Democratizing Signal Processing and Machine Learning: Math Learning Equity for Elementary and Middle School Students

Fuente: arXiv
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Hauptverfasser: Vaswani, Namrata, Selim, Mohamed Y., Gibert, Renee Serrell
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2024
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author Vaswani, Namrata
Selim, Mohamed Y.
Gibert, Renee Serrell
author_facet Vaswani, Namrata
Selim, Mohamed Y.
Gibert, Renee Serrell
contents Signal Processing (SP) and Machine Learning (ML) rely on good math and coding knowledge, in particular, linear algebra, probability, trigonometry, and complex numbers. A good grasp of these relies on scalar algebra learned in middle school. The ability to understand and use scalar algebra well, in turn, relies on a good foundation in basic arithmetic. Because of various systemic barriers, many students are not able to build a strong foundation in arithmetic in elementary school. This leads them to struggle with algebra and everything after that. Since math learning is cumulative, the gap between those without a strong early foundation and everyone else keeps increasing over the school years and becomes difficult to fill in college. In this article we discuss how SP faculty, students, and professionals can play an important role in starting, and participating in, university-run, or other, out-of-school math support programs to supplement students' learning. Two example programs run by the authors, CyMath at Iowa State and Algebra by 7th Grade (Ab7G) at Purdue, and one run by the Actuarial Foundation, are described. We conclude with providing some simple zero-cost suggestions for public schools that, if adopted, could benefit a much larger number of students than what out-of-school programs can reach.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2409_17304
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Democratizing Signal Processing and Machine Learning: Math Learning Equity for Elementary and Middle School Students
Vaswani, Namrata
Selim, Mohamed Y.
Gibert, Renee Serrell
History and Overview
Computers and Society
Machine Learning
Signal Processing (SP) and Machine Learning (ML) rely on good math and coding knowledge, in particular, linear algebra, probability, trigonometry, and complex numbers. A good grasp of these relies on scalar algebra learned in middle school. The ability to understand and use scalar algebra well, in turn, relies on a good foundation in basic arithmetic. Because of various systemic barriers, many students are not able to build a strong foundation in arithmetic in elementary school. This leads them to struggle with algebra and everything after that. Since math learning is cumulative, the gap between those without a strong early foundation and everyone else keeps increasing over the school years and becomes difficult to fill in college. In this article we discuss how SP faculty, students, and professionals can play an important role in starting, and participating in, university-run, or other, out-of-school math support programs to supplement students' learning. Two example programs run by the authors, CyMath at Iowa State and Algebra by 7th Grade (Ab7G) at Purdue, and one run by the Actuarial Foundation, are described. We conclude with providing some simple zero-cost suggestions for public schools that, if adopted, could benefit a much larger number of students than what out-of-school programs can reach.
title Democratizing Signal Processing and Machine Learning: Math Learning Equity for Elementary and Middle School Students
topic History and Overview
Computers and Society
Machine Learning
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.17304