AI education for all: How to engage children to learn machine learning and neural network models?
Dr Ken Kahn
University of Oxford
Date: October 19, 2022 (Wednesday)
Time: 12:45 – 14:00
Venue: Room 202, Runme Shaw Building, HKU & Online via Zoom
Chair: Dr Gary Wong
Registration is required.
Please register at: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_regform.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=84074
Abstract:
While there are many recent efforts to teach children about artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (e.g., ai4k12.org), there are few that enable children to design and train neural network models to integrate into their apps, which is one of the core concepts in AI. In this seminar, I will introduce the eCraft2Learn neural network programming resources originally created for 11 to 14 year olds as part of a large European project. The resources are built upon Snap! a block-based programming language most similar to Scheme or Scratch. Everything is web-based for privacy, interoperability, and zero installation. I will also discuss some new research involving GPT-3 and text-to-image models for school children to engage in AI learning even in primary schools. I particularly welcome those who are interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education to join and discuss the future of AI education as the global trend.
About the speaker:
Ken Kahn did his doctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the 1970s. He was a member of the MIT AI lab and he was a senior researcher at the University of Oxford.
Most recently Ken worked on three machine learning projects at the University of Oxford. One added intelligent support to the medical training games developed by the Life-saving Instructions for Emergencies project. He worked on the Onyx project developing an app for analysing finger and toe nails for indications of diseases. To support the training of community health workers he developed an app that can add category labels to spreadsheets of training communications.
He taught a project-based course on machine learning to non-CS majors at the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2021. He taught a course on agent-based modelling at Yale-NUS College in 2019. He taught Computational Thinking and Modelling at NUS 2015, 2016, and 2017.
Between January 2017 and December 2018, Ken worked on the EU-funded eCraft2Learn project. As part of that project Ken created resources to enable beginners to create AI programs. He has continued to support and develop these machine learning resources in the Snap! programming language.
For enquiries, please contact the Office of Research at 3917 8254.
