Tag: Education

Latest Read: How AI Works

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date August 27, 2024

How AI Works: From Sorcery to Science by Ronald T. Kneusel.

Ron holds a Ms in Physics from Michigan State University and a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Colorado Boulder. He is a senior data scientist at the Harris Corporation.

This book is one of a select few that address AI for anyone new to the world of this technology. Ron is presenting the right explanation of AI components and teaches users how to see all the pieces together.

The most inviting aspect of his work is there is not a single math equation to confront. Perhaps even more striking (and inviting) readers do not need any understanding of computer programming. Yet, it would be misleading to then think users will not really learn about AI. Ron certainly is delivering without the math and coding.

Readers will be introduced to the relationships of AI’s umbrella components machine learning, and deep learning. To start, Ron is also addressing the history of AI and why now a true revolution has started which will have large impacts across society. This includes the rise of neural networks, how they are trained, and how the magic of ChatGPT works.

Tags Artificial Intelligence, Education, knowledge

Artificial Intelligence Education Reading

Latest Read: The Worlds I See

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date August 17, 2024

The Worlds I See: Curiosity, Exploration, and Discovery at the Dawn of AI by Fei-Fei Li.

Fei-Fei holds a BA in Physics from Princeton University, MS and PhD in Electrical Engineering from California Institute of Technology. She is Professor in the Computer Science Department at Stanford University and Co-Director of Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute.

A Former Director of Stanford’s AI Lab she also served as Vice President and Chief Scientist for AI/ML at Google Cloud during her sabbatical from Stanford. She is co-founder of the nonprofit organization AI4ALL, aimed at increasing diversity and inclusion in AI education.

This book is a wonderful story of Fei-Fei’s life including the hardships her family endured leaving China to settle in America and smuggling to get by while a young girl. Another inspiration for the American dream as she took care of her ailing mother who dedicated her life to her daughter.

Throughout the book it is very clear Fei-Fei is moving between AI’s ability to become somewhat alarming to very optimistic to the potential of this technology.

Tags Artificial Intelligence, Education, Innovation

Artificial Intelligence Education Innovation Reading

Latest Read: Brave New Worlds

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date July 31, 2024

Brave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education by Salman Khan.

Sal holds BS in both mathematics and electrical engineering from MIT. He holds a MS in electrical engineering also from MIT with a MBA from Harvard Business School. Sal founded Khan Academy after tutoring his cousin in mathematics in 2004 and launched online video tutorials in 2006.

He wrote Brave New Worlds in fact for general audiences to teach them about the AI revolution in education. He addresses the implications for parents and how to best address AI for good. Sal starts simple with ChatGPT, showing how it will transform learning. In fact, there is a roadmap addressing teachers, parents, and even students on how to engage our AI world. Sal demonstrates his AI-powered tutoring service Khanmigo which was obviously developed by Khan Academy.

Readers will also appreciate this is not an AI technology book. Sal is laying out the impact upon our society and implications from educational administrators, teachers, and guidance counselors, to hiring managers. Companies will certainly demand employees be AI aware in their education to make their workplace competitive.

Tags Artificial Intelligence, Education, Innovation, knowledge

Design Education Innovation Reading

Latest Read: Sapiens

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date November 19, 2022

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. Yuval holds a PhD from the University of Oxford. He is a professor at the Department of History in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

This is an amazing book about the history of humans that should be in every K12 school. The topics he is documenting is certainly stunning. In fact, Yuval is addressing the entire evolution of human kind.

At first glance anyone would not consider that an entire history of anthropology, geography, psychology, religion, ideologies, and even how sapiens will evolve with robotic parts. This is a compliment to Yuval’s efforts.

In fact, by retracing human history, some key lessons emerge regarding historical folklore. On example is both chimps and sapiens can only organize into groups at a maximum of 150. So, humans have long believed in many myths that have ultimately sidelined the truth.

By documenting sapien migrations from eastern Asia moving into Alaska, Yuval obviously reveals movement south through Canada and down the west coast of America into Mexico culminating into South America’s southern tip roughly 150,000 years ago.

Tags Education, History of Humankind, knowledge, Sapiens, Yuval Noah Harar

Education Reading

Latest Read: The Coddling of the American Mind

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date September 4, 2022

The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff. This book is the result of their very popular article in The Atlantic magazine.

Jonathan is a social psychologist and professor of Ethical Leadership at New York University’s Stern School of Business and he is focusing on the psychology of morality and moral emotions. Greg is an author and activist and is currently serving as President of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).

Jonathan and Greg reveal how the following ideas became established after 2013: students’ feelings are always right, students should avoid pain and discomfort, and finally students should look for faults in others and not themselves.

They also address three specific untruths that are part of a larger philosophy in which students are certainly portrayed as fragile who must be protected and supervised by adults.

However, by setting aside all good intentions, they indicate untruths actually harm students by teaching them the opposite of the basic foundation of wisdom.

Admittedly, much of this is driven by social media. In fact, look at our recently finished mid term elections. In fact, candidates for public office actually campaigned stating students were identifying as cats and brining litter boxes to school.

Tags campus free speech, culture, Education, Greg Lukianoff, Jonathan Haidt, The Coddling of the American Mind, trends, trigger warnings