95,874 research outputs found
On Recommendation of Learning Objects using Felder-Silverman Learning Style Model
The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.The e-learning recommender system in learning institutions is increasingly becoming the preferred mode of delivery, as it enables learning anytime, anywhere. However, delivering personalised course learning objects based on learner preferences is still a challenge. Current mainstream recommendation algorithms, such as the Collaborative Filtering (CF) and Content-Based Filtering (CBF), deal with only two types of entities, namely users and items with their ratings. However, these methods do not pay attention to student preferences, such as learning styles, which are especially important for the accuracy of course learning objects prediction or recommendation. Moreover, several recommendation techniques experience cold-start and rating sparsity problems. To address the challenge of improving the quality of recommender systems, in this paper a novel recommender algorithm for machine learning is proposed, which combines students actual rating with their learning styles to recommend Top-N course learning objects (LOs). Various recommendation techniques are considered in an experimental study investigating the best technique to use in predicting student ratings for e-learning recommender systems. We use the Felder-Silverman Learning Styles Model (FSLSM) to represent both the student learning styles and the learning object profiles. The predicted rating has been compared with the actual student rating. This approach has been experimented on 80 students for an online course created in the MOODLE Learning Management System, while the evaluation of the experiments has been performed with the Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE). The results of the experiment verify that the proposed approach provides a higher prediction rating and significantly increases the accuracy of the recommendation
Discovering the Impact of Knowledge in Recommender Systems: A Comparative Study
Recommender systems engage user profiles and appropriate filtering techniques
to assist users in finding more relevant information over the large volume of
information. User profiles play an important role in the success of
recommendation process since they model and represent the actual user needs.
However, a comprehensive literature review of recommender systems has
demonstrated no concrete study on the role and impact of knowledge in user
profiling and filtering approache. In this paper, we review the most prominent
recommender systems in the literature and examine the impression of knowledge
extracted from different sources. We then come up with this finding that
semantic information from the user context has substantial impact on the
performance of knowledge based recommender systems. Finally, some new clues for
improvement the knowledge-based profiles have been proposed.Comment: 14 pages, 3 tables; International Journal of Computer Science &
Engineering Survey (IJCSES) Vol.2, No.3, August 201
The contribution of data mining to information science
The information explosion is a serious challenge for current information institutions. On the other hand, data mining, which is the search for valuable information in large volumes of data, is one of the solutions to face this challenge. In the past several years, data mining has made a significant contribution to the field of information science. This paper examines the impact of data mining by reviewing existing applications, including personalized environments, electronic commerce, and search engines. For these three types of application, how data mining can enhance their functions is discussed. The reader of this paper is expected to get an overview of the state of the art research associated with these applications. Furthermore, we identify the limitations of current work and raise several directions for future research
Multi modal multi-semantic image retrieval
PhDThe rapid growth in the volume of visual information, e.g. image, and video can
overwhelm users’ ability to find and access the specific visual information of interest
to them. In recent years, ontology knowledge-based (KB) image information retrieval
techniques have been adopted into in order to attempt to extract knowledge from these
images, enhancing the retrieval performance. A KB framework is presented to
promote semi-automatic annotation and semantic image retrieval using multimodal
cues (visual features and text captions). In addition, a hierarchical structure for the KB
allows metadata to be shared that supports multi-semantics (polysemy) for concepts.
The framework builds up an effective knowledge base pertaining to a domain specific
image collection, e.g. sports, and is able to disambiguate and assign high level
semantics to ‘unannotated’ images.
Local feature analysis of visual content, namely using Scale Invariant Feature
Transform (SIFT) descriptors, have been deployed in the ‘Bag of Visual Words’
model (BVW) as an effective method to represent visual content information and to
enhance its classification and retrieval. Local features are more useful than global
features, e.g. colour, shape or texture, as they are invariant to image scale, orientation
and camera angle. An innovative approach is proposed for the representation,
annotation and retrieval of visual content using a hybrid technique based upon the use
of an unstructured visual word and upon a (structured) hierarchical ontology KB
model. The structural model facilitates the disambiguation of unstructured visual
words and a more effective classification of visual content, compared to a vector
space model, through exploiting local conceptual structures and their relationships.
The key contributions of this framework in using local features for image
representation include: first, a method to generate visual words using the semantic
local adaptive clustering (SLAC) algorithm which takes term weight and spatial
locations of keypoints into account. Consequently, the semantic information is
preserved. Second a technique is used to detect the domain specific ‘non-informative
visual words’ which are ineffective at representing the content of visual data and
degrade its categorisation ability. Third, a method to combine an ontology model with
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a visual word model to resolve synonym (visual heterogeneity) and polysemy
problems, is proposed. The experimental results show that this approach can discover
semantically meaningful visual content descriptions and recognise specific events,
e.g., sports events, depicted in images efficiently.
Since discovering the semantics of an image is an extremely challenging problem, one
promising approach to enhance visual content interpretation is to use any associated
textual information that accompanies an image, as a cue to predict the meaning of an
image, by transforming this textual information into a structured annotation for an
image e.g. using XML, RDF, OWL or MPEG-7. Although, text and image are distinct
types of information representation and modality, there are some strong, invariant,
implicit, connections between images and any accompanying text information.
Semantic analysis of image captions can be used by image retrieval systems to
retrieve selected images more precisely. To do this, a Natural Language Processing
(NLP) is exploited firstly in order to extract concepts from image captions. Next, an
ontology-based knowledge model is deployed in order to resolve natural language
ambiguities. To deal with the accompanying text information, two methods to extract
knowledge from textual information have been proposed. First, metadata can be
extracted automatically from text captions and restructured with respect to a semantic
model. Second, the use of LSI in relation to a domain-specific ontology-based
knowledge model enables the combined framework to tolerate ambiguities and
variations (incompleteness) of metadata. The use of the ontology-based knowledge
model allows the system to find indirectly relevant concepts in image captions and
thus leverage these to represent the semantics of images at a higher level.
Experimental results show that the proposed framework significantly enhances image
retrieval and leads to narrowing of the semantic gap between lower level machinederived
and higher level human-understandable conceptualisation
Case-based analysis in user requirements modelling for knowledge construction
Context: Learning can be regarded as knowledge construction in which prior knowledge and experience
serve as basis for the learners to expand their knowledge base. Such a process of knowledge construction
has to take place continuously in order to enhance the learners’ competence in a competitive working
environment. As the information consumers, the individual users demand personalised information provision
which meets their own specific purposes, goals, and expectations.
Objectives: The current methods in requirements engineering are capable of modelling the common
user’s behaviour in the domain of knowledge construction. The users’ requirements can be represented
as a case in the defined structure which can be reasoned to enable the requirements analysis. Such analysis
needs to be enhanced so that personalised information provision can be tackled and modelled. However,
there is a lack of suitable modelling methods to achieve this end. This paper presents a new
ontological method for capturing individual user’s requirements and transforming the requirements onto
personalised information provision specifications. Hence the right information can be provided to the
right user for the right purpose.
Method: An experiment was conducted based on the qualitative method. A medium size of group of users
participated to validate the method and its techniques, i.e. articulates, maps, configures, and learning content.
The results were used as the feedback for the improvement.
Result: The research work has produced an ontology model with a set of techniques which support the
functions for profiling user’s requirements, reasoning requirements patterns, generating workflow from
norms, and formulating information provision specifications.
Conclusion: The current requirements engineering approaches provide the methodical capability for
developing solutions. Our research outcome, i.e. the ontology model with the techniques, can further
enhance the RE approaches for modelling the individual user’s needs and discovering the user’s
requirements
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