Knowledge Representation for the Learning Sciences (401-0-1)

Instructors

Bruce Sherin

Meeting Info

Annenberg Hall 101: Mon 9:30AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

Our concern, in the Learning Sciences, is with helping individuals to learn; we want to help them learn to engage in new tasks, and to understand things that they didn't understand before. It is the assumption of this course that we will be in a better position to achieve these goals if we can somehow characterize the knowledge that individuals possess at any given time, and how this knowledge changes as they learn.

The characterization of knowledge is the business of this course. We will explore the techniques of knowledge representation, primarily as practiced by cognitive scientists. Our goals in this regard are both theoretical and methodological. We will examine various theoretical perspectives on the nature of knowledge, and we will practice various methodological and analytical techniques for studying the knowledge possessed by individuals.

The course will be divided into three main parts. We will begin with an introduction to knowledge representation. As part of this introduction, students will learn a "toolkit" of knowledge forms that can be used to describe knowledge. This initial exploration will be carried out within a number of learning domains, including mathematics, reading, and science.

Then, in the second part of the course, we will employ our toolkit to describe how the knowledge of individuals changes as they learn. Finally, in the last part week of the course, we will explore some additional topics, including the relationships among recent developments in machine learning and studies of learning in the Learning Sciences.

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: REASON: Pre-registration is not allowed for this class. Please try again during regular registration. Registration is restricted to LRN_SCI Students Only.
Add Consent: Department Consent Required