title: Learning agents: from user study to implementation

authors: Maulsby, David

subjects: computer science

abstract: Learning agents acquire procedures by being taught rather than programmed. To teach effectively, users prefer communicating in richer and more flexible ways than traditional computer dialogs allow. This paper describes the design, implementation and evaluation of a learning agent. In contrast to most Artificial Intelligence projects, the design centers on a user study, with a human-simulated agent to discover the interactions that people find natural. Our work shows that users instinctively communication via "hints," or partially-specified, ambiguous, instructions. Hints may be input verbally, or by pointing, or by selecting from menus. They may be unsolicited, or arise in response to a query from the agent. We develop a theory of instruction types for an agent to interpret them. The implementation demonstrates that computers can learn from examples and ambiguous hints. Finally, an evaluation reveals the extent to which our system meets the original design requirements.

text: Learning agents: from user study to implementation Learning agents acquire procedures by being taught rather than programmed. To teach effectively, users prefer communicating in richer and more flexible ways than traditional computer dialogs allow. This paper describes the design, implementation and evaluation of a learning agent. In contrast to most Artificial Intelligence projects, the design centers on a user study, with a human-simulated agent to discover the interactions that people find natural. Our work shows that users instinctively communication via "hints," or partially-specified, ambiguous, instructions. Hints may be input verbally, or by pointing, or by selecting from menus. They may be unsolicited, or arise in response to a query from the agent. We develop a theory of instruction types for an agent to interpret them. The implementation demonstrates that computers can learn from examples and ambiguous hints. Finally, an evaluation reveals the extent to which our system meets the original design requirements.

year: 1996-04

title: The use of paper in everyday student life

authors: Nichols, David M.

subjects: computer science

abstract: The information we encounter in modern life, in developed countries, is a hybrid of the physical and the digital. Personal archiving tools allow users to capture and retrieve aspects of their everyday lives in digital form. In this paper we use a diary study of students’ interactions with paper-based information to inform the design of such archiving tools.

text: The use of paper in everyday student life The information we encounter in modern life, in developed countries, is a hybrid of the physical and the digital. Personal archiving tools allow users to capture and retrieve aspects of their everyday lives in digital form. In this paper we use a diary study of students’ interactions with paper-based information to inform the design of such archiving tools.

year: 2009

title: A Māori Perspective of Whānau and Childrearing in the 21st Century Case Study

authors: Morehu, Colleen

subjects: childrearing

abstract: Ngā Kupu Whakataki: Abstract

The study focuses on identifying how the reconstruction of the whānau and its approach to childrearing through the colonisation of Māori society can be perceived within the experiences of the case study of four generations of one whānau.  A kaupapa Māori approach to research provided a framework for members of our whānau to socially construct their realities regarding the dynamics of our four generation whānau collaboratively.  Socio-cultural theoretical frameworks were used to analyse approaches to whānau and childrearing.

text: A Māori Perspective of Whānau and Childrearing in the 21st Century Case Study Ngā Kupu Whakataki: Abstract

The study focuses on identifying how the reconstruction of the whānau and its approach to childrearing through the colonisation of Māori society can be perceived within the experiences of the case study of four generations of one whānau.  A kaupapa Māori approach to research provided a framework for members of our whānau to socially construct their realities regarding the dynamics of our four generation whānau collaboratively.  Socio-cultural theoretical frameworks were used to analyse approaches to whānau and childrearing.

year: 2005