In today’s world, artificial intelligence and machine learning are constantly in the news, and we are surrounded by devices collecting and using data about us. In an effort to foster active creation rather than passive consumption of technology, educators can offer students hands-on experiences revealing how this technology works and prompting thoughtful discussions around ethics and real-world applications.
AI vs Machine Learning
While the terms artificial intelligence and machine learning are often used interchangeably, they do mean slightly
different things. Artificial intelligence refers generally to any system that enables a machine to make a decision, while machine learning refers to systems that use large amounts of data to create models that make predictions. We are focusing on the latter, so we will use the term machine learning.
Why BirdBrain for AI Education?
BirdBrain tools are designed for meaningful learning experiences. The machine learning activities available for the Finch Robot and Hummingbird Robotics Kit are hands-on, enabling students to create and test their own machine learning models. Students will use their models to write programs with the Finch Robot or Hummingbird Robotics Kit so that they can get a better idea of the power of these models when used in software.
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Suggested Reading
Race after Technology by Ruha Benjamin: Provides a discussion of how technology is not neutral but can be racist and further racist aims, a process Benjamin terms the New Jim Code. Excerpts from this book would be an excellent basis for a discussion of ethics and justice in machine learning.
Coded Bias by Shalini Kantayya: An excellent documentary introducing the ethical issues involved in artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Catfishing on CatNet by Naomi Kritzer: This novel features a machine learning system that has become self-aware and provides an opportunity to discuss the kinds of data collected about us by these systems and how they might be used.
Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O’Neil: An engaging and accessible account of how algorithms affect our lives and the bias these algorithms incorporate the biases of society at large. Students may be particularly interested in how algorithms affect the college admissions process.