
August 2023


Specifications Grading: A Method for Improving Student Performance
Last revised: 10/07/2021 by JP Overview Are you looking to increase student motivation and the quality of their academic work? If yes, consider specifications grading. According to Linda B. Nilson, Ph.D. the traditional higher education grading method is broken and specifications grading offers a solution with benefits for both students and faculty. Nilson published her…
An excellent book. Well written. Detailed. And it was the original book on Specs Grading (I think).

Specifications grading with the EMRF rubric
A useful rubric for implementing specifications and other forms of mastery grading.
An interesting set of definitions for specs grading. I didn't happen to use it but it is interesting.

The swallow boathouse on lake winnipesaukee.
A brief history of the swallow boathouse on lake Winnipesaukee. In second half of the video I look for some train tracks rumored to be hiding beneath the surface of the lake #winnipesaukee #newhampshire #boathouse

Historic landmark is a focal point of Windward Harbor on Lake Winnipesaukee
Visitors to Lake Winnipesaukee have long recognized the special qualities of Windward Harbor. Its deep pine forest, quiet waters, and outstanding fine sandy beaches were originally part of the 1,500-acre

The Swallow Boathouse is a soaring masterpiece - New Hampshire Home Magazine
Completed in 1907|!!| the spectacular Swallow Boathouse stands heads above other Lakes Region buildings used for storing watercraft.

Service Objects | Jared Norman
Service Objects are a popular software design pattern in the Ruby on Rails community. They are used to extract procedural logic away from models and controllers and into their own objects.
Good article on an arcane topic that the ruby community loves to debate and discuss.

A non-mathematical introduction to Kalman Filters for programmers - Pravesh Koirala
Read my manifesto on Code as an alternative to Mathematics. Code for this article can be found on this Colab Notebook should you choose to follow along. Why Kalman Filters? Kalman filters are ingenius. If you have never heard of them, then a very intuitive (and arguably reductive) way to think about them is to
July 2023

The costly mistake so many make with numpy and pandas
What happens next() will shock you
Really good performance tips for python, pandas and numpy.
Shale - Ruby object mapper and serializer for XML, JSON, TOML and YAML
Shale - Ruby object mapper and serializer for XML, JSON and YAML
A pretty amazing, super useful package.

Rails Generate Migration — Everything you need to know
This article is a reference for generating migrations in your Ruby on Rails app — I cover the basics like adding columns and tables, adjusting column types (and loads more), plus some tips and tricks...
Handy exhaustive list of rails generate migration commands.

How to Use AI to Do Stuff: An Opinionated Guide
How to Use AI to Do Stuff: An Opinionated Guide URL: https://www.oneusefulthing.org/p/how-to-use-ai-to-do-stuff-an-opinionated?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email Type: article Domain: oneusefulthing.org Notes: This is extremely useful. Good interesting information if you are learning to leverage the new AI LLMs.
This is extremely useful. Good interesting information if you are learning to leverage the new AI LLMs.

What is the difference between Turbo and Stimulus, and what exactly is Hotwire?
What is the difference between Turbo and Stimulus, and what exactly is Hotwire? URL: https://www.ducktypelabs.com/turbo-vs-stimulus/ Type: link Domain: ducktypelabs.com Notes: This is a set of reminders and reviews that I could really use!
This is a set of reminders and reviews that I could really use!

Opinion | I’m a Student. You Have No Idea How Much We’re Using ChatGPT.
Opinion | I’m a Student. You Have No Idea How Much We’re Using ChatGPT. URL: https://www.chronicle.com/article/im-a-student-you-have-no-idea-how-much-were-using-chatgpt?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=campaign_7214412_nl_Academe-Today_date_20230710&cid=at&source=&sourceid= Type: article Domain: chronicle.com Notes: Look at any student academic-integrity policy, and you’ll find the same message: Submit work that reflects your own thinking or face discipline. But that’s not what’s going on!
Look at any student academic-integrity policy, and you’ll find the same message: Submit work that reflects your own thinking or face discipline. But that’s not what’s going on!

Python packages with pyproject.toml and nothing else
I've been using setuptools and setup.py for my Python packages for a long time: I like that it works without me having to think about installing and learning any additional tools such as Flit or pip-tools or Poetry or Hatch .
Super useful somewhat demystification of the #chaotic world of #python #packaging

Collections
We curate collections of images, books, audio and film, shining a light on curiosities and wonders from a wide range of online archives. Leaning toward the surprising, the strange, and the beautiful, we hope to provide an ever-growing cabinet of curiosities for the digital age
Very cool stuff. Inspiration for creative work.

Building a Creative Practice
Could it even be the key to longevity?
I think generative AI tools such as DALL-E and MidJourney for images and ChatGPT for text have scrambled people’s brains a bit. What the AI is capable of, and the way it presents its output to us is genuinely amazing and it’ll mess you up when you first see it.

Are Your Students Ready for AI?
To thrive in a world that now includes generative AI tools like ChatGPT, students need to develop five essential skills, says professor Oguz A. Acar. Use this four-step framework to empower your students and equip them for success in the digital age.
An ok article about this very timely question.
GPT Engineer: Build an Entire App with a Single Prompt
Have an idea. Enter a prompt. Get an app.
Just learned about this. A package that helps structured interaction with chatGPT to build software. It’s still pretty new and there will be others I am sure. But this is in the right direction!

Experiential Robotics Platform (XRP) Kit - Beta
The XRP Robotics Platform is a hands-on, comprehensive robotics platform and includes everything needed to build and program a beginner to advanced robot.
This product is excellent and appropriate for many many educational scenarios. Also check out the video about it.