HI 6001 Knowledge Acquisition

This course will combine quantitative and qualitative methods into an integrated research approach. Much of the innovative research in Health Informatics requires that students be involved in the design and measurement of studies where reliable and valid measures do not exist for all concepts and constructs. Both methodological approaches can be combined to give insights that would not be possible from either method alone. The course will explore the methodological assumptions, the applications and the software, which can support triangulation methods.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, each student will have the opportunity to:

• Discuss at least 4 strategies for knowledge acquisition.
• Perform a laboratory experiment using at least four different strategies for knowledge acquisition.
• Compare the strengths and weakness of each of the four strategies
• Select a knowledge domain.
• Compare how each strategy elicited different domain knowledge.

Topics

• PART I: KNOWLEDGE-ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES.
• Knowledge Acquisition and Knowledge Engineering.
• Defining the Expert System.
• Obtaining a General Understanding of the Task.
• Dividing the Functionality of the Expert System.
• Learning the Steps in the Task.
• Understanding the Expert's Reasoning Process.
• Defining Important Characteristics of a Case.
• Organizing the Knowledge.
• Developing a Conceptual Model of the Expert System.
• Using the Conceptual Model.
• Reviewing the Performance of the Expert System.
• PART II: INTERVIEWING ACTIVITIES.
• Knowledge Acquisition and Interviewing.
• Interview Participants.
• Preparation for an Interview.
• Transfer of Information During an Interview.
• Interview Dialog.
• Keeping an Interview Productive.
• PART III: REVIEW.
• Knowledge-Acquisition Challenges.

Prerequisites

Consent of instructor, highspeed internet access, personal computer

Additional Information