Blog

Sunday, 16 February 2025

Dear Dr Raj Reddy

[ rr@cmu.edu / rrOs@andrew.cmu.edu ]. Professor at Carnegie Mellon University

Context :

For this Turing award winner , AI shows great promise and peril .. TOI .. 10 Jan 2025

Extract :

Ø One of the most compelling opportunities he described was its potential to eradicate illiteracy . “ In India, a significant percent of the population cannot read or write. Imagine giving each person, an intelligent assistant, like a ChatGPT or Google Gemini. “ he said. These systems, he explained, could engage individuals in their native languages, enabling learning without additional teachers- a concept he referred to as “ Just-in-Time learnings “

Ø AI’s potential in personalized education, Reddy said, is another promising area. Referring to Benjamin Bloom’s famous “ two sigma problem “, which demonstrated the efficacy of one-on-one tutoring, he posited that AI tutors could replicate this model for millions. “ Slow learners could progress at their own pace, while fast learners could accelerate. This could democratize education in ways we have only dreamed of “ , he said

Ø He encouraged adapting education systems to prepare students for a future where AI might be woven into everyday life. “ Electronic Calculators used to be forbidden “, he recalled. “ But eventually, we said, “ what’s the harm in letting people do arithmetic more easily ? “. Now with GPT and other AI , you don’t want to ban it. You want to learn how to use it “

Ø “ AI is primarily to be seen as enhancing the mental capabilities of the human race. We shouldn’t fear if we can do tasks ten or a hundred times faster ; it’s an expansion of our abilities. By harnessing these intelligent system’s potential wisely, we can tackle illiteracy, break language barriers, and avoid crises like extended lockdowns ( during pandemics ). The real challenge is ensuring everyone benefits equally and establishing ethical standards for all misuse “

2 SIGMA PROBLEM

The “ 2 Sigma Problem “ refers to an educational challenge identified by Benjamin Bloom in 1984, highlighting the significant learning gains achieved through personalized tutoring.

Bloom found that students who received one-on-one tutoring performed two standard deviations ( 2 sigma ) better than those in traditional class-room settings, meaning they outperformed 98 % of their peers.

However, providing such personalized instruction at scale, is impractical due to resource constraints.

The challenge lies in finding SCALABLE METHODS that replicate the effectiveness of INDIVIDUALIZED TUTORING, such as ADAPTIVE LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES , peer tutoring, or INNOVATIVE TEACHING STRATEGIES, to bridge the gap and achieve similar “ Learning Outcomes “ for all students

Dear Dr Reddy :

My hearty Congratulations on your brilliant suggestions in the vital area of Education

You have hit the nail on the head – “ PERSONALIZED AI TUTORING “ nail , on the head of head of “ TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM TEACHING “

Human Body vs Internal Combustion Engine

Dear Parents – Teachers :

Without any doubt , getting your children / students to take

Ø Self-generated MOCK TESTS in 26 languages ( NEET – JEE – CET – Standards 9^th to 12^th )

Ø Teacher-generated online-offline REAL EXAMS ( for Standards 9^th to 12^th )

- is a very valuable ( AI powered , FREE ) service of www.My-Teacher.in

But , the service of greatest value is to make them ;

Ø Think and ask “ Out of Box “ questions

Ø Curious – Inquiring – Creative

Just once – only once - motivate your children / students , to ask questions of the type shown below

Let them access www.My-Teacher.in ( Questions Beyond Syllabus ) on their MOBILES

Caution :

They may stop using Facebook – X – Instagram !

26 Jan 2025

My Question :

“ In terms of generating energy from fuel and then using it to do work , are human body and internal combustion engine, comparable ? If yes , how does a body manage to produce energy despite a very small temperature difference between the ambient temperature and the body temperature , as compared to an IC Engine ? “

www.My-Teacher.in ( Questions Beyond Syllabus ) replied :

“ Yes, the human body and an internal combustion engine are comparable in terms of generating energy from fuel and then using it to do work. Both systems convert chemical energy into usable forms of energy, albeit through different mechanisms.

In an internal combustion engine, fuel combusts at high temperatures, creating a significant temperature difference that drives mechanical work through expansion and movement of pistons or turbines.

The human body operates differently. It converts chemical energy from food into ATP (adenosine triphosphate) through metabolic processes involving enzymes in a series of biochemical reactions known as cellular respiration. This process occurs at body temperature, which is much closer to ambient temperature compared to the high temperatures in combustion engines.

Despite this small temperature difference between the body's internal environment and its surroundings, the human body efficiently produces energy due to the highly controlled enzymatic reactions that facilitate direct conversion of chemical energy into ATP without needing a large thermal gradient. This ATP then powers various biological functions such as muscle contraction, nerve transmission, and other cellular activities essential for life. “

How to Leapfrog the Digital Divide in Schools ?

Context :

Digital divide: 32% of Indian schools have functional computers, shows UDISE..BL. 13 Jan 2025

Extract :

Digitisation has been steadily advancing in India; however, most schools still lack basic infrastructure.

According to the newly released UDISE 2023-24 report, only 32.4 per cent of India’s 14.7 lakh schools have access to functional computers. Furthermore, only 24.4 per cent of schools have smart classrooms, and 24.2 per cent rely on mobile phones for teaching purposes.

The data highlights a significant disparity between private and government schools in terms of digital infrastructure.

Of the 3.3 lakh private unaided schools,

Ø 60 per cent are equipped with desktop computers,

Ø 40.8 per cent with laptops or notebooks and

Ø 34.6 per cent have smart classrooms.

In contrast, of the 10.1 lakh government schools

Ø only 21.4 per cent have desktops,

Ø 22.2 per cent have tablets, and

Ø 21.2 per cent have smart classrooms.

Availability of functional computer and internet facilities has also grown over the past five years, though only in about half of the schools in India.

Functional computer increased from 37.1 per cent in 2019-20 to 50.9 per cent in 2023-24, while internet access saw a dramatic rise from 22.3 per cent to 53.9 per cent.

Pradnya Sheth, ICT Head at The Somaiya School, cited several reasons for the lack of digital infrastructure in schools. These include budgetary constraints, frequent power cuts, slow internet speeds, inadequate basic infrastructure, and the absence of sustained digital resources. “Many schools still rely on traditional teaching methods, and there is resistance to change due to a lack of professional development for educators,” Sheth added.

Aishwarya Rao, Director at The Vivekalaya Group of Institutions, noted, “Much of the government and aided schools don’t have adequate budgeting or training of faculty. There is also a lack of physical infrastructure to help support digital progress. It requires support on the front of education investment and revamping of campuses. What might help is an association with connectivity providers and outsourcing the computer labs in government schools.”

My Take :

( A ) Background :

Ø At the current rate of improvement, it might still take , at least , another 10 years to provide desktop computers to the rest of the schools ( may be 7 lakh schools ).

Ø Assuming that each school needs ( say ) just 100 computers , this works out to approx.. 700 lakh ( 7 crore ) desktop computers

Ø If each computer costs ( say ) Rs 50,000 , this would require a Capital Outlay of Rs 350,000 crore ! Or , Rs 35,000 crore per year !

Ø As against this predicament , all of our 96 lakh teachers ( of our 14.7 lakh schools ) , have Smart Phones

Ø Ditto with our 8 crore Students of 9^th to 12^th standards ( out of our total student strength of 28 crore ). All of these 8 crore ( higher secondary ) students , have Smart Phones

( B ) My Suggestion

Ø Just allow all students ( class 9 – 12 ) to bring their Mobiles into classrooms

Ø Stop acting like King Canute ( telling the tide to stop rolling in ). Or, like an Ostrich, hope that the incoming sand storm will just go away, by hiding the head under the sand !

Ø When 50 years ago , calculators came into existence, our Educators would not allow these either !

Ø Please do not wait till 2030 , by which time , students will replace their Mobiles with light weight and smart looking “ AR – VR – AI powered “ Eye Glasses

( C ) How will allowing Students to bring Mobiles in classrooms, help ?

Ø By accessing www.My-Teacher.in , on their mobiles , teachers would be able to able to generate “ Monthly – Quarterly – Annual “ EXAM PAPERS ( MCQ ), from their Mobiles, and get the students ( who are already seated in the Classrooms-Exam Halls ), to take ONLINE tests on their Mobiles !

Ø By accessing www.My-Teacher.in on their Mobiles, students will take these Exams and instantly get to know the marks obtained !

Ø For ( someday later ) appearing in COMPETITIVE EXAMS ( NEET – JEE – CET ), students can “ Practice ( 24 x 365 ) “ by generating and taking MOCK TESTS, on their mobiles ( courtesy : www.My-Teacher.in )

Dear Teachers – Principals :

Your options are ,

Ø Wait till it is too late for your students to catch up with the students of the PRO-ACTIVE / REFORMS – ORIENTED / RESOURCE-RICH , schools

OR ,

Ø Allow students to bring their Mobiles into classrooms

Beware the Ides of March

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.My-Teacher.in / 16 Jan 2025

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