation Knowledge ManagementManagement

The Explicit Recruitment Needs of The Explicit Recruitment Needs of Employers Employers www.lse.ac.uk/collections/CER/publications.htmwww.lse.ac.uk/collections/CER/publications.htm

The Semantic Web & The Semantic Web & Ubiquitous ComputingUbiquitous Computing

Descriptive technologies such as Descriptive technologies such as RDF and data-centric markup RDF and data-centric markup languages such as XML, ontologies languages such as XML, ontologies such as Owl.such as Owl.

The Semantic Web & The Semantic Web & Ubiquitous ComputingUbiquitous Computing

Descriptive technologies such as Descriptive technologies such as RDF and data-centric markup RDF and data-centric markup languages such as XML, ontologies languages such as XML, ontologies such as Owl.such as Owl.

Ubiquitous computingUbiquitous computing, computers , computers everywhere in the real environment everywhere in the real environment which can interconnect, exchange which can interconnect, exchange data and work together data and work together

The Future of these The Future of these TechnologiesTechnologies

It will neither be appropriate to carry a It will neither be appropriate to carry a significant quantity of information in human significant quantity of information in human memory nor to know how or where to find memory nor to know how or where to find information. information.

The Semantic Web will allow individuals to The Semantic Web will allow individuals to access the information they need in almost any access the information they need in almost any place, effortlessly and without delay. place, effortlessly and without delay.

… … so, you simply don’t get paid any more for knowing so, you simply don’t get paid any more for knowing things!things!

(What are we going to do with all this useless knowledge?)(What are we going to do with all this useless knowledge?)

Second Generation KMSecond Generation KM PeoplePeople construct and use new and valuable construct and use new and valuable

knowledge. knowledge. Storing information, disseminating Storing information, disseminating

information and imitating past performance information and imitating past performance seem less important. seem less important. Information is not seen Information is not seen as an important organizational asset. as an important organizational asset.

Learning capability, problem solving and Learning capability, problem solving and innovation capability are seen as innovation capability are seen as capitalcapital..

Effective Knowledge Management is about Effective Knowledge Management is about social factors such as team building, social factors such as team building, personal professional development, and personal professional development, and appropriate working environments appropriate working environments

Learning, problem solving and innovation Learning, problem solving and innovation are seen as are seen as socialsocial, not , not administrativeadministrative activities.activities.

……. So is that what major international companies are . So is that what major international companies are saying?saying?

The Explicit Recruitment The Explicit Recruitment Needs of EmployersNeeds of Employers

West, Noden and Gosling, based on interviews West, Noden and Gosling, based on interviews and surveys conducted in Australia, Malaysia, and surveys conducted in Australia, Malaysia, the UK and the USA identified the attributes the UK and the USA identified the attributes sought in graduates. These attributes included sought in graduates. These attributes included the the key skillskey skills team work, analytical/thinking team work, analytical/thinking skills, communication/presentation skills, skills, communication/presentation skills, interpersonal skills and the interpersonal skills and the personal attributespersonal attributes motivation/drive, business awareness, motivation/drive, business awareness, independence, creativity/innovation and independence, creativity/innovation and leadership/management leadership/management West, A., Noden, P. & Gosling, R. (2000) West, A., Noden, P. & Gosling, R. (2000) Quality in Higher Education: An Quality in Higher Education: An international perspective. The views of transnational corporationsinternational perspective. The views of transnational corporations, Clare , Clare Market Papers 17, Centre for Educational Research, LSE: London Market Papers 17, Centre for Educational Research, LSE: London

Conclusion so far … Conclusion so far …

Secondary education focuses on the Secondary education focuses on the acquisition of declarative knowledge. acquisition of declarative knowledge. (and HE too!)(and HE too!)

Education is not delivering what Education is not delivering what employees and employers need. On a employees and employers need. On a national and international basis, national and international basis, individuals, organizations and individuals, organizations and governments are spending vast sums of governments are spending vast sums of money without coming close to money without coming close to maximizing the human capital created. maximizing the human capital created.

How should education How should education respond?respond?

Two changes, the inception of the Two changes, the inception of the Semantic Web and changing Semantic Web and changing perceptions of Knowledge perceptions of Knowledge Management, seem to demand Management, seem to demand educational reform of a broadly similar educational reform of a broadly similar type, a move away from the acquisition type, a move away from the acquisition of of declarative knowledgedeclarative knowledge and towards and towards capabilities of analysis, critical capabilities of analysis, critical thought, communication and creativity.thought, communication and creativity.

… … and at this point, it would be really and at this point, it would be really nice to have a theory of learning that nice to have a theory of learning that would guide our decisions on how to would guide our decisions on how to

change educational design.change educational design.

How should education How should education respond?respond?

Theories of Theories of LearningLearning

operant conditioning operant conditioning developmental developmental

psychologypsychology cognitive psychology cognitive psychology constructivismconstructivism situated learning situated learning

theorytheory

Approaches to Approaches to Educational DesignEducational Design

My Central Claim:My Central Claim:

There is no There is no overarching theory overarching theory of learningof learning and and there is no coherent there is no coherent prescription for prescription for educational designeducational design

… … so is the situation hopeless?so is the situation hopeless?

notes on educational notes on educational theorytheory Is the theoretical basis of education too weak … Is the theoretical basis of education too weak …

or are there too many theories of education?or are there too many theories of education? Theories of education are much more ideological Theories of education are much more ideological

and much narrower than we tell our students.and much narrower than we tell our students. The fragmentation and incompleteness of The fragmentation and incompleteness of

learning theory is consistent with the experience learning theory is consistent with the experience of student teachers and teacher educators. of student teachers and teacher educators. Beginning teachers report that they do not really Beginning teachers report that they do not really know how to apply theory to their classroom know how to apply theory to their classroom experience.experience.

This fragmentation is consistent with the This fragmentation is consistent with the experience of teachers who are successful in experience of teachers who are successful in encouraging critical thinking – that successful encouraging critical thinking – that successful teaching is time-intensive and not scalable.teaching is time-intensive and not scalable.

Provocative thoughts on Provocative thoughts on educational reformeducational reform

Although we don’t have a theoretical overview, Although we don’t have a theoretical overview, some imperatives seem clear.some imperatives seem clear. Primary education seems valuable. Reading, Primary education seems valuable. Reading,

writing, measure , empirical investigation, writing, measure , empirical investigation, number and very basic background in the number and very basic background in the disciplines seem useful. disciplines seem useful.

We need to unlearn the habit of syllabus reform. We need to unlearn the habit of syllabus reform. The content of what we learn and teach does The content of what we learn and teach does not matter. (Gardner)not matter. (Gardner)

The great traditions of detailed teaching of The great traditions of detailed teaching of disciplines (Biology, Geography and so on) must disciplines (Biology, Geography and so on) must be abandoned.be abandoned.

In many countries, the school leaving age should In many countries, the school leaving age should be lowered.be lowered.

That is itThat is it

That is as far as I got when I made That is as far as I got when I made the presentation at the conference the presentation at the conference but the remainder of the slides give but the remainder of the slides give an idea of where those ideas were an idea of where those ideas were leading ….. leading …..

Is there hope?Is there hope?The apparent replacement of one educational The apparent replacement of one educational paradigm with another can be seen as a shift in paradigm with another can be seen as a shift in focus. There was sometimes little genuine focus. There was sometimes little genuine incompatibility between different theories of incompatibility between different theories of learning. We may be moving from one type of learning. We may be moving from one type of explanation to another, focusing on different explanation to another, focusing on different aspects of human behavior and trying to explain aspects of human behavior and trying to explain and understand learning at different levels of and understand learning at different levels of granularity (for example, social versus neural). A granularity (for example, social versus neural). A situation like this need not lead to the formation situation like this need not lead to the formation of opposing theoretical camps, but could invite of opposing theoretical camps, but could invite attempts to integrate various theories of learning attempts to integrate various theories of learning or, perhaps more realistically, to use them or, perhaps more realistically, to use them eclectically.eclectically.

… … which make us think about cognitive which make us think about cognitive architecturesarchitectures

Cognitive Architectures: Cognitive Architectures: what do they aim to do?what do they aim to do?

Explain experiments in human psychology.Explain experiments in human psychology. Explain at least some aspects of learning.Explain at least some aspects of learning. Provide a structure which allows some Provide a structure which allows some

aspects of human behavior to be aspects of human behavior to be reproduced artificially (i.e. support reproduced artificially (i.e. support development in AIED) development in AIED)

Support quantitative modeling, for Support quantitative modeling, for example modeling of human reaction-time example modeling of human reaction-time and forgetting.and forgetting.

Inform educational practice.Inform educational practice.

thethe ACT – RACT – R cognitive cognitive architecturearchitecture Cognitive architectures are not committed Cognitive architectures are not committed

to any particular theory or group of theories to any particular theory or group of theories but instead bring together theoretical but instead bring together theoretical perspectives, including mathematical perspectives, including mathematical models, in an attempt to explain and models, in an attempt to explain and reproduce human behavior. reproduce human behavior.

Anderson (1990)Anderson (1990) distinguishes distinguishes three layers three layers of explanation: the of explanation: the physiologicalphysiological layer layer which relates to brain function (the which relates to brain function (the subsymbolicsubsymbolic layer) ; the layer) ; the cognitivecognitive layer layer which examines thinking on a which examines thinking on a symbolic symbolic level and the 'rational' layer which focuses level and the 'rational' layer which focuses on the functional adaptation of the person on the functional adaptation of the person to the environment (I call it to the environment (I call it interactiveinteractive). ).

ACT-R 5.0 is incompleteACT-R 5.0 is incomplete Anderson, J. R., Bothell, D., Byrne, M. Anderson, J. R., Bothell, D., Byrne, M.

D., Douglass, S., Lebiere, C., & Qin, Y . D., Douglass, S., Lebiere, C., & Qin, Y . (2004). (2004). An integrated theory of the An integrated theory of the mind.mind. Psychological Review 111,Psychological Review 111, (4). (4). 1036-1060. 1036-1060.

(Latest version is ACT-R 6 version (Latest version is ACT-R 6 version 1.0b2) 1.0b2)

Looking, for example at standard Looking, for example at standard discourse theorydiscourse theory, ACT-R is too weak at , ACT-R is too weak at the interactive layerthe interactive layer to account for the to account for the comprehension of text. comprehension of text.

Learning theory at the Learning theory at the interactive layerinteractive layer

As far as I know, there are two As far as I know, there are two serious contenders, the situated serious contenders, the situated learning theory advocated by Lave learning theory advocated by Lave and Wenger and the theory of and Wenger and the theory of dialogue advocated by the Brazilian dialogue advocated by the Brazilian educator Paulo Freire.educator Paulo Freire.

So … lets look at Freire’s theory. We begin with the So … lets look at Freire’s theory. We begin with the theory of banking education …theory of banking education …

Banking EducationBanking Education

The teacher is full of knowledgeThe teacher is full of knowledge The student is a receptacle empty of The student is a receptacle empty of

knowledgeknowledge The teacher makes deposits of The teacher makes deposits of

knowledge in the student. knowledge in the student. The relationship between teacher The relationship between teacher

and student is therefore not a and student is therefore not a horizontal one but a vertical one. horizontal one but a vertical one.

The teacher-student The teacher-student relationshiprelationship

The teacher teaches and the students are taught.The teacher teaches and the students are taught. The teacher knows everything and the student The teacher knows everything and the student

knows nothing.knows nothing. The teacher thinks and the students are thought The teacher thinks and the students are thought

about.about. The teacher talks and the students listen – meekly.The teacher talks and the students listen – meekly. The teacher disciplines and the students are The teacher disciplines and the students are

disciplined.disciplined. The teacher chooses and enforces their choice, and The teacher chooses and enforces their choice, and

the student compliesthe student complies The teacher chooses the program content, and the The teacher chooses the program content, and the

students … adapt to it.students … adapt to it.

Schooling as the abuse of Schooling as the abuse of power.power.

It is this relationship which strips learning It is this relationship which strips learning of its value. The dominating relationship of its value. The dominating relationship between teacher and student that leaves between teacher and student that leaves the student domesticated, powerless and the student domesticated, powerless and passive. As students become the passive passive. As students become the passive recipients of knowledge, they learn to recipients of knowledge, they learn to experience the world and adapt to it. They experience the world and adapt to it. They learn and solve well-defined ‘real life’ learn and solve well-defined ‘real life’ problems selected for them by the problems selected for them by the teacher. They learn not to ‘read the world’ teacher. They learn not to ‘read the world’ for themselves. They are not critical for themselves. They are not critical thinkers.thinkers.

Schooling as the abuse of Schooling as the abuse of power.power.

It is this relationship which strips learning of its value. The It is this relationship which strips learning of its value. The dominating relationship between teacher and student that leaves dominating relationship between teacher and student that leaves the student domesticated, powerless and passive. As students the student domesticated, powerless and passive. As students become the passive recipients of knowledge, they learn to become the passive recipients of knowledge, they learn to experience the world and adapt to it. They learn and solve well-experience the world and adapt to it. They learn and solve well-defined ‘real life’ problems selected for them by the teacher. They defined ‘real life’ problems selected for them by the teacher. They learn not to ‘read the world’ for themselves. They are not critical learn not to ‘read the world’ for themselves. They are not critical thinkers.thinkers.

Students are required to Students are required to demonstrate that they have stored demonstrate that they have stored knowledge in their memories and knowledge in their memories and they are not asked to discover they are not asked to discover knowledge or engage in knowledge or engage in innovative problem solving. They innovative problem solving. They become disengagement from the become disengagement from the world and from each other. world and from each other.

About DialogueAbout Dialogue

Dialogue is a horizontal relationship in which Dialogue is a horizontal relationship in which one individual is one individual is with with the other. In Freire's the other. In Freire's words (Freire, 1974), it is positive, hopeful, words (Freire, 1974), it is positive, hopeful, trusting and critical. It involves two-way trusting and critical. It involves two-way communication. communication.

Banking education is a vertical relationship in Banking education is a vertical relationship in which one person is higher than the other. To which one person is higher than the other. To borrow Freire's words again, it is loveless, borrow Freire's words again, it is loveless, arrogant, hopeless, mistrustful, acritical. arrogant, hopeless, mistrustful, acritical. Broadcast does not communicate but issues Broadcast does not communicate but issues communiques; information passes in one communiques; information passes in one direction.direction.