KNOT

DM & LA Portal > Form: Data mining and learning analytics tools

Knowledge Network Organizing Tool (KNOT)

Developed by:
License: Free&Open source
Web page : Tool homepage
Tool type : Application software

The last edition of this page was on: 2014/11/11

The Completion level of this page is : Low

The last edition of this page was on: 2014/11/11 The Completion level of this page is : Low

SHORT DESCRIPTION

[[has description::Quote from the software home page (11(2014):

The Knowledge Network Organizing Tool (KNOT) is built around the Pathfinder network generation algorithm. There are also several other components (see below). Pathfinder algorithms take estimates of the proximities between pairs of items as input and define a network representation of the items. The network (a PFNET) consists of the items as nodes and a set of links (which may be either directed or undirected for symmetrical or non-symmetrical proximity estimates) connecting pairs of the nodes. The set of links is determined by patterns of proximities in the data and parameters of Pathfinder algorithms. For details on the method and its applications see R. Schvaneveldt (Editor), Pathfinder Associative Networks: Studies in Knowledge Organization. Norwood, NJ: Ablex, 1990.

The Pathfinder software includes several programs and utilities to facilitate Pathfinder network analyses of proximity data. The system is oriented around producing pictures of the solutions, but representations of networks and other information are also available in the form of text files which can be used with other software. The positions of nodes for displays are computed using an algorithm described by Kamada and Kawai (1989, Information Processing Letters, 31, 7-15).

TOOL CHARACTERISTICS

Usability

Authors of this page consider that this tool is somewhat difficult to use.

Tool orientation

This tool is designed for general purpose analysis.

Data mining type

This tool is made for Structured data mining.

Manipulation type

This tool is designed for Data analysis.

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IMPORT FORMAT :

EXPORT FORMAT :

Tool objective(s) in the field of Learning Sciences

☑ Analysis & Visualisation of data
☑ Predicting student performance
☑ Student modelling
☑ Social Network Analysis (SNA)
☑ Constructing courseware

☑ Providing feedback for supporting instructors:
☑ Recommendations for students
☑ Grouping students:
☑ Developing concept maps:
☑ Planning/scheduling/monitoring
☑ Experimentation/observation

Tool can perform:

* Data extraction of type:

* Transformation of type:

* Data analysis of type:

* Data visualisation of type: (These visualisations can be interactive and updated in "real time")

ABOUT USERS

Tool is suitable for:

Students/Learners/Consumers

Teachers/Tutors/Managers

Researchers

Developers/Designers

Organisations/Institutions/Firms

Others

Required skills:

STATISTICS:  Medium

PROGRAMMING:  N/A

SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION:  N/A

DATA MINING MODELS:  Medium

FREE TEXT

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Tool version : Knowledge Network Organizing Tool (KNOT)
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Developed by :
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Tool Web page : http://interlinkinc.net/KNOT.html
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Tool type : Application software
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Free&Open source

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## Contents

* 1 SHORT DESCRIPTION
* 2 TOOL CHARACTERISTICS
* 3 ABOUT USER
* 4 OTHER TOOL INFORMATION
* 5 Pathfinder
* 6 Manuals
* 7 Functionality of the software

## SHORT DESCRIPTION[edit source]

* * *

Quote from the software home page (11(2014):

The Knowledge Network Organizing Tool (KNOT) is built around the Pathfinder network generation algorithm. There are also several other components (see below). Pathfinder algorithms take estimates of the proximities between pairs of items as input and define a network representation of the items. The network (a PFNET) consists of the items as nodes and a set of links (which may be either directed or undirected for symmetrical or non-symmetrical proximity estimates) connecting pairs of the nodes. The set of links is determined by patterns of proximities in the data and parameters of Pathfinder algorithms. For details on the method and its applications see R. Schvaneveldt (Editor), Pathfinder Associative Networks: Studies in Knowledge Organization. Norwood, NJ: Ablex, 1990.

The Pathfinder software includes several programs and utilities to facilitate Pathfinder network analyses of proximity data. The system is oriented around producing pictures of the solutions, but representations of networks and other information are also available in the form of text files which can be used with other software. The positions of nodes for displays are computed using an algorithm described by Kamada and Kawai (1989, Information Processing Letters, 31, 7-15).

## TOOL CHARACTERISTICS[edit source]

* * *

Tool orientation | Data mining type | Usability

|
|

This tool is designed for general purpose analysis. | This tool is designed for Structured data mining. | Authors of this page consider that this tool is somewhat difficult to use.
Data import format | Data export format

|

. | .

Tool objective(s) in the field of Learning Sciences

☑ Analysis & Visualisation of data
☑ Predicting student performance
☑ Student modelling
☑ Social Network Analysis (SNA)
☑ Constructing courseware

☑ Providing feedback for supporting instructors:
☑ Recommendations for students
☑ Grouping students:
☑ Developing concept maps:
☑ Planning/scheduling/monitoring
☑ Experimentation/observation

Can perform data extraction of type:

Can perform data transformation of type:

Can perform data analysis of type:

Can perform data visualisation of type:
(These visualisations can be interactive and updated in "real time")

## ABOUT USER[edit source]

* * *

Tool is suitable for:

Students/Learners/Consumers:☑ | Teachers/Tutors/Managers:☑ | Researchers:☑ | Organisations/Institutions/Firms:☑ | Others:☑
Required skills:

Statistics: MEDIUM | Programming:  | System administration:  | Data mining models: MEDIUM

## OTHER TOOL INFORMATION[edit source]

* * *

Knot.jpg
Knowledge Network Organizing Tool (KNOT)
Free&Open source
http://interlinkinc.net/KNOT.html
[[has description::Quote from the software home page (11(2014):

The Knowledge Network Organizing Tool (KNOT) is built around the Pathfinder network generation algorithm. There are also several other components (see below). Pathfinder algorithms take estimates of the proximities between pairs of items as input and define a network representation of the items. The network (a PFNET) consists of the items as nodes and a set of links (which may be either directed or undirected for symmetrical or non-symmetrical proximity estimates) connecting pairs of the nodes. The set of links is determined by patterns of proximities in the data and parameters of Pathfinder algorithms. For details on the method and its applications see R. Schvaneveldt (Editor), Pathfinder Associative Networks: Studies in Knowledge Organization. Norwood, NJ: Ablex, 1990.

The Pathfinder software includes several programs and utilities to facilitate Pathfinder network analyses of proximity data. The system is oriented around producing pictures of the solutions, but representations of networks and other information are also available in the form of text files which can be used with other software. The positions of nodes for displays are computed using an algorithm described by Kamada and Kawai (1989, Information Processing Letters, 31, 7-15).

General analysis
Researchers
Medium
N/A
N/A
Medium
Application software
Structured data mining
Data analysis
somewhat difficult to use
Low

## Pathfinder[edit | edit source]

"A Pathfinder network is derived from proximities for pairs of entities. Proximities can be obtained from similarities, correlations, distances, conditional probabilities, correlations, cosines or any other measure of the relationships among entities. The entities are usually concepts of some sort, but they can be anything with a pattern of relationships. In the Pathfinder network, the entities correspond to the nodes of the generated network, and the links in the network are determined by the patterns of proximities." (Download JPathfinder.doc)

## Manuals[edit | edit source]

* Download JPathfinder.doc
* Download JPathfinder Quick Guide

There is a large bibliography of research using pathfinder:

* References

## Functionality of the software[edit | edit source]

Typically KNOT input is an output of some prior data mining / aggregation process. I.e. you need a proximity matrix (called *.prx files). These are simple text files that require some simple, but strict formatting rules as explained on pages 5ff of the manual:

Line 1: Identification as data file = Data/DATA/data (must contain the word “data”);
Line 2: Type of data = dissimilarity /distance /dis/similarity/sim/probability/prob/
Line 3: Number of nodes = integer
Line 4: This line can contain anything, but it must be present. It will appear as “Info” in the Get Proximity Info table.
Line 5: Minimum data value = real number
Line 6: Maximum data value = real number
Line 7: Order of data values = matrix/upper/lower/list/coord/featur/attrib
Line 8: Data
Line 9: Data ...

* For example, ALA-Reader‎‎ can produce so-called prx files.
* Another option is Schuelke, M. J. (2012). jRateSuite, a set of free Java based proximity data collection programs. Five different data collection activities are available, but each outputs proximity files (prx) that can be analyzed by PCKNOT.

The functions supported by the KNOT software are:

* Collect pairwise rating data
* Collect rating data using a target interface
* Average multiple data files
* Compute a coherence measure on proximity data
* Correlate pairs of proximity data sets
* Generate Pathfinder networks from proximities
* Generate Threshold networks from proximities
* Generate Nearest Neighbor networks from proximities
* Compute network properties
* Merge two or more networks into one
* Compute the similarity of networks
* Handle multiple data files
* Display networks
* Move nodes to new positions (links follow)
* Print a PFnet
* Display directed links