EXPERT SYSTEMS

Expert systems are one type of instructional design. In this type of instructional design the focus is on transmission of of knowledge, which is more or less direct instruction and uses outcomes based testing. The teacher decides what is important to know in this type of instructional design. In this view, instruction is a scientific discipline and founded upon this science is the technology of instructional design. There are specific assumptions upon which the science of instruction is founded. Instructional design technology is founded on scientific principles backed by empirical data. The concern of instructional science is with discovering natural principles that are associated with instructional strategies. Using these scientific principles to invent instructional design procedures and tools is what instructional design is about. Promoting the acquisition of specific knowledge and skills by students through the development of learning experiences and environments is the purpose of the technology of instructional design. Instruction is concerned with guiding students toward appropriate learning activities and appropriate knowledge, and with facilitating the rehearsal, encoding and processing of information by students. It is also concerned with monitoring student performance and giving students feedback concerning the appropriateness of their learning activities and practice performance. Instructional design is the technology that creates the learning experiences and learning environments that encourage the foregoing instructional activities.

This discussion will look at what expert systems are and how they can be utilized to enhance a classroom learning environment. First we must define just what an expert system is. Expert systems are tools that are computer-based and whose purpose is to act as intelligent aids (experts) in decision making for a wide variety of tasks. Expert systems evolved from research done in the development of artificial intelligence (AI). Artificial in this sense refers to simulated and intelligence refers to the capacity to learn, reason and understand. In effect, then, artificial intelligence refers to the ability of programs to simulate the human capability of learning, reasoning and understanding.

An expert system functions when the user gives input to the system. It cannot function without this input. The system may prompt the user for input but the user controls what information the system has access to so that it can perform the required function. There is also a knowledge base in the expert system that the system draws upon to make decisions. The basic rules for operation of the expert system are based on IF-THEN (Boolean) logic. This means that IF a condition exists, THEN some decision is made. This type of logic may be applied to a wide variety of goals and very diverse curricula. These expert systems may be applied to the realms of business and education, among others. In education they may function as mindtools, which may be defined as cognitive tools which engage and enhance thinking in learners.

Computer-based expert systems can function to amplify cognitive ability. Learners have to synthesize knowledge, reason analytically and make their reasoning explicit, which will enhance knowledge retention and result in deeper understanding and improved problem solving skills. Learners build their own knowledge base, which is reflective of their own thinking rather than just consult a knowledge base. The former requires deeper thinking than the latter. There are readily available and affordable expert systems which can be used as mindtools. These are also reasonably easy to learn.

To design an expert system for classroom use requires first of all identifying what the purpose is for building the expert system and what area the problem to be solved resides in. Secondly, solutions to the problem or decisions have to be specified. Thirdly, the attributes, factors or variables of the problem must be isolated. Rules and examples must then be generated. Next, the logic must be refined, as does the efficiency of decision making. Finally, the system must be tested. It is beneficial to have learners work together in groups to solve problems with the aid of expert systems. The different perspectives afforded by a group facilitate the development of knowledge bases.

In assessing the value of using expert systems in the classroom, it would seem that they sound very innovative and useful, but I have my doubts that the use of expert systems is going to be widespread in the near future. I do believe that these are the sorts of skills that students need to learn at school, but implementing such methods of teaching would require far more computers in the classroom than presently exist. The economic cost involved will put a damper on instituting this plan. Supposedly the software is cheap, but equipping classes with the hardware, however, is not. It will be a slow process of equipping schools with the necessary equipment to utilize these computer-based expert systems. Another issue to consider is the need for teachers to know how to use and teach others how to use these expert systems. This too will take time. There are still many teachers in the school system who are not themselves computer literate. This is one hurdle to overcome.

Another hurdle to overcome is the paradigm shift that teachers must necessarily undergo in order to utilize these expert systems. A great deal of teaching that goes on these days in the schools is still direct instruction type teaching. The fundamental assumption that lies behind this type of instruction is that a certain amount of material must be covered in order for students to progress to the next level. This type of teaching/learning situation goes on despite that fact that it is widely known that knowledge retention is very low with this method. That has not deterred many people so far and I suspect it will be some time before it does. The availability of knowledge in the public domain that is ready at hand is increasing exponentially with the growth of technological advances in computers and the growth in the number of people who have access to this type of information. I am speaking here of information found on the Internet and the world wide web, as well as that which is available on computerized encyclopedias in the schools. This availability of knowledge will make classrooms as a source of knowledge less important as time passes. Perhaps this will force schools to take a closer look at using a new teaching paradigm.

In conclusion, while I believe that this is one direction that the schools must be moving in, I believe that we should not expect a revolution to take place. The availability of funding, the equipping of teachers to utilize expert systems and overcoming inertia will all be limiting factors.