Expert System

The Expert System is the "brain" of Ripple Effects system. It's what links science-based information and practices, multimedia expressions of  that  information  and those practices, user friendly learning formats, and self-identified needs of the user, in one keystroke.

A matching process and “extensive multi-level

An expert system is a computer program that rivals the judgment and behavior of the best human experts in a given domain (Feigenbaum, E. 1990, 1992, 2003; Wagman, M., 1993). It generally includes:

• A knowledge base and set of heuristics for applying the knowledge base to each particular situation that is described to the program
• An inference engine, which derives a conclusion from the facts and rules contained in the knowledge base, using a programmed logic
• An interface design -- the information structure and “look and feel” that are the learner’s door into the knowledge base

An expert system for SEL is necessarily a "fuzzy" system (Zadeh, L.A, 1976, 1994, 2001). It must allow for concepts that cannot be expressed as "true" or "false," but rather as "partially true” or “sometimes true.” It must also allow for equations that cannot be solved with single answers (one best practice), but require sets of answers, within which a good match to learner need might be found. It must allow for a multitude of situational contexts that impact recommended best practices. To add to the complexity, SEL is a domain in which the knowledge base about how people learn - what they see, feel, hear and do - directly affects what they learn.

This combination constrains the theoretical models for expert systems to match best SEL practices to each learner’s need. The key component of an intelligent system for SEL is its nuanced knowledge base, rather than an inference engine of millions of rules. In addition, the full range of proven pedagogical practices for successful delivery of SEL must be directly programmed into the interface design. The most one might reasonably expect from such a complex system is not the precision of a bone marrow match, but a set of good, “shoe-fit” options from which learners can make selections based on personal history, strengths, risk factors and simple preferences.

Ripple Effects Expert System can make million of these shoe fit matches.

A Matching Process

Triggered by cues from learners, it sorts through millions of unique possible combinations, then automatically presents the small subset of science-based information and evidence-based techniques that is most relevant to each learner, based on that person’s input and choices. It ties that delivery to data management tools to track progress and measure outcomes.

Multi-disciplnary expertise behind the scene

The expertise of a broad, multi­disciplinary group of professionals  operates behind  the scenes. Psychologists, psychiatrists, prevention practitioners, educators,  technologists, film makers, researchers,  social marketers and youth artists, actors, interns, advisors and  users have provided, vetted, and tested the evidence-based content.  The system capitalizes on the combination of storage memory, multi-media capacity, hyper link structure, learning platform and  processing speed, to capture their collective wisdom and redistribute  it, so as to provide each learner a unique  training  experience.  However, the visible experts in the system are none of these professionals, but an ethnically ambiguous pair of animated peer guides. 

Fidelity Insured

Extensive multi-level branching logic

The Expert System was designed with the recognition that multiple  risk and  protective factors from multiple domains interact with each other and operate on multiple levels. The extensive, multi­level, hyper-linked, branching logic in the expert system enables users to instantly address both symptoms and underlying causes, both meta-skills and their micro­skill components.  The rich media Whole Spectrum Content Library, and the educationally sound approaches of the  Whole Spectrum Learning Platform are available at every choice point.  This  integrated, hyper-linked structure enables individual learners to start at the same lesson, and create unique personalized interventions, based on their individual choices. 

A graphical representation of the various different paths a student might take is on the Intervention Paths page, please click on its name to see it. It describes four students’ paths through the software during a single, short intervention to address defiant
behavior. See a graphical representation of the various different paths a student might take for the same referred behavior, during a single session