Monday, May 31, 2021

21st Century Philosophy: An Introduction to Information Ethics | Ethics & Values - The Good Men Project

This post was previously published on researchoutreach.org under a Creative Commons License.

Information and information technologies are increasingly essential to our social, economic, and political interactions by Blog posts - Dr Brian Ball at New College of the Humanities.

Photo: Shutterstock

Artificial intelligence and information technology are part of our everyday lives; from the way we carry out our work, to the ways in which we spend our leisure time or communicate with others. It is becoming increasingly important then that we understand not just the way that this technology works and how it is developed, but also how our individual and collective thoughts might be influenced by and even manipulated through it. In this article, Dr Brian Ball of New College of the Humanities, London explains how he and his colleagues are tackling this from a philosophical perspective, and describes his aim to build capacity in information ethics and the philosophy of information technology (IT) and artificial intelligence (AI) through both research and teaching.

In 2021 we are living in the ‘Age of Information’; information technology (IT) and artificial intelligence (AI) have become an integral part of society, economics, politics and culture. This rise of IT and AI has led to a new branch of philosophy: information ethics.

Research Outreach caught up with Dr Brian Ball of New College of the Humanities (NCH), London, who believes that a good understanding of information ethics is critical in order for us to navigate our new technologically-driven world, and that a poor understanding, individually, collectively, and institutionally could be a threat to democracy.

Source: The Good Men Project

S&T researchers published new books | College of Arts, Sciences, and Business - Missouri S&T: Missouri University of Science and Technology

A new book written by a Missouri S&T researcher aims to better introduce students to philosophical ideas and concepts by reimagining what introductory material is presented in a beginner philosophy course.

The Liberating Art of Philosophy:
A Foundational Anthology

Dr. Ross Reed, lecturer in arts, languages, and philosophy at Missouri S&T, recently published The Liberating Art of Philosophy: A Foundational Anthology through Cognella Academic Publishing. It is Reed’s sixth published book.

“Much of what passes for ‘introductory’ material in philosophy is difficult and, to put it bluntly, not particularly interesting,” says Reed. “I wrote this book in hopes of making the subject matter not only more accessible, but also more interesting.”

In the new book, readers can find articles and abstracts that cover early philosophy from Socrates and Plato in the fourth and fifth centuries BC to more modern philosophers, including Descartes, Bacon, Hobbes, Wollstonecraft and more. The book also looks at Asian and Ancient Near Eastern philosophies from China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq.

S&T math professors publish two new books by Peter Ehrhard, Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Two researchers from Missouri S&T have recently published new books focusing on advanced topics in mathematics.

Dr. Martin Bohner, Curators’ Distinguished Professor of mathematics and statistics, is a co-author of the book Lyapunov Inequalities and Applications. Dr. Vy Le, professor of mathematics and statistics, is a co-author of the book Multi-Valued Variational Inequalities and Inclusions. Both books are published by Springer.

About Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,600 students and part of the four-campus University of Missouri System. Located in Rolla, Missouri, Missouri S&T offers 99 different degree programs in 40 areas of study and is ranked by CollegeFactual as the best public university to study engineering.

For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.

Source: Missouri S&T: Missouri University of Science and Technology

Sunday, May 30, 2021

Suggested Books of the Week 20, 2021 | Books - Helge Scherlund's eLearning News

Check out these books below by Cambridge University Press.

Abstract Algebra - A Comprehensive Introduction

Abstract Algebra
A Comprehensive Introduction

Through this book, upper undergraduate mathematics majors will master a challenging yet rewarding subject, and approach advanced studies in algebra, number theory and geometry with confidence...

Galois theory and its applications to polynomial equations and geometric constructions are treated in depth. Those interested in computations will appreciate the novel treatment of division algorithms. This rigorous text 'gets to the point', focusing on concisely demonstrating the concept at hand, taking a 'definitions first, examples next' approach. Exercises reinforce the main ideas of the text and encourage students' creativity.

Date Published: April 2021

Algebra - Notes from the Underground

Algebra
Notes from the Underground

From rings to modules to groups to fields, this undergraduate introduction to abstract algebra follows an unconventional path. The text emphasizes a modern perspective on the subject, with gentle mentions of the unifying categorical principles underlying the various constructions and the role of universal properties...

Students will appreciate the text's conversational style, 400+ exercises, an appendix with complete solutions to around 150 of the main text problems, and an appendix with general background on basic logic and naïve set theory.

Treats all standard topics for a first course in detail, moving from rings to modules to groups to fields, which allows for a more gradual entry into the subject
Emphasizes a modern perspective, with hints toward category theory, exposing students to advanced topics and preparing them for graduate courses and applications of algebra in other subjects
Includes 400+ exercises, with 150 worked-out problems from the main text, and plenty of examples to help students better understand the material
Uses a conversational style and strong narrative flow that makes the material easier for students to follow and appreciate as a whole

Publication planned for: June 2021

Introduction to Linear Algebra

Introduction to Linear Algebra

Linear algebra is something all mathematics undergraduates and many other students, in subjects ranging from engineering to economics, have to learn. The fifth edition of this hugely successful textbook retains all the qualities of earlier editions, while at the same time seeing numerous minor improvements and major additions...

A dedicated and active website also offers solutions to exercises as well as new exercises from many different sources (including practice problems, exams, and development of textbook examples), plus codes in MATLAB®, Julia, and Python.

This fifth edition contains numerous minor improvements and major additions
Provides a new chapter on singular values and singular vectors, as well as a revised chapter on computing in linear algebra
A dedicated and active website offers solutions to exercises, new exercises from several sources, and codes in MATLAB®, Julia, and Python

Date Published: August 2016

Singularities, Bifurcations and Catastrophes

Singularities, Bifurcations and Catastrophes

Suitable for advanced undergraduates, postgraduates and researchers, this self-contained textbook provides an introduction to the mathematics lying at the foundations of bifurcation theory. The theory is built up gradually, beginning with the well-developed approach to singularity theory through right-equivalence...

Based on the author's own teaching experience, the book contains numerous examples and illustrations. The wealth of end-of-chapter problems develop and reinforce understanding of the key ideas and techniques: solutions to a selection are provided.

Builds up the mathematical background for a new approach to the foundations of bifurcation theory
The first two parts are of independent interest and can be the basis for an advanced undergraduate or graduate course
Contains many colour figures and exercises, with some solutions included and a manual for selected others available for teachers

Publication planned for: June 2021

Computer Age Statistical Inference, Student Edition - Algorithms, Evidence, and Data Science

Computer Age Statistical Inference, Student Edition
Algorithms, Evidence, and Data Science

The twenty-first century has seen a breathtaking expansion of statistical methodology, both in scope and influence. 'Data science' and 'machine learning' have become familiar terms in the news, as statistical methods are brought to bear upon the enormous data sets of modern science and commerce...

The distinctly modern approach integrates methodology and algorithms with statistical inference. Each chapter ends with class-tested exercises, and the book concludes with speculation on the future direction of statistics and data science.

Now in paperback and fortified with exercises, this book provides a course in modern statistical thinking written by two world-leading researchers
130 class-tested exercises covering theory, methods, and computation help students make the link to scientific knowledge (and uncertainty)
Clarifies both traditional methods and current, popular algorithms (e.g. neural nets, random forests), giving students a broad and modern appreciation of the topic

Publication planned for: June 2021

Mathematical Foundations of Infinite-Dimensional Statistical Models


Mathematical Foundations of Infinite-Dimensiona Statistical Models

In nonparametric and high-dimensional statistical models, the classical Gauss-Fisher-Le Cam theory of the optimality of maximum likelihood estimators and Bayesian posterior inference does not apply, and new foundations and ideas have been developed in the past several decades. This book gives a coherent account of the statistical theory in infinite-dimensional parameter spaces...

In the final chapter, the theory of adaptive inference in nonparametric models is developed, including Lepski's method, wavelet thresholding, and adaptive inference for self-similar functions.

Describes the theory of statistical inference in statistical models with an infinite-dimensional parameter space
Develops a mathematically coherent and objective approach to statistical inference
Much of the material arises from courses taught by the authors at the beginning and advanced graduate level; each section ends with exercises

Date Published: February 2016

Sit in the studyroom enjoy a hot cup of ☕️coffee and a good 📚book

Source: Cambridge University Press

The Best Books That Have Inspired Movies, From Literature to Cinema | Dispatches - We Heart

The Best Books That Have Inspired Movies
From literature to cinema, the page to the big screen, discover the best books that have inspired movies through the ages... by Steven John, author at We Heart.

Photo: Matias North.

Do you want to find out more about the movies that you’ve seen? Do you want to find out which books have inspired some of the greatest films of all time? Then the only thing that you need to do is take a look below. From literature to cinema, discover some of the best books that have inspired movies…

Source: We Heart

Companion of good books: A vendor like no other | States - The New Indian Express

Selling books old and new for three decades, A V Sasi reads every book he sells to check their worth, reports A Satish, The New Indian Express.

Actor V K Sreeraman at a book fair conducted by A V Sasi (behind him)

Unlike other vendors, AV Sasi sells only those books he feels are worthy, and makes sure to read them before embarking on a sales trip.With a bag on his shoulder, Sasi has been in the profession for the past three decades. “For the first time, Covid has kept me home. Otherwise, I always go out in the morning and meet as many people as I can,” Sasi says.

The 53-year-old was a voracious reader during his college days, thanks to the neighbourhood library in Nagaripuram in Palakkad. If he has gained any respect, it is because of the great writers whose books he carries, he says. “But there were also incidents when I was turned away. I consider it an affront to the writers and not myself,” Sasi says.

Source: The New Indian Express

The Books Briefing: What to Read This Summer | Books - The Atlantic

Every Friday in the Books Briefing, we thread together Atlantic stories on books that share similar ideas.

Works that evoke feelings of wonder about the universe, offer smart observations about life, and more: Your weekly guide to the best in books by The Atlantic Culture Desk.

Photo: CLAY HICKSON

Whether you’re in the mood to burst out the door or curl up on a couch this summer, The Atlantic’s writers and editors have reading recommendations to match. Do you want to feel wonder about the universe, or be transported to another place? Maybe you’re craving smart observations about life, a deep dive, or just a bit of human connection. If you’re looking to embrace high drama or rediscover an old gem, we have you covered too. In today’s newsletter, you’ll find a selection of books to keep you company, wherever you’ll be. (You can browse the Culture team’s full list here.)

What We’re Reading

Source: The Atlantic

Saturday, May 29, 2021

Al-Khwarizmi: The Father of Algebra | Mathematics - Medium

Hazel Clementine writes, If you’re taking algebra for the first time, you might think to yourself, algebra kind of a strange word. It doesn’t sound like people were speaking English at the time.

We call it algebra because of the person pictured in the image above. His name is Al-Khwarizmi. He writes the first algebra book around the year 800. The Soviet Union issued this postage stamp in 1983 to mark the 1200th anniversary of the birth of Al-Khwarizmi. At that time, at Al-Khwarizmi, his birthplace was part of the Soviet Union...

The town Al-Khwarizmi was born is now Kiva in Uzbekistan. So why do we call it algebra? Well, here’s a page out of Al-Khwarizmi’s book, the first algebra book written in the year 800.

The title of that book is al-Kitāb al-mukhtaṣar fī ḥisāb al-jabr wal-muqābala. In English, it is The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing. We call it algebra because of the word “al-jabr” in the title of Al-Khwarizmi’s book. The term “algebra” is part of his algebra book’s title book written in 800 by Al-Khwarizmi.

If you go to the online dictionary and look up the word algebra and look for its origins, you’ll see that same word right there. It turns out that in Al-Khwarizmi’s algebra book, we see some algorithmic processes, like long division, long multiplication, and things like that.

So if you take a computer science class, you’ll see that the word algorithm also comes from Al-Khwarizmi’s name because he’s the first person credited with showing us those algorithmic processes. So that’s the origin of the word algorithm.

Source: Medium

Artificial intelligence system could help counter the spread of disinformation | Artificial intelligence - MIT News

Built at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, the RIO program automatically detects and analyzes social media accounts that spread disinformation across a network, reports Anne McGovern, Science Writer & Editor - Lincoln Laboratory.

Photo: MIT News

Disinformation campaigns are not new — think of wartime propaganda used to sway public opinion against an enemy. What is new, however, is the use of the internet and social media to spread these campaigns. The spread of disinformation via social media has the power to change elections, strengthen conspiracy theories, and sow discord.

Steven Smith, a staff member from MIT Lincoln Laboratory’s Artificial Intelligence Software Architectures and Algorithms Group, is part of a team that set out to better understand these campaigns by launching the Reconnaissance of Influence Operations (RIO) program. Their goal was to create a system that would automatically detect disinformation narratives as well as those individuals who are spreading the narratives within social media networks. Earlier this year, the team published a paper on their work in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and they received an R&D 100 award last fall...

The team envisions RIO being used by both government and industry as well as beyond social media and in the realm of traditional media such as newspapers and television. Currently, they are working with West Point student Joseph Schlessinger, who is also a graduate student at MIT and a military fellow at Lincoln Laboratory, to understand how narratives spread across European media outlets. A new follow-on program is also underway to dive into the cognitive aspects of influence operations and how individual attitudes and behaviors are affected by disinformation.

“Defending against disinformation is not only a matter of national security, but also about protecting democracy,” says Kao.

Source: MIT News

When will AI be ready to really understand a conversation? | World Changing Ideas - Fast Company

AI can do a passable job transcribing what one person says. Add multiple voices and tangents, things get a lot murkier by Sandeep Konam, machine learning expert who trained in robotics at Carnegie Mellon University.

Photo: blacklight_trace/iStock, Slim3D/iStock

Imagine holding a meeting about a new product release, after which AI analyzes the discussion and creates a personalized list of action items for each participant. Or talking with your doctor about a diagnosis and then having an algorithm deliver a summary of your treatment plan based on the conversation. Tools like these can be a big boost given that people typically recall less than 20% of the ideas presented in a conversation just five minutes later. In healthcare, for instance, research shows that patients forget between 40% and 80% of what their doctors tell them very shortly after a visit.

You might think that AI is ready to step into the role of serving as secretary for your next important meeting. After all, Alexa, Siri, and other voice assistants can already schedule meetings, respond to requests, and set up reminders. Impressive as today’s voice assistants and speech recognition software might be, however, developing AI that can track discussions between multiple people and understand their content and meaning presents a whole new level of challenge...

Looking to the future, AI that can understand human conversations could lay the groundwork for applications with enormous societal benefits. Real-time, accurate transcription and summarization of ideas could make global companies more productive. At an individual level, having AI that can serve as your own personal secretary can help each of us focus on being present for the conversations we’re having without worrying about note taking or something important slipping through the cracks. Down the line, AI that can not only document human conversations but also engage in them could revolutionize education, elder care, retail, and a host of other services.

Source: Fast Company

Navigating the bumpy road to ethical AI | Features - ITProPortal

José Alberto Rodríguez Ruiz, international technical director and cloud expert writes, The potential of AI is incredible but with great power comes great responsibility.

Photo: Shutterstock / pspn

AI is everywhere and the potential is incredible, but as the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. Unfortunately, the likes of Uber’s “God” mode or Deliveroo’s rider “Hunger Games” with its now deemed discriminatory algorithm, have both become infamous examples of what not to do.

Across all sectors, organizations are increasingly turning to AI to overcome business challenges and to propel their business forward, but how do we make sure to not be the next one grabbing those headlines for the wrong reasons? Where do the obstacles and particular pitfalls lie and how can organizations better look to get it right? The problems do not lie with AI itself but in how it is developed and used.

Getting ethical

First things first, organizations need to understand the reasons why ethical AI is important – beyond just not receiving bad press.

A huge benefit of AI is that it is used to make an impact at scale but that means getting it wrong or right will also have widespread consequences. Returning to those previously mentioned examples of Deliveroo and Uber, those algorithms ultimately affected many jobs and people. It’s vital not to forget that AI has a human consequence...

AI forms its patterns to produce processes for performing tasks from the data it is fed. As such, an algorithm is only as good as its data. If that data is skewed in some way, it will affect the eventual output and once patterns have been founded, AI will continue to simply follow them. Consequently, quality data is of the upmost importance, as well as understanding where that data comes from. organizations must use current, clean data and if needed, clean up data before taking any steps. In the end, the algorithm essentially implements the patterns hidden in the data; it’s data that does the heavy lifting.

Source: ITProPortal

Can Technology Breaks Help Students? | Effective Classroom Management - Faculty Focus

Over the past decade, we have been increasingly concerned by the potential of the non-academic use of smartphones and laptops that distract students during class time, argues Mark Julien, PhD, professor in the Goodman School of Business at Brock University and Craig Hyatt, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Sport Management at Brock University.

Photo: Faculty Focus

Although possible strategies have been identified to counter this problem, such as talking to students about the negative outcomes of distracted learning, naming and shaming (i.e., singling out students in class), or implementing a “no technology” rule, we felt these various practices may do more harm than good when considering the potential impact on the learning climate. Furthermore, some students may have learning disabilities, and the technology they use may be part of their accommodations.

We wondered whether asking students to refrain from the non-academic use of their personal technology until a regularly scheduled technology break during class might help students better concentrate and focus from the distractions of their phones or laptops. We wondered whether students might not only participate better in class, but also, perhaps, do better on tests. Furthermore, would these technology breaks also result in higher year-end evaluations for the professor? To answer these questions, we decided to give technology breaks to one section of an introduction to organizational behavior course (the intervention group) but not to the other session of the same course (the control group). Both sections were taught by the same instructor and had an identical number of students (35). The only difference between the sections was a three-minute technology break on two separate occasions during each three-hour class for the intervention group. The students would only be able to check their devices during these technology breaks. A participation rubric was created and administered by the teaching assistant, who had no prior knowledge of the purpose of the study or that one section had technology breaks and the other section did not. The same teaching assistant also graded the midterm and final exams for both sections of the course using a detailed answer key.

When we ran our results comparing each group, we were surprised to learn that there were no statistically significant differences between the groups for level of classroom participation, test results (for either the midterm or final exam), or instructor year-end evaluations...

We also must note that shutting down a lecture for a break of just a few minutes will add up to a significant amount of lecture material that will not be addressed over the course of a semester. As well, both the instructors and the students were well aware of when the technology breaks were supposed to occur, meaning everyone could become distracted from the lecture material as those times approached. In conclusion, we hope that our article will spark some discussion among instructors who perhaps have tried technology breaks or are considering using them in class. We believe that such breaks may still hold some potential for students.

Source: Faculty Focus

New book by Caleb T. Carr, Associate Professor of Communication | Books - Helge Scherlund's eLearning News

Take a closer look at Caleb T. Carr's new textbook for undergraduate scholars entitled, "Computer-Mediated Communication: A Theoretical and Practical Introduction to Online Human Communication"

Computer-Mediated Communication:

A Theoretical and Practical Introduction to Online Human Communication

As more of our human interaction moves online and facilitated by digital channels, it becomes increasingly important to understand how being online influences how we interact with others and ourselves. This textbook introduces students to the fundamental concepts, theories, and applications of computer-mediated communication...

Though contemporary examples are offered to illustrate theories and application, the text is written in a way that allows and encourages scholars to think about their own media use in a broader and channel-agnostic mindset, applying what they learn beyond just Instagram and Snapchat, to make sense of their modern and digital world.

Source: Amazon

Friday, May 28, 2021

2,500 years ago, the philosopher Anaxagoras brought science’s spirit to Athens | Science & Society - Science News Magazine

Tom Siegfried, contributing correspondent explains, Natural philosopher Anaxagoras promoted the view that phenomena should be explained by natural processes, not attributed to the actions of the gods.

The philosopher Anaxagoras introduced "the scientific spirit" to Athens 2,500 years ago, planting the seeds of a philosophical tradition that led to Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.
Photo: Yulia Kupeli/Alamy Stock

It doesn’t appear that anybody has noticed yet, but 2021 marks a rather important anniversary in the history of science and western civilization. It was 2,500 years ago this year that a philosopher named Anaxagoras arrived in Athens, Greece.

Nobody held any celebrations at the time, either. But it was nonetheless an important historical and intellectual landmark. Before Anaxagoras, ancient Greek science (or to be less anachronistic, natural philosophy) hadn’t actually been practiced much in Greece itself. Natural philosophy originated early in the sixth century B.C. at the Greek settlement Miletus in Ionia, the western coast of modern-day Turkey. A second branch of primordial Greek science soon took root in southern Italy after one Ionian, a math fan named Pythagoras, moved there.

Anaxagoras, born in the Ionian town of Clazomenae, was the first natural philosopher to reside in Athens and promote the Ionian philosophical outlook there. As the science historian George Sarton wrote, Anaxagoras “introduced the scientific spirit into Athens.” Soon after, Athens became the western world’s center of philosophical inquiry, as the triumvirate of Socrates, Plato and then Aristotle established philosophy as an essential component of civilized intellectual discourse.

To be honest, there is some doubt about the exact date of Anaxagoras’ move to Athens...

Despite his own considerable intellect, Anaxagoras’ theory of matter was wrong. But his reputation rests on many other contributions to scientific thought. A century ago, Thomas Heath, the eminent scholar of Greek science and math, declared that Anaxagoras was “a great man of science” who “enriched astronomy by one epoch-making discovery”: that the light of the moon is not its own, but a reflection of light from the sun. (Some scholars say he got the idea from Parmenides, but in any case, it is still very deserving for a crater near the moon’s north pole to be named Anaxagoras.)

Source: Science News Magazine

Why the world should remember Ibn Khaldun on his birthday | The Muqaddimah - TRT World

Ufuk Necat Taşçı, Current Affairs Producer at TRT World / PhD (C) inform, Science historians argue that the traces of Khaldun's theories were found in the works of world-famous intellectuals like Karl Marx, Adam Smith and David Ricardo.

Photo: TRT World

Ibn Khaldun was born May 27 1332 in Tunis, the capital city of present-day Tunisia. Raised and educated in a family of scholars and politicians, Khaldun came across as a gifted thinker right from his young age.

Although his first job as a calligrapher in Tunis was uninspiring, he evolved into a major intellectual giant. He was introduced to mathematics by his master Al Abili of Tlemcen, a city in Algeria. While studying with the fine and brightest minds of North Africa, Khaldun slowly gained expertise in the fields of philosophy, economics and social sciences.

At the age of 45, he wrote his groundbreaking book called “The Muqaddimah” in 1377. The book focussed on universal history. Several modern thinkers consider The Muqaddimah as the first academic work which deals with social sciences, demography and cultural history...

A strong philosopher who theorizes the inner face of historical events, Altas said he was also a good sociologist who described the social sphere.

“In his book Muqaddimah, Ibn Khaldun considers the field of historical social existence as an independent field of study. This is the first time in the history of science and philosophy. Secondly, he considers the historical social space not normative, that is, not around the question of what should be, but around the question of what is happening,” Altas told TRT World.

Additional resources

The Muqaddimah:
An Introduction to History

Source: TRT World

Spotlight on: Maths, Classics, Education and HML | Lifestyle - Varsity Online

In our second instalment of our ‘Spotlight On My Subject’ column members of the Varsity team describe what it is like to study Maths, Classics, Education and HML by Amy Howell, Senior News Editor at Varsity Publications Inc. and Classics student at Clare College, Cambridge et al.

Photo: Varsity Online

Cambridge offers a myriad of subjects; so, we at Lifestyle have decided to delve a little deeper into what the members of the Varsity team study, when they’re not busy writing for the newspaper! Last week we heard from students studying English Literature, Natural Science, HSPS (Human, Social, and Political Sciences), and MML (Modern and Medieval Languages). This week the spotlight is on: Maths, Classics, Education (with English and Drama), and HML (History and Modern Languages).

Additional resources

Spotlight on: English, Natural Sciences, HSPS and MML by Varsity Online by Varsity Online.

In the first instalment of our ‘Spotlight On My Subject’ column, various members of the Varsity team talk us through what it’s like to study their beloved subject.

Source: Varsity Online

More Connected? Additional Devices Don’t Lessen ‘Troubling’ Media Literacy Skills | Internet - EdTech Magazine: Focus on K-12

Rebecca Torchia, web editor for EdTech: Focus on K–12 says, Despite increased access to devices and the internet, studies show that K–12 students still struggle to identify credible information.

Photo: Getty Images

The pandemic brought with it an influx of devices and online connectivity for K–12 students. However, despite increased connection, researchers are consistently finding that learners of all ages are still easily fooled by misinformation and advertisements.

As students are exposed to more technology in classrooms, assignments and at home, the need to teach them how to properly use these tools becomes more critical. Students are not only consuming information and media for school projects, but also are able to share it with large audiences...

Why Is Teaching Media Literacy Important in the Digital Age?

In 2019, the Stanford History Education Group released a study — a follow-up to the research they conducted in 2016 — in which 90 percent of high school students failed four of six information literacy assessments. The researchers called the results “troubling,” and they aren’t the only observers to reach this conclusion.

Source: EdTech Magazine: Focus on K-12

Employees turning to self-directed learning to increase skills development and agility at work throughout the pandemic | News archive - Onrec

Stuart Gentle, Publisher at Onrec observes, New insights from Cornerstone OnDemand reveal three-fold increase in self-directed learning across Europe since Q1 2020, with a 6x spike from July to October 2020.

Photo: Onrec

The pandemic is driving employees’ appetite for self-directed learning, new data has revealed, highlighting the need for organisations to provide adequate learning resources.

This is according to data insights from Cornerstone OnDemand, which showed a six-fold increase in EMEA online learning course registrations in early 2020 when the pandemic hit. While this initial spike has since slightly decreased, online self-directed learning is currently still three times higher than before the pandemic, demonstrating employees’ ongoing desire and need to adapt and expand their skillsets...

To further respond to this growing and varying demand for self-driven learning, this year, Cornerstone has also formed and extended new partnerships with local content providers. The Access Group, Think Biscuit, Thrive Learning, MiCrow, Skillshub, MindTools and Finance Unlocked are some of the content partners providing a wide variety of content for people to easily upskill and reskill for the future.

Source: Onrec

Generation Z: when it comes to behaviour, not all digital natives look alike | Management - Business Reporter

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Gradually over the past few years, the once-ubiquitous discussions about millennials are being replaced by an interest in the new kids on the block: generation Z – or, to give them a recently assigned alias – “Zoomers” by Elodie Gentina, Associate professor, marketing, IÉSEG School of Management and Emma Parry, Professor of Human Resource Management, Cranfield University.

Photo: Business Reporter

According to most reckonings, to be genZ means you were born some time between 1997 and 2012 (although this varies depending on who you listen to – some estimates say the youngest Zoomers were born as late as 2015). GenZ is defined by the influential Pew Foundation as being:

More racially and ethnically diverse than any previous generation, and they are on track to be the most well-educated generation yet. They are also digital natives who have little or no memory of the world as it existed before smartphones.

But as with previous generations, the temptation is to lump this generation together and assume they all respond to similar experiences, attitudes and behaviours no matter where in the world they grow up.

Most notably, genZ has grown up in a digital world, saturated by technology...

As one of the most advanced digital economies in the world, the UAE also has one of the highest smartphone adoption rates at 96%. Generally, genZ in the UAE use their smartphones for an average of around three hours a day. But here we see the influence of the culture within different countries, as it is reported that some male family members limit the ability of their female relatives to access social networks, reflecting the traditional gender divisions within the UAE and affecting how people socialise and interact.

Source: Business Reporter

A Number Theorist Who Connects Math to Other Creative Pursuits | Mathematics - Quanta Magazine

Steve Nadis, Contributing Writer summarizes, Jordan Ellenberg, enjoys studying — and writing about — the mathematics underlying everyday phenomena.

Ellenberg is the author of three books, including a novel. His newest work, Shape, explores the world of geometry.

“There are many different pathways into mathematics,” said Jordan Ellenberg, a mathematician at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. “There is the stereotype that interest in math displays itself early. That is definitely not true in general. It’s not the universal story — but it is my story.”

That account was backed up by a biostatistician at the University of Pennsylvania — his mother, Susan Ellenberg. “Jordan recognized numbers before he could walk,” she said. “We’d be going someplace with him, and he’d start to call out numbers, and his father and I would have to figure out where he was seeing them. Each night, he’d ask me to teach him something new about math.” When he was in second grade, a local teacher began taking him through the high school math curriculum. Ever since, he’s been preoccupied with mathematics — though not exclusively so.

After graduating from Harvard University in 1993, Ellenberg completed a one-year master’s program in fiction writing at Johns Hopkins University, where he wrote a novel that was published a decade later, titled The Grasshopper King. But he always felt that he would eventually return to mathematics, and in 1994 he entered a doctoral program back at Harvard, pursuing research under the supervision of Barry Mazur, a number theorist...

Quanta spoke with Ellenberg earlier this month about geometry, electoral math and creativity. The interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Additional resources


Shape: The Hidden Geometry of Information, Biology, Strategy, Democracy, and Everything Else

Source: Quanta Magazine

What Is Human Resource Development (HRD)? | UNESCO-UNEVOC

Human Resource Development (HRD) is the framework for helping employees develop their personal and organizational skills, knowledge, and abilities by UNESCO-UNEVOC.

Human Resource Development includes such opportunities as employee training, employee career development, performance management and development, coaching, mentoring, succession planning, key employee identification, tuition assistance, and organization development.

The focus of all aspects of Human Resource Development is on developing the most superior workforce so that the organization and individual employees can accomplish their work goals in service to customers.

Human Resource Development can be formal such as in classroom training, a college course, or an organizational planned change effort. Or, Human Resource Development can be informal as in employee coaching by a manager. Healthy organizations believe in Human Resource Development and cover all of these bases...

Coaching Steps

Use these steps in effective and supportive coaching.

Show confidence in the employee's ability and willingness to solve the problem. Ask him or her for help in solving the problem.Describe the performance problem. Focus on the problem or behavior that needs improvement, not the person. Ask for the employee's view of the situation.

Determine whether issues exist that limit the employee's ability to perform the task or accomplish the objective. Four common barriers are time, training, tools, and temperament. Determine how to remove these barriers.

Discuss potential solutions to the problem or improvement actions to take. Ask the employee for ideas on how to correct the problem, or prevent it from happening again.

Source: UNESCO-UNEVOC

Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC | Software - Techopedia

What Does Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) Mean? by Techopedia.

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) is a process in which human data interaction occurs through one or more networked telecommunication systems. A CMC interaction occurs through various types of networking technology and software, including email, Internet Relay Chat (IRC), instant messaging (IM), Usenet and mailing list servers.

CMC technology saves time and money in IT organizations by facilitating the use of all communication formats.

Techopedia Explains Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC)

Computer mediated communication is divided into synchronous and asynchronous modes. In synchronous communication, all participants are online simultaneously. In asynchronous communication there are time constraints on communication messages and responses, as with emails.

Source: Techopedia

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Master Python | Coding - iProgrammer

Sue Gee, Editor at I-Programmer inform, If you want to learn Python you have plenty of options. Joining a MOOC, an online course where you work at you own pace, is a great choice but the cost could quickly mount up.

Photo: iProgrammer

This is where Coursera Plus, Coursera's subscription that provides access to around 90% of its courses, seems like a really good idea.

So you're keen to learn Python. If so you are in good company. As we've reported before, see for example What Languages Do Devs Want to Learn? Python stands out as the searched-for language. Also in an earlier report we found that between a third and a half of developers with other primary languages wanted to learn it.

There are many reasons for this finding. Python is by no means a new language, but now it seems to have entered its prime. While other languages are either stuck in a rut or are in declining, Python grabs the headlines not only for increasing popularity among users but also for increasing recognition from industry leaders...

Once you've gone beyond the basics, the University of Michigan offers Python 3 Programming Specialization which is still at beginner level. But this is just the start. As I reported last week in the context of the new Postgre SQL For Everybody Specialization once you are familiar with Python you can start to gain other skills. Machine learning is just one of these and the University of Washington offers a 4-course Machine Learning Specialization. On the other hand, If want to become a Data Scientist, consider the Applied Data Science with Python Specialization consisting of 5 courses.

Source: iProgrammer

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