Focusing on students' presentations and discussions in laboratory seminars, this book presents case studies on evidence-based education using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. It proposes a system to help users complete research activities, and a machine-learning method that makes the system suitable for long-term operation by performing data mining for discussions and automatically extracting essential tasks. By illustrating the complete process - proposal, implementation, and operation - of applying machine learning techniques to real-world situations, the book will inspire researchers and professionals to develop innovative new applications for education. The book is divided into six chapters, the first of which provides an overview of AI research and practice in education. In turn, Chapter 2 describes a mechanism for applying data analytics to student discussions and utilizing the results for knowledge creation activities such as research. Based on discussion data analytics, Chapter 3 describes a creative activity support system that effectively utilizes the analytical results of the discussion for subsequent activities. Chapter 4 discusses the incorporation of a gamification method to evaluate and improve discussion skills while maintaining the motivation to participate in the discussion. Chapters 5 and 6 describe an advanced learning environment for honing students' discussion and presentation skills. Two important systems proposed here are a presentation training system using virtual reality technologies, and an interactive presentation/discussion training system using a humanoid robot. In the former, the virtual space is constructed by measuring the three-dimensional shape of the actual auditorium, presentations are performed in the same way as in the real world, and the AI as audience automatically evaluates the presentation and provides feedback. In the latter, a humanoid robot makes some remarks on and asks questions about students' presentations, and the students practice responding to it.

The technology of arti?cial intelligence is increasing its importance thanks to the rapid growth of the Internet and computer technology. In Japan, the annual conference series of JSAI (The Japanese Society for Arti?cial Intelligence) has been playing a leading role in promoting AI research, and selected papers of the annual conferences have been published in the LNAI series since 2003. This book consists of award papers from the 21st annual conference of JSAI (JSAI 2007) and selected papers from the four co-located workshops. Seven papers were awarded among more than 335 presentations in the conference and 24 papers were selected from a total of 48 presentations in the co-located workshops: Logic and Engineering of Natural Language Semantics 2007 (LENLS 2007), the International Workshop on Risk Informatics (RI 2007), the 5th Wo- shop on Learning with Logics and Logics for Learning (LLLL 2007), and the 1st International Workshop on Juris-informatics (JURISIN 2007). The award papers from JSAI 2007 underwent a rigorous selection process. Firstly, recommendations were made from three people (Session Chair, session commentator and one PC member) in each session, and then recommended - pers were carefully reviewed and voted for by PC members for ?nal selection.