Reach for “Good Enough” Looking at my plans for this past week, I was pretty ambitious in what I thought I’d accomplish. And while I technically started what I said I would, we’ll have to use a very generous definition of the word start to make it work. Sometimes learning machine learning feels overwhelming to me - there’s so much involved! From matrix math and linear algebra and calculus to programming in python to applying everything to machine and deep learning projects.
A note on COVID-19 We are currently in the midst of a global pandemic, and it feels disingenuous for me not to acknowledge the context in which this learning series is being created. When faced with overwhelming circumstances, one of my go-to coping mechanisms is to spend as much time as possible learning. Burying oneself in learning doesn’t have to be your coping mechanism, and for many people I suspect that it is not.
Have you ever played Civ? You start the game by choosing your historical figure, set up your gameplay, and are suddenly dropped in the middle of nowhere. Well, you’re somewhere - but everything on the map is obscured, completely shrouded in an impenetrable fog. Which in a lot of ways is what it feels like when you decide that this is it. This time you’re going to learn Data Science//Machine Learning//AI//Deep Learning//the “it” thing of the moment.
Introduction In the midst of a three week hiatus from work I’ve found myself filling my time with long-forgotten hobbies: art, baking, design, and crafting. These have been my long-neglected creative outlets, and it’s been a wonderful experience getting back into them.
Through a series of wonderings I found myself deciding that I could absolutely, 100% crochet a blanket. I had crocheted a bit as a kid, having learned enough to make a mountain of dishcloths.
The challenge One skill that all great educators possess is the ability to ask questions. Asking the right questions at the right time of the learners in your classroom can facilitate understanding, uncover misconceptions, and indicate whether or not learners have mastered the material.
However, when you’re learning on your own you have to simultaneously fill the roles of both learner and educator, and not only know both how and when to ask yourself questions, but also answer your questions, evaluate your answers, and redirect your learning path as you progress.