The availability of multiple heterogeneous, autonomous, distributed data sources containing related information has created a need for integrated access to these information systems. Heterogeneous/multi-database systems address this issue when the component data sources are database systems. Resolution of heterogeneities for integrated access requires discovering and managing certain types of k...

This paper addresses verification issues in combining knowledge bases or theories from different sources. Tile knowledge may be acquired using direct knowledge acquisition or inductive learning methods. Keeping the consistency of knowledge becomes all important issue when integrating two or more knowledge bases. Several independently consistent knowledge bases may give an inconsistent system wh...

The goal of this paper is to show how ideas from lattice theory can be used in the implementation of a knowledge representation language. First, the semantics of a simple knowledge representation language is presented. Then we show how to use Birkhoo's Representation Theorem for Finite Distributive Lattices to build incremen-tally what we call a Birkhoo implementation of a knowledge base by pro...

This paper presents a new approach and method for learning and discovering. Concept learning illustrates acquiring descriptions that make the structure of generalizations explicit. Two kinds of concept learning are distinguished inductive and deductive. The entity structure in which all components are encoded has modeled knowledge representation scheme. Discovering with process knowledge acquis...

Knowledge discovery from text and ontology learning are relatively new fields. However their usage is extended in many fields like Information Retrieval (IR) and its related domains. Human Plausible Reasoning based (HPR) IR systems for example need a knowledge base as their underlying system which is currently made by hand. In this paper we propose an architecture based on ontology learning met...

The goal of this thesis is to help make the development and use of knowledge bases more efficient. For that purpose, a new, agile knowledge engineering methodology, called RapidOWL is proposed. This methodology is based on the idea of iterative refinement, annotation and structuring of a knowledge base. A central paradigm for the RapidOWL methodology is the concentration on smallest possible in...

This paper will introduce four key aspects of the implementation of a national technology curriculum. Firstly, we will discuss how the structure of the New Zealand Technology Curriculum (Technology in the New Zealand Curriculum, Ministry of Education, 1995) attempted to reflect the nature of technology and technological practice. The structure of the curriculum in terms of the broad outcomes an...

As it should, the field of disaster research has always been responsive to real-world events. Each disaster raises new questions, calls attention to shortcomings in the existing knowledge base, and prompts new researchers to enter the field. Thus, historically, progress in understanding disaster effects leaps forward after particularly catastrophic or newsworthy events. The September 11, 2001 t...