A mere decade ago, the term “artificial intelligence” (AI) evoked visions of futuristic battlegrounds pitting humans against sentient time-travelling robots. Fast forward to today, we're moving beyond sensationalism and diving headfirst into a reality where AI is integrated into everyday life. With the recent explosion of “generative AI” tools, it is crucial we learn how these technologies operate, and how they can be used to benefit us.
In light of this, the Callysto team has developed a course to introduce K-12 teachers and students to AI and data science. We’ve included data science because the two subjects are very much intertwined. We also believe, as our world becomes increasingly data-driven, the ability to analyze, visualize, and draw insights from large and complex datasets will be an essential skill for everyone in the workforce. Also, data science can provide you with the tools to make better decisions and solve complex problems.
Designed to introduce learners to the foundational concepts and techniques of data science, the course illustrates how data science intersects with the expansive field of AI. It encompasses a broad spectrum of subjects, including elementary data manipulation, statistical operations, AI algorithm training, data visualization, and data analysis.
The course has been written to be easy to understand, making it ideal for Grades 5 - 9 teachers, as well as high school students. Its 12 notebooks incorporate illustrative examples and practice exercises to solidify the learner’s grasp of the fundamental concepts.
Key course topics include:
- Data collection and manipulation
- Data visualization through various types of graphs
- Statistical operations
- Text formatting in Jupyter otebook
- Data analysis of Pokémon and Spotify data
- Discriminative AI: natural language processing
- Generative AI: creating images, stories, essays, code, and music
- AI issues and ethics
- Training an AI system to recognize images of cats or dogs
All lessons and exercises are run in Jupyter notebooks, mirroring real-world data science practices. Throughout the course, learners will become acquainted with Python’s robust code libraries — pandas, Plotly, NLTK — dedicated to data science and artificial intelligence applications. For ease of use, these notebooks can be run for free on our browser-based platform, the Callysto Hub.
As Pedro Domingo wrote in The Master Algorithm: "It's not man versus machine; it's man with machine versus man without. Data and intuition are like horse and rider, and you don't try to outrun a horse; you ride it." Callysto’s course aims to equip K-12 teachers and students with the skills, insights, and perspectives they’ll need to thrive in an increasingly datafied world.
To access the course, visit: Callysto AI and data science course. Also feel free to reach out to Callysto (contact@callysto.ca) if you'd like more information.
Image courtesy: Midjourney