Own your education
This week's blog delves into the topics of taking ownership of learning and learning with AI.
Dear readers,
I am excited to share with you my two latest blog posts which delve into the topics of taking ownership of learning and learning with AI.
🧑🎓Own your learning
This blog discusses the importance of taking control of your own learning journey. Sometimes, students may find themselves in an unfavorable learning environment with teachers who lack the necessary pedagogical expertise. In such situations, it is important to change your approach to learning. Instead of waiting for systemic changes to happen, you must create a learning environment that works for you. Ultimately, you are responsible for how you spend your time in university.
🤔 A framework of knowing
This blog introduces a framework for evaluating the information and knowledge you interact with, whether it comes from AI or books. The framework is based on two key measures: "truthfulness" and "understanding". These measures can guide you in learning, helping you acquire accurate and meaningful knowledge.
🤔 Question to think about
Last week, I had the opportunity to participate in a round table discussion with my peers, teachers, and school administrators on the topic of using technology for learning. During the discussion, I presented some use cases of language models for doing assignments. You can look at my slide here:
I also raised several important questions that we need to answer in order to effectively use technology for learning.
What is the purpose of education and what does learning mean to us?
What technology you are using and how does it work?
Without answer these questions, it is difficult to have a clear direction and make meaningful progress towards our learning goals.
🚀 Explore
Here are some fantastic podcasts, books to explore the intersection of learning, technology, and life.
Our Brains Weren’t Designed for This Kind of Food - The Ezra Klein Show: Link
For a long time, society has attributed weight gain to insufficient willpower. If you are overweight, it is assumed that you lack discipline. However, your brain and food environment plays a significant role in your weight. In "The Hungry Brain" (2017), neurobiologist Stephan Guyenet argued that our brain does not adapt quickly to the changing food environment, especially to highly processed foods such as sugar and sweets. Guyenet cited an experiment where researchers tried to quickly fatten mice by increasing their food intake, but they couldn't do so fast enough. One day, the researchers fed the mice tasty human foods and noticed that the mice overconsumed these foods, causing their calorie intake to rise significantly.
This podcast makes me feel comfortable with my weight (and my big belly). It’s not my willpower but the ancient part of my brain that can’t adapt fast enough with highly processed food environment. To lose weight, I will spend more time designing my food environment so that I can become healthier in the long run.
The Slow Productivity Movement - Cal Newport: 🔗 Podcast Snipd
Slow productivity has three principles to it: doing fewer things, working at a natural pace, and obsessing over quality. This podcast helps me feel more confident in maintaining my long-form posts, and prioritizing quality over quantity.
See you next week
Thank you for taking the time to read my newsletter this week, and I hope you will have a wonderful week.
Hoàng Long