Sarah Ng – Task 11 – Detain/Release 

I chose to link to Sarah’s post for task 11, Detain/Release because we both have concerns about the ethical implications of the use of AI in the criminal justice system. 

Sarah discusses the limitations of AI in determining whether a criminal should be detained or released. She argues that AI cannot detect emotion and body language, which are essential factors in deciding whether someone should be detained or released. She also questions the morality of using AI to determine whether someone should be detained, arguing that there must be a thorough investigation and hearing various testimonies of what happened. This is not a practical solution for bail hearings which usually happen within 72 hours of arrest, but in an ideal world, it would be desirable to have a though investigation..

On the other hand, I discuss the potential implications and consequences of AI-informed decision-making in the criminal justice system. If AI algorithms are trained on biased data, they may replicate and amplify existing biases in the criminal justice system, which can result in unfair outcomes, particularly for marginalized groups. The lack of transparency and accountability in AI decision-making can compromise due process and the right to a fair trial. 

Nicole Kenny – Three’s My Limit (Task 10)

I am linking to Nicole’s post for this assignment because while we both touch on the topic of user experience design, we have different perspectives on the game, and we both gave up playing out of frustration and irritation. 

We both discuss the topic of user experience (UX) design and its impact on user behaviour. Whereas, I chose to describe the design elements of the game, User Inyerface, which is designed to showcase bad design choices and the negative impact they can have on the user. In contrast, Nicole discusses the use of content marketing to gain attention and how this can be challenging, particularly for those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Nicole shares her experience with User Inyerface, stating that she clicked the “NO” button multiple times, suggesting that the game may be using deceptive tactics to collect data on user behaviour. Whereas, I thought of this as a design flaw. 

After playing and quitting User Inyerface I highlight the importance of good design choices to create a seamless and easy user experience, while Nicole focuses on the impact of marketing tactics on user attention and the potential for manipulation. Additionally, I focus on the negative consequences of bad design choices, while Nicole discusses the challenges of gaining and maintaining user attention in a crowded digital space.

Deborah Wolf – Task #8 – The Golden Record 

“To the makers of music—all worlds, all times.” (Ferris, 2017)

For this task, Deborah and  I took completely different approaches to curating our selections for Voyager’s Golden Record. 

After listening to the Tim Ferris, podcast, Deborah attempts to match the music with the progression of man and civilization this is an interesting way to interpret the order of the music on the Voyager Golden Record. It is clear that she has put a lot of thought into her interpretation and has created an interesting and thought-provoking list of music that reflects the evolution of human culture and history. I, on the other hand, listen to all 27 tracks all the way through with no other purpose other than listening to music. Then I learned about all the math that went into curating the songs by Dr. Sagan and I was overwhelmed. In the end, I decided to simply choose what was appealing to my ear, I figured if I liked it, so would extraterrestrials.

It is important to note that the interpretation of the order of the music is subjective and can be influenced by cultural and historical perspectives. Imagine if John Lennon, of the Beatles, had indeed been recruited to be a part of the team to curate the songs, how different it may have been. Therefore, it is crucial to consider multiple interpretations of the music’s order and understand the different ways in which people can interpret the same information. This highlights the importance of having diverse perspectives and engaging in open dialogue to develop a deeper understanding of complex issues. 

Reference

Ferris, T. (2017, August 20). How the Voyager Golden Record Was Made. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/voyager-golden-record-40th-anniversary-timothy-ferris

Lubna Yasin Task #6 – Emoji Story

My approach to the emoji story was much the same as Lubna’s my initial start was quite literal. Using the latest book I read, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin, I ended up giving up quickly because of the difficulty I had locating an emoji to represent “tomorrow.” I tried several titles until finally settling on a book that I was using as a read-aloud to my grade eight honour students. After my first few attempts, I understood that I would need to focus on the concepts and big ideas of the plot, so like Lubna, there was no consideration given to syllables of words not even for the title. It became evident that this task was more complicated than I originally thought. 

I began by identifying the key ideas and themes in the text and then tried to represent them using a combination of emojis that best capture their meaning. I found it was also important to consider the context and tone of the text when selecting emojis, as well as the intended audience and their familiarity with different emoji symbols. I agree with Lubna that emojis are not entirely ‘universal’ and can easily be misinterpreted. And just like Lubna, I don’t think anyone familiar or unfamiliar with the book and it’s plot could guess it based on my emojis alone. Although it is a book that has become a significant part of pop culture, particularly in the United States. 

Overall, emojis have become an important part of the new semiotic landscape, providing a rich and expressive visual language that reflects the evolving ways in which we communicate and interact in the digital age.

Chris Rugo’s Task #3 Voice-to-Text

Chris has provided a thorough analysis of the differences between oral and written communication, and the challenges that arise when converting from one to the other. His perspective of voice-to-text is different than mine, so much so that when I consider this technology I find myself looking at it as a teacher of developing readers and writers. I have not necessarily considered the intentionality and conciseness of written text, as characterized by Gnanadesikan (2011, p. 5). My perspective of speech-to-text technology is that provides an alternative means of recording student thoughts and ideas without the hindrance of physical writing or typing skills. This can be especially helpful for students who struggle with fine motor skills or dyslexia. By dictating their ideas instead of writing them, developing writers can focus more on their content and less on the mechanics of writing. Using speech-to-text technology can help young learners to overcome barriers and enable them to more easily and effectively communicate their ideas.

As Chris points out the most common mistakes observed were a lack of proper punctuation, use of tense, and word choice. For developing writers, it is more important to focus on generating ideas and expressing themselves creatively. While the accuracy of mechanics is still important, it should not be the primary focus at this stage of their writing development. Despite speech-to-text flaws, the text might achieve its functional purpose of communication, which Schmand-Besserate (2007) suggests is one of the primary goals of written languages. The ability of young learners to express their ideas and thoughts without being hindered by the mechanics of writing such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation. can help to boost their confidence and encourage them to be more expressive and creative with their writing.

As they progress and become more advanced writers, the importance of accuracy in mechanics increases. At this point, speech-to-text technology can still be helpful, but it should not be relied upon solely as a tool to improve writing skills. Instead, advanced writers should focus on honing their skills in grammar, punctuation, and spelling to ensure that their writing is clear, concise, and effectively communicates their ideas.

References

Ong, W. J. (2002). Chapter 1: The Orality of Language. In Orality and literacy: The technologizing of the word (pp. 5-16). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203426258

Schmandt-Besserat, D., & Erard, M. (2007). Origins and forms of writing. In C. Bazerman (Ed.), Handbook of research on writing: History, society, school, individual, text (pp. 7-26). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410616470