From DSC:
I originally saw this at
Stanford Professors Daphne Koller & Andrew Ng
also launching a massive online learning startup [Watters]
On 01/26/2012,
in computer science, programming,
by Daniel Christian
Code wars: PHP vs Ruby vs Python – Who reigns supreme? [Infographic from Udemy]
Source: Udemy Blog
KidsRuby is for underage programmers — from etechmag.com by Sara Williams
.
Excerpt:
Computer programming is very tough no doubt but it is very interesting when you see your work is appreciated on a big platform. If you’re a kid by yourself or have kids who want to be programmers but wondering from where to start this early career then Ruby is your answer.
On 01/16/2012,
in analytics, career development, computer science, data related items, future, trends, workplace,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
I would also add that being able to program — and extract data from — educationally-related apps will be a key skill to have as well. Analytics in education continues to build up steam — though I wish such efforts and investments in analytics would be more focused on creating personalized/customized learning — and not so much on mining data for standardized testing and reporting for the legislators and administrations to review.
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On 01/06/2012,
in 24x7x365 access, computer science, digital learning, online learning, programming, web design and production,
by Daniel Christian
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On 01/04/2012,
in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, computer science, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, disruption, New "Amazon.com" of Higher Education, new business models, web-based collaboration,
by Daniel Christian
From DSC:
I read the following quote from Codecademy signs up 97,000 people for its New Year’s resolution coding class (emphasis mine):
Codecademy, a startup that uses interactive online lessons to turn anyone into a computer programmer, has signed up 97,000 students in less than 48 hours for its New Year’s resolution class Code Year. That’s more than twice as many students as were enrolled in the 150 U.S. computer science undergraduate programs that the Computer Research Association surveyed last year.
This is both positive and troubling to me. Positive in that more people will learn how to program across the world, and thus (hopefully) becoming qualified to fill many of the open programming-related positions out there. It’s troubling in that the quote mentions that within 48 hours, the number of students signed up was already more than twice the number of students enrolled in Computer Science programs at the undergraduate level in the entire United States.
What does that statement tell us?
- Are there a lot more people interested in programming out there but can’t afford to pay their way through an undergraduate program?
- That many people aren’t qualified to get into an undergraduate program but are hoping to gain skills anyway?
- Perhaps people are just trying it out and many won’t actually pursue this route…
- Perhaps there’s some duplication here, as some of the same undergrads are also enrolled in Codeacademy…
- Perhaps the people taking these courses won’t be qualified…but perhaps they will be qualified…
- Perhaps a student-teaching-student model will unfold here with massive FAQ’s and examples being developed over time…
Hmmm…regardless, this is an excellent example of the disruption being caused by technology and the Internet. I expect many more examples in 2012. Perhaps the “Walmart of Education” that I’ve been tracking over the years will have different components to it, with one major piece of it coming from the Codeacademy’s of the world.
Some of the questions that come to my mind for those of us working within higher education are:
- How do we help educate the world at more reasonable prices?
- What opportunities does the Internet offer us?
- What new business models and transformations should we be pursuing that use the Internet?
- Are there things that we can do to better address why all of these people are not enrolling in our undergraduate CS programs?
On 12/19/2011,
in changing business models, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, computer science, disruption, future, mobile technologies, programming,
by Daniel Christian
Marc Andreessen: Predictions for 2012 (and beyond) — from cnet.com by Paul Sloan
Excerpt:
Software has chewed up music and publishing. It’s eaten away at Madison Avenue. It’s swallowed up retail outlets like Tower Records. The list goes on.
No area is safe–and that’s why Andreessen sees so much opportunity.
Fueling his optimism: ubiquitous broadband, cloud computing, and, above all, the smartphone revolution. In the 1990s, the Internet led to crazy predictions that simply weren’t yet possible. Now they are.
On 11/28/2011,
in Apple, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, computer science, Google, mobile learning, mobile technologies, programming,
by Daniel Christian
The Application Island: Gaining Mobile Developer Mindshare — from readwriteweb.com by Dan Rowinski
On 11/01/2011,
in Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Deep Learning / Algorithms, business, career development, change, changing business models, computer science, disruption, economics, future, game-changing environment, global / globalization, human-computer interaction (HCI), MBA, new business models, programming, society, sociology, technology (general), trends, vendors,
by Daniel Christian
IBM sends Watson supercomputer to business school – from wired.com by Eric Smalley
Excerpt:
There have been four waves of technological innovation that disrupted the labor market over the last two and a half centuries starting with the Industrial Revolution, and we’re beginning the fifth, said IBM Chief Economist Martin Fleming. “We’re now beginning to enter into, in my view, a period where the economy is beginning to open up opportunities for the deployment of very significant innovation … We’re going to see many new industries get created, radical new technologies being deployed, but being deployed in the context of new business models,” he said.
“This will have significant implications from an income and income distribution point of view.”
The MIT economists generally agree that we’re at the beginning of a technology-driven shift in the economy and ultimately the labor market will adjust. But no one had any good news for workers in the middle of economy during the transition. “The future is already here in many ways, in terms of what technology can do,” Brynjolfsson said. “But right now the benefits are not very evenly distributed.”
On 11/01/2011,
in animation, biology, computer science, open courseware and systems, research,
by Daniel Christian
On 10/28/2011,
in computer science, programming,
by Daniel Christian
Lessons from a review of JavaScript code — from smashingmagazine.com by Addy Osmani
Excerpt:
Today we’ll look at where to get your code reviewed, how to structure your requests, and what reviewers look for. I was recently asked to review some code for a new JavaScript application, and thought I’d like to share some of my feedback, because it covers some JavaScript fundamentals that are always useful to bear in mind.
On 10/19/2011,
in Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Deep Learning / Algorithms, computer science, disruption, emerging technologies, ethics, future, human-computer interaction (HCI), pace of change, programming, robotics, society, trends,
by Daniel Christian
SingularitySummit.com — conference website
Excerpt:
The Singularity Summit is the premier dialog on the Singularity. The first Singularity Summit was held at Stanford in 2006 to further understanding and discussion about the Singularity concept and the future of human technological progress. It was founded as a venue for leading thinkers to explore the subject, whether scientist, enthusiast, or skeptic. The goal of the Summit is to improve people’s thinking about the future and increasing public awareness of radical technologies under development today and of the transformative implications of such technologies understood as part of a larger process.
Singularity Summit 2011 — from the nextbigfuture.com
Singularity Summit 2011 videos — from the nextbigfuture.com
What you missed at Singularity Summit 2011 — from technoverseblog.com
Excerpt:
- David Brin (scientist and sci-fi novelist)
- Ray Kurzweil (inventor, restless genius, and author of The Singularity is Near)
- Stephen Wolfram (physicist, developer of Mathematica and Wolfram Alpha, genius)
- Dimitry Itskov (founder of Russia 2045)
- Michael Shermer (contrarian and founder of Skeptic magazine)
- Riley “Red Balloons” Crane (post doctoral fellow at MIT Media Lab and winner of DARPA’s balloon challenge)
- Sharon Bertsch McGrayne (writer, author of “The Theory That Wound not Die”)
- Tyler Cowen (economist, George Mason University)
- Jaan Tallinn (founder of Skype)
- Ken Jennings (Jeopardy champion and loser to Watson)
- Dan Cerutti (IBM executive charged with marketing Watson)
Addendum on 10/20/11: