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zzedd | 2 years ago | on: I’m a student – you have no idea how much we are using ChatGPT

i was a university lecturer teaching a large foundation subject. at the start of semester i would show them how to plagiarise, summarise and obfuscate an essay — on-screen in real-time. it was lots of fun. we also showed them how our assessment practices were resistant to cheating (using a mixture of oral presentations, reflective writing, monitored testing and group moderation). it seemed to work well with very little plagiarism — except for those students who ignored (or missed) the message.

zzedd | 4 years ago | on: Every high school student should have to take a philosophy course

yes, but almost any school subject can be intellectually-expanding ... if well-taught. however there are some pretty influential forces that result in poor teaching (overloaded curriculum, inadequate resources, industrial approaches to school management, etc).

zzedd | 4 years ago | on: Nature Is Becoming a Person

good observation. i'm a director of a corporation that has "personhood", but my local creek is more alive, performs more important roles than the corporation (just a stack of paper in a safe or the bank account it controls).

zzedd | 4 years ago | on: Q&A with Co-Creator of the 6502 Processor

i liked the bit at the end where the interviewer asked "Why do you think the original 65x series is still popular..." and Mensch replied , "...People want to work with the 65x chips because they are accessible. You can trust the technology." i wonder if its a bit more: that (unlike very complex architectures) the 6502 was simple enough to be understood, but powerful enough to do something interesting. in short, a cognitive sweet spot.

zzedd | 4 years ago | on: Campusland: A Delightful Book Delivers

a book based on satirising college administration is just too easy. i'd like to read a story lampooning the administration of a free-market think tank. perhaps involving a "woke" libertarian facing the real-world consequences of a populist policy agenda.

zzedd | 4 years ago | on: The Magpies of Western Australia

this is a great episode where the reporter a (Ann Jones) gets into an illuminating discussion with the researcher (Amanda Ridley) about local social behaviour, "language" structure and scientific processes involving west Australian magpies. i liked the way that sound clips were inserted to provide examples.

zzedd | 4 years ago | on: Computer Calculus Reading Group

thanks, this helps. i've tried different search terms with little success (descriptors for resource-based independent learning in groups are hard to refine). i'm retired so my professional affiliations have lapsed. and, with the freedom to pursue my interests, the possible topics are all over the place. but i'll look for some SIGs that might work (cultivating Australian native plants, tiny compiler design, etc).

zzedd | 4 years ago | on: Computer Calculus Reading Group

Off topic, but this looks like a well organised, independent learning network. Where can I find others, on serious topics, that are independent of platforms or publishers? Is there an 'awesome' list of topic-based reading groups (not book clubs) for interested learners?

zzedd | 5 years ago | on: Ask HN: What Makes a Good Teacher?

someone who has the ability to model the naive knowledge of their student(s), has a good grasp of subject matter, and can orchestrate experiences to bridge the gap. empathy, a willingness to communicate and lots of patience are also pretty vital characteristics to have.

zzedd | 5 years ago | on: Lord Howe Island wildlife flourishes after eradicating 300k rodents

if you ever get the chance to visit this remarkable, isolated place, take it. i've organised a few trips to the island to explore the diverse wildlife and stunning habitats (coral reefs and cloud forests that are accessible). even more so as feral populations are controlled.
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