Live data from Hacker News

Stanford to host more online classes

cs101-class.org

41–50 of 125 posts

Re: Stanford to host more online classes

#41
post #9

I get easily excited about education-related topics so I may be over-reacting, but I think these classes will jump-start an educational revolution, and that people will start to fully appreciate just how inefficient traditional teaching methods are. Some people like to say that this is nothing new because video lectures were posted on the internet for several years now (for example MIT Open Courseware etc.), but I th…

Just want to say "Thank you!" for all the hard work you and your colleagues put into ML class. This is the best learning experience I've had in my entire life.

Re: Stanford to host more online classes

#42

Do you get an email confirmation on signing up? Also how does this course work? The site didn't provide any information about that ― although I haven't seen the 'about course' video. Has anybody here tried this before? Are the videos webcasts or pre-recorded video that I can download/view at anytime? Also is it open for everybody or will the sign ups be restricted? All in all this looks awesome and I'm very much inte…

Having done the db-class here's my experience of how things worked. Although I understand it's different from class to class.

Course is like a typical Uni course. Lectures, readings, tests and exams.

I received an email a week before the class started.

Videos came out and could be watched in the browser or downloaded.

Open to anyone.

Re: Stanford to host more online classes

#43
post #15
post #9

I get easily excited about education-related topics so I may be over-reacting, but I think these classes will jump-start an educational revolution, and that people will start to fully appreciate just how inefficient traditional teaching methods are. Some people like to say that this is nothing new because video lectures were posted on the internet for several years now (for example MIT Open Courseware etc.), but I th…

The homework and in-video questions are what keep me involved. I have such a busy schedule that its difficult to maintain the discipline to simply keep up if there were only videos. However, having external deadlines and practical things have encouraged me to make the time (and I'm very happy about it). I agree that this is potentially revolutionary. Before these courses, I couldn't have imagined doing a 'distance-le…

I've been watching Susskind's physics lectures on youtube, which are also from Stanford (continuing education). They're just video of the lectures, no homework or quizzes.

They're great stuff and he's really gotten me to understand a lot of the "why" of physics rather than just the "how".

Having said that, I'd love to have homework along with them, even just suggested problems with an answer key.

Re: Stanford to host more online classes

#44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Both ML and DB classes are better executed than AI class. AI class is backed with a broken platform by a small startup, whereas ML class was run by code developed in Stanford. AI class also had jarring video editing which totally broke the rhythm. Both ML class and e.g. Khan Academy has this natural flow that is pleasure to follow. To me it has been surprising how big difference in experience the technical execution…

I'm doing ai-class and I find it just fine. After the first two weeks, all the technology worked just fine - what problems are you referring to? The video editing is also fine. If such minor issues break your rhythm, you might need to rethink your approach to the lessons. Given that there are still thousands of students in the class and enjoying it, it didn't "fail" at all.

The video editing is also fine. If such minor issues break your rhythm, you might need to rethink your approach to the lessons.

Video editing in AI class is against the knowledge that we have learned in 100+ years of movie editing. Cutting 1-2 seconds but keeping the same scene gives a jarring experience.

They cut out a few seconds so that you don't need to watch Norvig or Thrun to finish writing of a word or sentence, but that's saving time in the wrong place in my opinion. If you watch Khan Academy or ML class, those 1-2 seconds give a natural pause, that you can use to think about the subject.

I've nothing against the pen and paper approach, although occlusion is sometimes a problem. Based on my experience with Khan, AI and ML classes drawing by hand is the essential thing, is it less important if it's done electronically or by pen and paper.

Anyway, my main point is that execution of e.g. Khan Academy and ML class are better than AI class, and I'd personally prefer that inspiration for new online education courses is taken from them instead of AI class approach.

Re: Stanford to host more online classes

#45
post #9

I get easily excited about education-related topics so I may be over-reacting, but I think these classes will jump-start an educational revolution, and that people will start to fully appreciate just how inefficient traditional teaching methods are. Some people like to say that this is nothing new because video lectures were posted on the internet for several years now (for example MIT Open Courseware etc.), but I th…

I'm taking the ML class and I love it! I agree with everything you said above, and I'd love to see a more advance ML class in the future. Keep up the good work!

Re: Stanford to host more online classes

#46
Direct URL of classes:

New classes: (start in Jan/Feb 2012)

Computer Science 101: http://www.cs101-class.org/

Software Engineering for Software as a Service: http://www.saas-class.org/

Human-Computer Interfaces: http://www.hci-class.org/

Natural Language Processing: http://www.nlp-class.org/

Game Theory: http://www.game-theory-class.org/

Probabilistic Graphical Models: http://www.pgm-class.org/

---------------------------

Old Classes: (already started)

Machine Learning: http://www.ml-class.org/

Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: https://www.ai-class.com/

Introduction to Databases: http://www.db-class.org/

Re: Stanford to host more online classes

#47
post #37
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for your work, the course looks very impressive. Probably the best introduction into the basics of ML I've seen. By the way, will http://jan2012.ml-class.org/ be the same as the current ml-class? I mean is it the same course, or a more advanced one?

They say it will be the same class as current at ml-class Q&A - http://www.ml-class.org/course/qna/view?id=3925

Jason Kuen Wen Yong's comment mentions (and I concur) that there are additional topics in the Jan 2012 course than the current one like deep learning. Any clarification on this?

Re: Stanford to host more online classes

#48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

" I'm a CS PhD student at Stanford and I am a (voluntary) co-creator of the programming assignments for the current ML class. It is a lot of work, but the way I see it, we only have to put great assignments together a single time, and thousands of people can enjoy them and benefit from them for years and years to come. That is what I call time well spent." As a consumer of Stanford's online classes(though not the ML…

thanks, I should add (and I hope this is somewhat obvious) that there is a team of about 7 or 8 of us in total. A lot of work goes into site/technical/video processing etc, and then there are 2.5 of us making the assignments. The real hero behind the assignments is Jiquan Ngiam ( http://cs.stanford.edu/~jngiam/ ) who is in charge and does most of the work. He is awesome, brilliant, very hard working, and I thoroughly…

Thanks for that. I suspect Prof Ng will get a lot of praise for the class but I suspect some of it is intended for the people behind the scenes (not always easy to find out who they are).

Re: Stanford to host more online classes

#49
For me, as a brazilian computer engineering student, I think these classes are amazing. Although I study in one of the best computer schools in brazil ( www.cin.ufpe.br), my classes tend to be bad and boring. My teachers have Phd's and all those letters, but cant teach in a good and engaging way. And my classes have old subjects, because they made the curriculum 10 years ago.

Thank you so much, Stanford, the teachers for the modern and brave choice to teach people all around the world, thanks for all the students engaged in making the classes available for everybody. and thanks hn buddies for always giving the good news.

Will enroll to SaaS and hci or nlp.

Post reply on HN