Identifying Best Practices for Teaching Machine Learning
Lead Research Organisation:
Newcastle University
Department Name: Sch of Computing
Abstract
There is currently a distinct shortage of individuals skilled in machine learning to fill the increasing demand within the job market. To counteract this issue the Higher Education (HE) sector are offering more courses in machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI). However, there is a lack of research pertaining to best practices for teaching in this complex domain. This research aims to identify the threshold concepts within the topic of machine learning and AI along with identifying if two perceived cognitive barriers of maths anxiety and low self-efficacy hold true. We achieve this through the use of qualitative research methods such as questionnaires and observations. Counteracting strategies will be developed based on the analysis of the qualitative research. The outcome of this study will be creation of an online learning tool encompassing methods to alleviate the barriers students face when undertaking a machine learning or AI course.
Organisations
Publications
Allen B
(2021)
Toward a Framework for Teaching Artificial Intelligence to a Higher Education Audience
in ACM Transactions on Computing Education
Studentship Projects
Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
EP/N509528/1 | 30/09/2016 | 30/03/2022 | |||
2137136 | Studentship | EP/N509528/1 | 26/10/2017 | 23/05/2021 | Becky Allen |
Description | As a result of this award the main areas in which students struggle learning machine learning and AI have been discovered based upon qualitative research. The main issue identified is the lack of mathematics and statistics education provision available which is leading to problems with student confidence relating to the theoretical aspects of this domain. Upon discovery of the issues present an online learning tool has been created which contains key tutorials on mathematics and statistics specific to machine learning. |
Exploitation Route | The findings from the study will be published which will enable lecturers within this domain to be aware of some of the issues students face. The online tool may also be available on request to additional institutions. |
Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education |