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Juergen Bock

FZI Research Center for Information Technologies, Information Process Engineering, Department Member

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The University of Surrey

Marwan Q A I D Mohammed

Szilárd Aradi

Cristian C Beltran-Hernandez

Osaka University

University of Science & Technology, Bannu, Pakistan

Huazhong University of Science and Technology

Hamidreza Chitsaz

Colorado State University

Tomas Rietbergen

Antreas Antoniou

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Papers by Juergen Bock

Sim2Real Transfer for Reinforcement Learning without Dynamics Randomization

2020 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)

In this work we show how to use the Operational Space Control framework (OSC) under joint and car... more In this work we show how to use the Operational Space Control framework (OSC) under joint and cartesian constraints for reinforcement learning in cartesian space. Our method is therefore able to learn fast and with adjustable degrees of freedom, while we are able to transfer policies without additional dynamics randomizations on a KUKA LBR iiwa pegin-hole task. Before learning in simulation starts, we perform a system identification for aligning the simulation environment as far as possible with the dynamics of a real robot. Adding constraints to the OSC controller allows us to learn in a safe way on the real robot or to learn a flexible, goal conditioned policy that can be easily transferred from simulation to the real robot. 1

MapPSO results for OAEI 2010

This paper presents and discusses the results produced by the MapPSO system for the 2010 Ontology... more This paper presents and discusses the results produced by the MapPSO system for the 2010 Ontology Alignment Evaluation Initiative (OAEI). MapPSO is an ontology alignment approach based on discrete particle swarm optimisation (DPSO). Firstly, specific characteristics of the MapPSO system and their relation to the results obtained in the OAEI are discussed. Secondly, the results for the benchmarks and directory tracks are presented and discussed.

Lernpfadmodellierung mit der Webdidaktik für die adaptive Erweiterung von Lernmanagementsystemen

Im EU-FP 7-Projekt "INTUITEL" wird eine Open Source-Erweiterung für etablierte Lernmanagementsyst... more Im EU-FP 7-Projekt "INTUITEL" wird eine Open Source-Erweiterung für etablierte Lernmanagementsysteme entwickelt, die ein Automatic Educational Reasoning implementiert. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird ein Test der Lernpfade des INTUITEL Metadatensystems durch die Modellierung einer Vorlesung vorgestellt. Das Metadatensystem konnte beibehalten werden.

A Pedagogical Ontology as a Playground in Adaptive Elearning Environments

In former concepts for programmed instruction (PI), intelligent tutoring sys tems (ITS), adaptive... more In former concepts for programmed instruction (PI), intelligent tutoring sys tems (ITS), adaptive learning environments (ALE), and pedagogical recom mender system (PRE) learning is understood as similar to algorithms as a clearly describable, logical, and in this respect serious process. With this background it is attempted to create a complete description of teaching and learning for a precise support and control of learning processes in order to re place teachers. In contrast to this concept, learning in pedagogy is usually conceived as a process that cannot be fully described or understood. Teaching and learning require human understanding and thus human communication is necessary to foster learning. From this perspective, the possibilities for PI, ITS, ALE and PRE are restricted. It is assumed that within these restrictions reasonable concepts can be developed. As one approach it is suggested to re fer to the pedagogical theory of play and the understanding of pedagogical actions as art. Based on these approaches we understand the design of auto matic educational reasoning (AER) systems for learning like the creation of tools for artists. As tools we suggest a pedagogical ontology, a learner model and a reasoning engine. With these tools, teachers can create playground equipment that is played with by students. .

Ontology Merging using Answer Set Programming and Linguistic Knowledge

Abstract. With the increasing number of ontologies available on the web, the problem of merging o... more Abstract. With the increasing number of ontologies available on the web, the problem of merging ontologies from different sources to interoperate applications becomes important. This paper presents a novel approach for merging of light-weight ontologies based on answer set programming (ASP) and linguistic background knowledge. ASP provides a declarative execution environment for intuitive merging rules. WordNet provides broad linguistic knowledge that is used to identify corresponding concepts. We present a semi- ...

MapPSO and MapEVO Results for OAEI 2011

With the growth of the Linked Data Web, time-efficient Link Discovery frameworks have become indi... more With the growth of the Linked Data Web, time-efficient Link Discovery frameworks have become indispensable for implementing the fourth Linked Data principle, i.e., the provision of links between data sources. Due to the sheer size of the Data Web, detecting links even when using trivial specifications based on a single property can be very timedemanding. Moreover, non-trivial Link Discovery tasks require complex link specifications and are consequently even more challenging to optimize with respect to runtime. In this paper, we present a novel hybrid approach to link discovery that combines two very fast algorithms. Both algorithms are combined by using original insights on the translation of complex link specifications to combinations of atomic specifications via a series of operations on sets and filters. We show in three experiments that our approach outperforms SILK by more than six orders of magnitude while abiding to the restriction of not losing any link.

Ontology Alignment in the Cloud

Ontology Matching, Nov 1, 2010

Abstract. The problem of ontology alignment is prominent for applications that operate on integra... more Abstract. The problem of ontology alignment is prominent for applications that operate on integrated semantic data. With ontologies becoming numerous and increasingly large in size, scalability is an important issue for alignment tools. This work introduces a novel approach for computing ontology alignments using cloud infrastructures. An alignment algorithm based on particle swarm optimisation is deployed on a cloud infrastructure, taking advantage of its ability to harness parallel computation resources. The deployment is ...

A database backend for OWL

OWL: Experiences and Directions (OWLED 2009), CEUR Workshop Proceedings. CEUR-WS. org, Oct 23, 2009

Abstract. Most Semantic Web applications are build on top of technology based on the Semantic Web... more Abstract. Most Semantic Web applications are build on top of technology based on the Semantic Web layer cake and the W3C ontology languages RDF (S) and OWL. However RDF (S) embodies a graph abstraction model and thus is represented by triple-based artifacts. Using OWL as a language for Semantic Web knowledge-bases, this abstraction no longer holds. OWL is build up on an axiomatic model representation. Consequential storage systems focusing on the triple-based representation of ontologies seem to be no longer ...

MapPSO results for OAEI 2008

The 7th International Semantic Web Conference, Oct 26, 2008

Abstract. This paper presents and discusses the results of the latest developments of the MapPSO ... more Abstract. This paper presents and discusses the results of the latest developments of the MapPSO system, which is an ontology alignment approach that is based on discrete particle swarm optimisation. Firstly it is recalled, how the algorithm approaches the ontology matching task as an optimisation problem, and how the specific technique of particle swarm optimisation is applied. Secondly, the results are discussed, which were achieved for the Benchmark data set of the 2009 Ontology Alignment Evaluation Initiative.

Large Scale RDF Storage Solutions Evaluation

ABSTRACT

Advancement of MOOCs with Learning Pathways

by Juergen Bock, Christian Swertz, and Alexander Streicher

International Journal of Excellence in Education, 2014

In this paper, educational and technical challenges in the field of Massive Open Online Courses (... more In this paper, educational and technical challenges in the field of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), such as cultural adaptation, consideration of learning habits or the efficient construction of educational content, are outlined. We argue that learning pathways in combination with learner-centered metadata are optimal methods to meet those challenges and hence optimize learning efficiency and learning experience substantially by creating personalized learning recommendations and feedback. This is illustrated from a conceptual and technological perspective, as is currently in development in the EU-project INTUITEL. We believe that this approach not only opens up new possibilities for MOOCs, but also provides a variety of new dimensions for eLearning in general.

ICCL Summer School 2008

A Case Study on the Use of Semantic Web Technologies for Learner Guidance

by Andrea Zielinski and Juergen Bock

Personalized learning pathways have been advocated by didactic experts to overcome the problem of... more Personalized learning pathways have been advocated by didactic experts to overcome the problem of disorientation and information overload in technology enhanced learning (TEL). They are not only relevant for providing user-adaptive navigational support, but can also be used for composing learning objects into new personalized courses (sequencing and assembly). In this paper we investigate, how Semantic Web technologies can effectively support these tasks, based on a proper representation of learning objects and courses according to didactic requirements. We claim that both eLearning tasks, adaptive navigation and course assembly, call for a representational model that can capture the syntax and semantics of learning pathways adequately. In particular: (1) a new type of navigation that takes into account ordering information and the hierarchical structure of an eLearning course complemented with adaptive constraints; (2) closely tied to it, a semantic layer to guarantee interoperabil...

Personalized Web Learning by joining OER

by Juergen Bock, Kevin Fuchs, Christian Swertz, and Andrea Zielinski

In this contribution it is argued, that quality issues and didactical concerns of MOOCs may be ov... more In this contribution it is argued, that quality issues and didactical concerns of MOOCs may be overcome by relying on small Open Educational Resources, joining them into concise courses by glueing them together along predefined learning pathways with proper semantic an- notations. Such a merger does not only require conceptual work and corresponding support tools, but also a new meta data format and an engine which may interpret the semantic annotations as well as measure a learner’s response to these. These factors will then result in didacti- cally meaningful recommendations of learning objects, thereby creating a very highly personalized learning pathway for each learner. The EU FP7 project INTUITEL7 is introduced, which has already contributed to the conceptual work and is currently developing the necessary software.

Reasoning Brokerage: New Reasoning Strategies

Cognitive Technologies, 2014

More Than the Sum of Its Parts – Holistic Ontology Alignment by Population-Based Optimisation

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2012

Ontology alignment is a key challenge to allow for interoperability between heterogeneous semanti... more Ontology alignment is a key challenge to allow for interoperability between heterogeneous semantic data sources. Today, most algorithms extract an alignment from a matrix of the pairwise similarities of ontological entities of two ontologies. However, this standard approach has severe disadvantages regarding scalability and is incapable of accounting for global alignment quality criteria that go beyond the aggregation of independent pairwise correspondence evaluations. This paper considers the ontology alignment problem as an ...

ICCL Summer School 2008

Personalized web learning by joining OER

by Atta Badii, Juergen Bock, Alexander Streicher, and Andrea Zielinski

We argue that quality issues and didactical concerns of MOOCs may be overcome by relying on small... more We argue that quality issues and didactical concerns of MOOCs may be overcome by relying on small Open Educational Resources, joining them into concise courses by gluing them together along predefined learning pathways with proper semantic annotations. This new approach to adaptive learning does not attempt to model the learner, but rather concentrates on the learning process and established models thereof. Such a new approach does not only require conceptual work and corresponding support tools, but also a new meta data format and an engine which may interpret the semantic annotations as well as measure a learner's response to these. The EU FP7 project INTUITEL 7 is introduced, which employs these technologies in a novel learning environment.

Enhanced e-Learning Experience by Pushing the Limits of Semantic Web Technologies

by Juergen Bock and Andrea Zielinski

We investigate a novel approach to e-Learning using Semantic Web technologies and aiming to optim... more We investigate a novel approach to e-Learning using Semantic Web technologies and aiming to optimise the learners' experience incorporating pedagogical strategies into the learning process. The increasing availability of Semantic Web based educational resources and the establishment of open metadata standards like IEEE LOM pave the way for enhanced e-Learning systems that support personalised learning based on a reasoning framework and formal ontologies. We use ontologies to describe learning objects and the learner state, and define pedagogical recommendation axioms that specify which learning objects are best suited for a particular learner in a specific situation. Recent pedagogical findings suggest that the individual learning can be optimised by means of guidance through learning pathways, i. e., a particular order in which learning objects have to be studied. To this end, we offer an OWL model for learning pathways as structured sequences. We show the strengths and limits of OWL and propose a solution to overcome problems such as handling of soft constraints and ranking of result sets. The calculation for ranking is based on individual weights for specific contextual as well as learner profile features and considers the degree of match between learning objects and learner's needs. The validity of our approach is shown by means of real-life course material, i.e. a complete course on the Philosophy of Didactics, implemented as a prototype system and interfaced to variouss standard Learning Management Systems.

Sim2Real Transfer for Reinforcement Learning without Dynamics Randomization

2020 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)

In this work we show how to use the Operational Space Control framework (OSC) under joint and car... more In this work we show how to use the Operational Space Control framework (OSC) under joint and cartesian constraints for reinforcement learning in cartesian space. Our method is therefore able to learn fast and with adjustable degrees of freedom, while we are able to transfer policies without additional dynamics randomizations on a KUKA LBR iiwa pegin-hole task. Before learning in simulation starts, we perform a system identification for aligning the simulation environment as far as possible with the dynamics of a real robot. Adding constraints to the OSC controller allows us to learn in a safe way on the real robot or to learn a flexible, goal conditioned policy that can be easily transferred from simulation to the real robot. 1

MapPSO results for OAEI 2010

This paper presents and discusses the results produced by the MapPSO system for the 2010 Ontology... more This paper presents and discusses the results produced by the MapPSO system for the 2010 Ontology Alignment Evaluation Initiative (OAEI). MapPSO is an ontology alignment approach based on discrete particle swarm optimisation (DPSO). Firstly, specific characteristics of the MapPSO system and their relation to the results obtained in the OAEI are discussed. Secondly, the results for the benchmarks and directory tracks are presented and discussed.

Lernpfadmodellierung mit der Webdidaktik für die adaptive Erweiterung von Lernmanagementsystemen

Im EU-FP 7-Projekt "INTUITEL" wird eine Open Source-Erweiterung für etablierte Lernmanagementsyst... more Im EU-FP 7-Projekt "INTUITEL" wird eine Open Source-Erweiterung für etablierte Lernmanagementsysteme entwickelt, die ein Automatic Educational Reasoning implementiert. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird ein Test der Lernpfade des INTUITEL Metadatensystems durch die Modellierung einer Vorlesung vorgestellt. Das Metadatensystem konnte beibehalten werden.

A Pedagogical Ontology as a Playground in Adaptive Elearning Environments

In former concepts for programmed instruction (PI), intelligent tutoring sys tems (ITS), adaptive... more In former concepts for programmed instruction (PI), intelligent tutoring sys tems (ITS), adaptive learning environments (ALE), and pedagogical recom mender system (PRE) learning is understood as similar to algorithms as a clearly describable, logical, and in this respect serious process. With this background it is attempted to create a complete description of teaching and learning for a precise support and control of learning processes in order to re place teachers. In contrast to this concept, learning in pedagogy is usually conceived as a process that cannot be fully described or understood. Teaching and learning require human understanding and thus human communication is necessary to foster learning. From this perspective, the possibilities for PI, ITS, ALE and PRE are restricted. It is assumed that within these restrictions reasonable concepts can be developed. As one approach it is suggested to re fer to the pedagogical theory of play and the understanding of pedagogical actions as art. Based on these approaches we understand the design of auto matic educational reasoning (AER) systems for learning like the creation of tools for artists. As tools we suggest a pedagogical ontology, a learner model and a reasoning engine. With these tools, teachers can create playground equipment that is played with by students. .

Ontology Merging using Answer Set Programming and Linguistic Knowledge

Abstract. With the increasing number of ontologies available on the web, the problem of merging o... more Abstract. With the increasing number of ontologies available on the web, the problem of merging ontologies from different sources to interoperate applications becomes important. This paper presents a novel approach for merging of light-weight ontologies based on answer set programming (ASP) and linguistic background knowledge. ASP provides a declarative execution environment for intuitive merging rules. WordNet provides broad linguistic knowledge that is used to identify corresponding concepts. We present a semi- ...

MapPSO and MapEVO Results for OAEI 2011

With the growth of the Linked Data Web, time-efficient Link Discovery frameworks have become indi... more With the growth of the Linked Data Web, time-efficient Link Discovery frameworks have become indispensable for implementing the fourth Linked Data principle, i.e., the provision of links between data sources. Due to the sheer size of the Data Web, detecting links even when using trivial specifications based on a single property can be very timedemanding. Moreover, non-trivial Link Discovery tasks require complex link specifications and are consequently even more challenging to optimize with respect to runtime. In this paper, we present a novel hybrid approach to link discovery that combines two very fast algorithms. Both algorithms are combined by using original insights on the translation of complex link specifications to combinations of atomic specifications via a series of operations on sets and filters. We show in three experiments that our approach outperforms SILK by more than six orders of magnitude while abiding to the restriction of not losing any link.

Ontology Alignment in the Cloud

Ontology Matching, Nov 1, 2010

Abstract. The problem of ontology alignment is prominent for applications that operate on integra... more Abstract. The problem of ontology alignment is prominent for applications that operate on integrated semantic data. With ontologies becoming numerous and increasingly large in size, scalability is an important issue for alignment tools. This work introduces a novel approach for computing ontology alignments using cloud infrastructures. An alignment algorithm based on particle swarm optimisation is deployed on a cloud infrastructure, taking advantage of its ability to harness parallel computation resources. The deployment is ...

A database backend for OWL

OWL: Experiences and Directions (OWLED 2009), CEUR Workshop Proceedings. CEUR-WS. org, Oct 23, 2009

Abstract. Most Semantic Web applications are build on top of technology based on the Semantic Web... more Abstract. Most Semantic Web applications are build on top of technology based on the Semantic Web layer cake and the W3C ontology languages RDF (S) and OWL. However RDF (S) embodies a graph abstraction model and thus is represented by triple-based artifacts. Using OWL as a language for Semantic Web knowledge-bases, this abstraction no longer holds. OWL is build up on an axiomatic model representation. Consequential storage systems focusing on the triple-based representation of ontologies seem to be no longer ...

MapPSO results for OAEI 2008

The 7th International Semantic Web Conference, Oct 26, 2008

Abstract. This paper presents and discusses the results of the latest developments of the MapPSO ... more Abstract. This paper presents and discusses the results of the latest developments of the MapPSO system, which is an ontology alignment approach that is based on discrete particle swarm optimisation. Firstly it is recalled, how the algorithm approaches the ontology matching task as an optimisation problem, and how the specific technique of particle swarm optimisation is applied. Secondly, the results are discussed, which were achieved for the Benchmark data set of the 2009 Ontology Alignment Evaluation Initiative.

Large Scale RDF Storage Solutions Evaluation

ABSTRACT

Advancement of MOOCs with Learning Pathways

by Juergen Bock, Christian Swertz, and Alexander Streicher

International Journal of Excellence in Education, 2014

In this paper, educational and technical challenges in the field of Massive Open Online Courses (... more In this paper, educational and technical challenges in the field of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), such as cultural adaptation, consideration of learning habits or the efficient construction of educational content, are outlined. We argue that learning pathways in combination with learner-centered metadata are optimal methods to meet those challenges and hence optimize learning efficiency and learning experience substantially by creating personalized learning recommendations and feedback. This is illustrated from a conceptual and technological perspective, as is currently in development in the EU-project INTUITEL. We believe that this approach not only opens up new possibilities for MOOCs, but also provides a variety of new dimensions for eLearning in general.

ICCL Summer School 2008

A Case Study on the Use of Semantic Web Technologies for Learner Guidance

by Andrea Zielinski and Juergen Bock

Personalized learning pathways have been advocated by didactic experts to overcome the problem of... more Personalized learning pathways have been advocated by didactic experts to overcome the problem of disorientation and information overload in technology enhanced learning (TEL). They are not only relevant for providing user-adaptive navigational support, but can also be used for composing learning objects into new personalized courses (sequencing and assembly). In this paper we investigate, how Semantic Web technologies can effectively support these tasks, based on a proper representation of learning objects and courses according to didactic requirements. We claim that both eLearning tasks, adaptive navigation and course assembly, call for a representational model that can capture the syntax and semantics of learning pathways adequately. In particular: (1) a new type of navigation that takes into account ordering information and the hierarchical structure of an eLearning course complemented with adaptive constraints; (2) closely tied to it, a semantic layer to guarantee interoperabil...

Personalized Web Learning by joining OER

by Juergen Bock, Kevin Fuchs, Christian Swertz, and Andrea Zielinski

In this contribution it is argued, that quality issues and didactical concerns of MOOCs may be ov... more In this contribution it is argued, that quality issues and didactical concerns of MOOCs may be overcome by relying on small Open Educational Resources, joining them into concise courses by glueing them together along predefined learning pathways with proper semantic an- notations. Such a merger does not only require conceptual work and corresponding support tools, but also a new meta data format and an engine which may interpret the semantic annotations as well as measure a learner’s response to these. These factors will then result in didacti- cally meaningful recommendations of learning objects, thereby creating a very highly personalized learning pathway for each learner. The EU FP7 project INTUITEL7 is introduced, which has already contributed to the conceptual work and is currently developing the necessary software.

Reasoning Brokerage: New Reasoning Strategies

Cognitive Technologies, 2014

More Than the Sum of Its Parts – Holistic Ontology Alignment by Population-Based Optimisation

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2012

Ontology alignment is a key challenge to allow for interoperability between heterogeneous semanti... more Ontology alignment is a key challenge to allow for interoperability between heterogeneous semantic data sources. Today, most algorithms extract an alignment from a matrix of the pairwise similarities of ontological entities of two ontologies. However, this standard approach has severe disadvantages regarding scalability and is incapable of accounting for global alignment quality criteria that go beyond the aggregation of independent pairwise correspondence evaluations. This paper considers the ontology alignment problem as an ...

ICCL Summer School 2008

Personalized web learning by joining OER

by Atta Badii, Juergen Bock, Alexander Streicher, and Andrea Zielinski

We argue that quality issues and didactical concerns of MOOCs may be overcome by relying on small... more We argue that quality issues and didactical concerns of MOOCs may be overcome by relying on small Open Educational Resources, joining them into concise courses by gluing them together along predefined learning pathways with proper semantic annotations. This new approach to adaptive learning does not attempt to model the learner, but rather concentrates on the learning process and established models thereof. Such a new approach does not only require conceptual work and corresponding support tools, but also a new meta data format and an engine which may interpret the semantic annotations as well as measure a learner's response to these. The EU FP7 project INTUITEL 7 is introduced, which employs these technologies in a novel learning environment.

Enhanced e-Learning Experience by Pushing the Limits of Semantic Web Technologies

by Juergen Bock and Andrea Zielinski

We investigate a novel approach to e-Learning using Semantic Web technologies and aiming to optim... more We investigate a novel approach to e-Learning using Semantic Web technologies and aiming to optimise the learners' experience incorporating pedagogical strategies into the learning process. The increasing availability of Semantic Web based educational resources and the establishment of open metadata standards like IEEE LOM pave the way for enhanced e-Learning systems that support personalised learning based on a reasoning framework and formal ontologies. We use ontologies to describe learning objects and the learner state, and define pedagogical recommendation axioms that specify which learning objects are best suited for a particular learner in a specific situation. Recent pedagogical findings suggest that the individual learning can be optimised by means of guidance through learning pathways, i. e., a particular order in which learning objects have to be studied. To this end, we offer an OWL model for learning pathways as structured sequences. We show the strengths and limits of OWL and propose a solution to overcome problems such as handling of soft constraints and ranking of result sets. The calculation for ranking is based on individual weights for specific contextual as well as learner profile features and considers the degree of match between learning objects and learner's needs. The validity of our approach is shown by means of real-life course material, i.e. a complete course on the Philosophy of Didactics, implemented as a prototype system and interfaced to variouss standard Learning Management Systems.