This annual report contains a summary of the research which has been carried on in the department during the 1978-1979 academic year, and information about its organizational structure, objectives, instructional programs, computing facilities, interaction within the university, and interaction with the computer and information science community.…

When a grammar is expressed in augmented transition network (ATN) form, the problem of detecting syntactic ambuguity reduces to finding all possible paths through the ATNs. Each successfully terminating path through the ATN generates an acceptable parsing of the input string. Two ATN forms, minimal-node and pseudo-tree, are described along with…

A signature tree is a binary decision tree used to classify unknown patterns. An attempt was made to develop a computer program for manipulating signature trees as a general research tool for exploring machine learning and pattern recognition. The program was applied to the problem of speech recognition to test its effectiveness for a specific…

The Augmented Human Intellect System (AHI) has been designed to facilitate communication among knowledge workers who may accomplish their entire job utilizing this advanced technology. The system is capable of sending information to geographically distributed users. It permits access to and modification of stored information by a number of persons…

The essays in this volume deal with the relationship of the computer and the arts, especially the exploration and demonstration of connections between creativity and technology, the links between scientific or mathematical approaches, intuitions, and the more irrational and oblique urges associated with the making of music, art, and poetry. The…

Discusses the CODER system, which was developed to investigate the application of artificial intelligence methods to increase the effectiveness of information retrieval systems, particularly those involving heterogeneous documents. Highlights include the use of PROLOG programing, blackboard-based designs, knowledge engineering, lexicological…

Asks three questions: (1) Are machines capable of thinking as people do? (2) How is the thinking of computers similar and different from human thinking? and (3) What exactly is thinking? Examines research in artificial intelligence. Describes the theory and research of consciousness education and discusses an emerging paradigm for human thinking…

Compares David Kearns' resentment of school performance (in the same "Kappan" issue) to the author's own frustration with Xerox photocopiers. To achieve the restructuring and choice central to Kearns' educational recovery plan, the schools will need to depend increasingly on technology (computer simulations, interactive video, and…

This paper reviews the history of separate online system interfaces which led to efforts to develop expert systems for searching databases, particularly for end users, and introduces the research on such expert systems. Appended is a bibliography of sources on interfaces and expert systems for online retrieval. (Author/EJS)

Discusses: how artificial intelligence (AI) can advance education; if the future of software lies in AI; the roots of intelligent computer-assisted instruction; protocol analysis; reactive environments; LOGO programming language; student modeling and coaching; and knowledge-based instructional programs. Numerous examples of AI programs are cited.…

The author states that graduates of junior college programs who learn COBOL will continue to find jobs, but employers will increasingly seek college graduates when filling positions for computer programers and systems analysts. Areas of growth for computer applications (services, military, data communications, and artificial intelligence) are…

This article explains how techniques of artificial intelligence are applied to expert systems for acoustic-phonetic decoding, phonological interpretation, and multi-knowledge sources for man-machine dialogue implementation. The basic ideas are illustrated with short examples. (Author/JDH)

Discusses how computers can "converse" with students for teaching purposes, demonstrates how these interactions are becoming more complex, and explains how the computer's role is becoming more "human" in giving intelligent responses to students. (HOD)

Discusses computer assisted instruction (CAI) from perspective of artificial intelligence researchers and describes program features of intelligent computer assisted instruction (ICAI) that researchers feel will improve on deficiencies of CAI. Program descriptions and sample interactions from several tutorial and expert system ICAI programs are…

Described is a college course on the use of computers in psychology that included an introduction to computers, computing, word processing, data analysis, data acquisition, artificial intelligence, computer assisted instruction, simulation, and modeling. Students conducted independent research projects using the computer. (Author/RM)