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ATIS Applications to Education
The purpose for developing a theory of education is to provide a basis by which predictions can be made that will
optimize learning outcomes, whether those predictions relate to the best course of action to take regarding a specific
student, or the organization of the educational institution.
The difficulty with education theory to date has been its inability to make predictions founded on a unified
education theory. Education research has been, out of necessity, hypothesis-driven rather than theory-based.
Further, it has been statistic-based rather than axiomatic-based; hence, again, the necessity of relying on studies to
arrive at conclusions concerning education practice.
However, statistic-based analyses are group-predictive and can never be individually-predictive. Further, they
require a new research study for each new group of individuals or new system. It is essentially impossible to
determine if one system is in fact topologically homeomorphic to another system that would allow confident
decisions concerning both systems.
As a result, educators have difficulty predicting outcomes of specific plans and, therefore, must rely more on
unfounded assumptions than scientific certainty since it is impractical to continually conduct research for each new
desired proposal. Essentially, outcomes can never be predicted with any confidence until the research has already
been completed, thus degrading, if not nullifying, the very purpose of "prediction."
Axiomatic-based analyses provide a means to obtain confident predictions without the hypothesis-driven research
requirement.
Axiomatic Theory of Intentional Systems (ATIS) is applicable to education both in terms of theory development and helping
educators answer specific problems.
Theory Development
The development of a comprehensive and consistent education theory has been hampered by the lack of a formal,
axiomatic foundation that can provide direction to educational research.
Education theory requires the formal, axiomatic foundation of a logico-mathematical theory if it is to join the ranks
of the empirical sciences that enjoy confidence of results and a foundation on which reasoned decisions can be made.
The basis for such a scientific theory of education was initiated by Elizabeth Steiner and George Maccia at The Ohio
State University in the 1960's with the development of the SIGGS Theory. ('SIGGS' is an acronym for "Set Theory,
Information Theory, Graph Theory, and General Systems Theory.)
In the 1990's, the SIGGS Theory was further developed by Professor Theodore W. Frick at The Indiana University.
As a result of Professor Frick's research, he classified the properties of SIGGS Theory into Basic Properties, Structural
Properties, and Dynamic Properties. Raven58 Technologies' Kenneth R. Thompson recognized that the Structural
Properties represented the "topology" of a system. This lead to the recognition that the power of logic and
mathematics could now be brought to bear on the development of education theory in such a way that a true
axiomatic theory could be developed that would give educators actual predictive capabilities of educational systems.
ATIS can provide the formal, axiomatic foundation required to develop a comprehensive, predictive theory of
education.
Applications
ATIS, as a result of its predictive logic, can help educators answer specific problems of concern, including:
School Organization that Optimizes Educational Results
Classroom Organization that Optimizes Learning
Individualized Student Curriculum that Optimizes Learning
Individualized Course Work and Training that Optimizes Achievement
SimEd
SimEd is being developed by Professor Frick. He states the goal of SimEd to be as follows:
"(SimEd will be) a multimedia simulation of educational systems. My vision is that this simulation would be similar
to SimCity, SimHealth, SimAnt, etc., in that the eventual user would be able to construct different kinds of
educational systems and observe how they evolve through time. By observing the consequences of certain decisions
and actions within SimEd, users can learn from mistakes -- without suffering the consequences had such changes
actually been made in a real educational system. I envision such a tool to help educators, students, parents, school
boards and administrators, and communities at large to make intelligent decisions about how to improve or change
their own educational systems."
as a starting point for the underlying theory. He recognizes that the value of will depend on the viability of the
underlying theory. This is an important SimEd point. SimCity and other such "Sim's" do not rely on a basic theory,
since none exist. Therefore, as researchers point out, there can be little confidence in the outcomes of such
simulations; i.e., they do make for interesting games, but are a risky basis for proposing millions of dollars in
expenditures. You cannot obtain anything more out of a computer simulation than what is put into it. Without a
strong theoretical base, the outcomes are nothing more than what the designer guessed the outcomes "should be."
Even if the outcomes are founded on hypothesis-driven research, there can be no confidence that the new system
being considered actually conforms to the assumptions of the hypothesis upon which the "Sim" was designed.
ATIS Provides the Theoretical Base
ATIS can provide the formal, axiomatic foundation required to develop a comprehensive, predictive theory of
education.
The research required to further the development of ATIS will also further the development of SimEd.
The purpose for developing a theory of education is to provide a basis by which predictions can be made that will
optimize learning outcomes, whether those predictions relate to the best course of action to take regarding a specific
student, or the organization of the educational institution.
The difficulty with education theory to date has been its inability to make predictions founded on a unified
education theory. Education research has been, out of necessity, hypothesis-driven rather than theory-based.
Further, it has been statistic-based rather than axiomatic-based; hence, again, the necessity of relying on studies to
arrive at conclusions concerning education practice.
However, statistic-based analyses are group-predictive and can never be individually-predictive. Further, they
require a new research study for each new group of individuals or new system. It is essentially impossible to
determine if one system is in fact topologically homeomorphic to another system that would allow confident
decisions concerning both systems.
As a result, educators have difficulty predicting outcomes of specific plans and, therefore, must rely more on
unfounded assumptions than scientific certainty since it is impractical to continually conduct research for each new
desired proposal. Essentially, outcomes can never be predicted with any confidence until the research has already
been completed, thus degrading, if not nullifying, the very purpose of "prediction."
Axiomatic-based analyses provide a means to obtain confident predictions without the hypothesis-driven research
requirement.
Axiomatic Theory of Intentional Systems (ATIS) is applicable to education both in terms of theory development and helping
educators answer specific problems.
Theory Development
The development of a comprehensive and consistent education theory has been hampered by the lack of a formal,
axiomatic foundation that can provide direction to educational research.
Education theory requires the formal, axiomatic foundation of a logico-mathematical theory if it is to join the ranks
of the empirical sciences that enjoy confidence of results and a foundation on which reasoned decisions can be made.
The basis for such a scientific theory of education was initiated by Elizabeth Steiner and George Maccia at The Ohio
State University in the 1960's with the development of the SIGGS Theory. ('SIGGS' is an acronym for "Set Theory,
Information Theory, Graph Theory, and General Systems Theory.)
In the 1990's, the SIGGS Theory was further developed by Professor Theodore W. Frick at The Indiana University.
As a result of Professor Frick's research, he classified the properties of SIGGS Theory into Basic Properties, Structural
Properties, and Dynamic Properties. Raven58 Technologies' Kenneth R. Thompson recognized that the Structural
Properties represented the "topology" of a system. This lead to the recognition that the power of logic and
mathematics could now be brought to bear on the development of education theory in such a way that a true
axiomatic theory could be developed that would give educators actual predictive capabilities of educational systems.
ATIS can provide the formal, axiomatic foundation required to develop a comprehensive, predictive theory of
education.
Applications
ATIS, as a result of its predictive logic, can help educators answer specific problems of concern, including:
School Organization that Optimizes Educational Results
Classroom Organization that Optimizes Learning
Individualized Student Curriculum that Optimizes Learning
Individualized Course Work and Training that Optimizes Achievement
SimEd
SimEd is being developed by Professor Frick. He states the goal of SimEd to be as follows:
"(SimEd will be) a multimedia simulation of educational systems. My vision is that this simulation would be similar
to SimCity, SimHealth, SimAnt, etc., in that the eventual user would be able to construct different kinds of
educational systems and observe how they evolve through time. By observing the consequences of certain decisions
and actions within SimEd, users can learn from mistakes -- without suffering the consequences had such changes
actually been made in a real educational system. I envision such a tool to help educators, students, parents, school
boards and administrators, and communities at large to make intelligent decisions about how to improve or change
their own educational systems."
as a starting point for the underlying theory. He recognizes that the value of will depend on the viability of the
underlying theory. This is an important SimEd point. SimCity and other such "Sim's" do not rely on a basic theory,
since none exist. Therefore, as researchers point out, there can be little confidence in the outcomes of such
simulations; i.e., they do make for interesting games, but are a risky basis for proposing millions of dollars in
expenditures. You cannot obtain anything more out of a computer simulation than what is put into it. Without a
strong theoretical base, the outcomes are nothing more than what the designer guessed the outcomes "should be."
Even if the outcomes are founded on hypothesis-driven research, there can be no confidence that the new system
being considered actually conforms to the assumptions of the hypothesis upon which the "Sim" was designed.
ATIS Provides the Theoretical Base
ATIS can provide the formal, axiomatic foundation required to develop a comprehensive, predictive theory of
education.
The research required to further the development of ATIS will also further the development of SimEd.
ATIS for Education -- Introduction |
