Cyborg patented?
Forbes reports that Microsoft has obtained a patent for a “conversational chatbot of a specific person” created from images, recordings, participation in social networks, emails, letters, etc., coupled with the possible generation of a 2D or 3D model of the person.
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Racial bias in algorithms
From the UK Open Data Institute’s Week in Data newsletter
This week, Twitter apologised for racial bias within its image-cropping algorithm. The feature is designed to automatically crop images to highlight focal points – including faces. But, Twitter users discovered that, in practice, white faces were focused on, and black faces were cropped out. And, Twitter isn’t the only platform struggling with its algorithm – YouTube has also announced plans to bring back higher levels of human moderation for removing content, after its AI-centred approach resulted in over-censorship, with videos being removed at far higher rates than with human moderators.
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Gap between rich and poor university students widest for 12 years
Via The Canary.
The gap between poor students and their more affluent peers attending university has widened to its largest point for 12 years, according to data published by the Department for Education (DfE).
Better-off pupils are significantly more likely to go to university than their more disadvantaged peers. And the gap between the two groups – 18.8 percentage points – is the widest it’s been since 2006/07.
The latest statistics show that 26.3% of pupils eligible for FSMs went on to university in 2018/19, compared with 45.1% of those who did not receive free meals. Only 12.7% of white British males who were eligible for FSMs went to university by the age of 19. The progression rate has fallen slightly for the first time since 2011/12, according to the DfE analysis.
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Quality Training
From Raconteur. A recent report by global learning consultancy Kineo examined the learning intentions of 8,000 employees across 13 different industries. It found a huge gap between the quality of training offered and the needs of employees. Of those surveyed, 85 per cent said they , with only 16 per cent of employees finding the learning programmes offered by their employers effective.
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Sounds of the Bazaar LIVE internet radio fest, maiden Flight +1
Congratulations Graham Marconi-Attwell – you should have listened to the conventional wisdom about not working with animals, —, or technology. BUT when you get it to work, what a powerful ‘thing’ teachers at the drop of a hat getting their students to set up a ‘radio’ broadcast involving people from all over the world; teachers, at the drop of a hat, broadcasting and collaborating with their colleagues from anywhere in the world, for free, what learning objectives will it not hit? – keep going Graham, but do let us know how to do it when you have sorted it! – it will take a while to sort out the ‘dropping the hat’ bit!
From my point of view, as someone being interviewed live, a nightmare. I could hear a question; I could answer it, and then what I said 3 minutes earlier came back into my head phones! – a bit difficult to concentrate and even more difficult decide what to say, when. I offer below a text version of what I thought I said!
MOSEP project – a Problem – Europe wide partners – need to work together, to communicate to develop things – need to use the tools to make it happen, that we did was to use the tools to collaborate, to communicate and to develop content.
To use the tools I had to master them, forced my professional development – my student see me using the tools as a natural part of my work, – I often leave Skype on during lessons – an incoming call from the other side of the world is often useful to prompt discussions – the project has resulted in our students having real face to face and online conversations with teachers from Austria, Poland, Germany, France, Bulgaria and New Zealand, AND Wales!
The Social networking bit has been useful – I now Know who I should talk to – who will know what I need know OR who will know somebody else who Will Know OR Know somebody else.
I struggled a bit with the Blogging, I was used to having an audience that responded to me and told me when I was talking rubbish – When Blogging I thought that I only had an audience if the audience posted comments – it was quite difficult to maintain the momentum or Motivation to Blogg when you think that no body is listening – you think that you have no Audience therefore to talk/to blog is pointless. BUT It appears that generally people, including regular Bloggers, do not post comments very often.
We are naturally listeners/watchers – we need motivation to contribute, to participate – this is true not just in our virtual world, but within our real communities – most community groups struggle to get active committee members etc – the virtual world is no different – citizenship education should really include encouragement to participate in virtual communities OR should it???
Graham knows that 50 + people watched Saturdays live broadcast and would expect by the end of the week 2000+ will have picked something from the recordings, yet no one, my self included, has posted a comment on his Blogg – but I have pointed to it a post to another group – networking – very rapidly everyone who is a member of an interested network will ‘know’ about it – few will comment on it, that fact that it happened will influence many things – I suppose what I am trying to say is that, now, if you contribute to something you are unlikely to get a ‘pat on the back’ – but it will, through networked ‘knowledge’ have some impact – it is worth participating and contributing!! – People WILL read and probably use it, what you think is valuable – say it! – contribute, participate, network
Networking – I was on train yesterday talking to a colleague (+listening online to Grahams maiden broadcast), our discussion moved round to ePortfolios – he showed me a QIA Subject Coaches Network Discussion that had a reference back to a post that I had made in an ePortfolio and PLTs Google Group – networks linking to networks – PERHAPS we need to get used to ‘talking’ and not to expect a response – People are listening, are watching/lurking and are using/combining/repurposing what we all say.
The main value of the Blogging process is that it does support reflective learning, to ‘write’ down or record ones thoughts and plans does help to move thinking and projects forward. Focuses thinking, supports discussion and development.
The philosophy that MOSEP developed with their tutorials has lots of potential. A wiki storing teaching and learning resources that teachers and trainers could select and assemble to produce, a course, a sequence a learning programme that could use to ‘train’/prepare teachers to be able to work with learners who are working with ePortfolios. The preparation/repurposing of multimedia resources takes time, but do add richness to the wiki.
The MOSEP project has shown that the new tools can enable teachers from across Europe to work to gather, to collaborate, to communicate and develop content. The MOSEP wiki is currently under revision – would be nice if someone picked up the concept and developed it into the high-quality, open-access training resource that it should become. It has the potential to have a major impact on learning; preparing teachers to work with students who will use the ePortfolio process, a process with the potential to transform learning.
The ePortfolio process can both support learning and the learner. It is solidly based on proven pedagogy – it builds on the Plan, Do and Review process, simply adding the record stage that in turn encourages and supports reflection.
Some personal disappointments that resources are being directed towards the tools and technology while less attention is being given to the teaching and learning challenges. The process has a lot to offer, we need to get on and use it with all learners!
Sounds of the Bazaar LIVE internet radio fest, maiden Flight +1 (Yesterday, not today)
Thank you Graham for inviting me to contribute as an additional interviewer. Little did we anticipate that this would turn into a rescue mission (while the studio hosts are chasing the bug that caused the echoing).
And many thanks to John who not only survived as an interviewee but also produced a good summary of his answers. Below, for the sake of completion, you will find the questions that I posed to John during our session:
1. Your participation in the Mosep project:
You have been an activre partner in the Mosep project. What kind of activities you and the Wolsingham school have been promoting in this project?
2. The philosophy of Mosep
Mosep stands for “More self-esteem with the help of e-portfolios”. We know from other contexts that teachers and students do not always feel empowered when e-portfolios ar brought in. How have you dealt with this in Wolsingham?
3. The Mosep knowledge resources
The Mosep project has produced a rich Wiki and the members have been blogging. There is also the Mosep study. How do you get the know-how integrated to your day-to-day practice?
4. Changing technologies, platforms and network environments
During the work of the project much has happened in the development of plaforms, in the spread of social software and in the development of social networking. How has this been reflected on the work of the project?
5. Follow-up of Mosep
Mosep will soon reach the end of the EU-funded life cycle. Much has been achieved but there are several issues for follow-up. How could the work be continued after this project period?
As you will see, John has very nicely covered the questions from his point of view. Yet, some other partners or followers of Mosep may add something to the picture.
Please, feel free to continue the discusion …