Vision 30 – Day 3 : Me and technology
Sorting using computational thinking facilitated by Meera
The learners engaged in multisensory activities and explored the concept of bubble sort that is useful in coding and programming. It was a collaborative experience where they discussed strategies with peers to swap and arrange numbers in an ascending and descending order. They put their logical thinking hats to decode the number of passes required to sort the sets 1,5,4,3,2. to 1,2,3,4,5 by value comparison and swapping using number flash cards. Programming through machine and systematic sorting for large data learners engaged in size comparison and sorting using beads.
Kartik’s programming session with learners using Gen AI; ChatGPT.
Karthik’s session was to introduce students how to write pseudo code for 2 different lists for bubble sort and then convert that simple English sentences of pseudo code to python code using ChatGPT.
Meera’s session on Cyber safety and security
This was an awareness session for educators, caregivers and learners to have safe and informed experiences with GenAI and assistive technology. For educators and learners to use AI and strengthen their concepts requires accurate prompting skills, informed knowledge about the platforms and their effective use as AI is trained on probability statistics the accuracy is not always guaranteed thus it requires a human mind to verify and analyse the content through authentic sources. Educators were urged to ensure that learners engage with (https) secure platforms, applications, sources and do not share Personal Identifiable Information (PII) and sensitive data on social platforms.
Interaction and Valedictory session :
Dr Manohar Swaminathan and Professor Balaji Parthasarathy
Dr Manohar Swaminathan – Senior researcher; Microsoft
Professor Balaji Parthasarathy – Professor, IIITB
The session began with Bhavani a student from the Devnar school for the blind, Hyderabad gives a snapshot of the three days learning and experiences with the speakers. Dr Swaminathan acknowledged the diverse experiences and backgrounds of students, caregivers and teachers. He emphasised on joy, curiosity and play… being a child’s fundamental right and way of exploring the world. He narrated a story of a monk who set up his school in the Himalayas where children are called seeds and every teacher a gardener in the garden of love and compassion, He urged educators and parents to work on strengthening aesthetics, love for natural beings. Highlighted the multipolarity of the world in present times and competitive higher education landscape in India that defines child’s capabilities based on Institutions and degrees, he urged learners to work on their skills, talents and dreams that matter to them.
Dr Balaji Parthasarthy shared his experiences at IIT Kharagpur and switching streams from architecture to being a geographer, pursuing his love for cultures, demography. Quotes Shakespeare’s’ love for the surfaces of the earth and human life. He encouraged students to pursue their love and take responsibility for their aspirations and using AI to help them visualise their dreams.
