Skip to Main Content

Lesson 4

We will begin to look into questions about machine learning and decision-making: Should our society allow AI to influence human decision-making or make decisions on its own? Why or why not? In order to do this, we will begin by defining machine learning and discovering how it is used in decision-making.

Lesson Goals

  • Can I summarize how machine learning works and how it is used in decision-making?

Texts

Core

  • Unit Reader
    • “Machine Bias,” Julia Angwin, Jeff Larson, Surya Mattu, and Lauren Kirchner, ProPublica Inc., 2016
    • “What Is Machine Learning?,” Chris Meserole, The Brookings Institution, 2018

Materials

Tools

Reference Guides

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Discuss

We will prepare for further research into another area of concern by unpacking the second subtopic questions and prompt.

Your teacher will lead a discussion that unpacks the second subtopic question from the Culminating Task Checklist: Should our society allow artificial intelligence to make its own decisions or influence human decision-making? Why or why not?

Use the following guiding questions to help you think about the question:

  1. What form of writing does this prompt require?

  2. Who or what is the focus of the prompt?

  3. What is the prompt asking you to do?

  4. What information do you need to complete the task?

Activity 2: Read – Write – Discuss

As a class, we will read and discuss the opening section of an informational article about machine learning.

First, skim "What is Machine Learning?" by Chris Meserole, focusing on headings, bold words, and subheadings.

  • List the main topics you will be reading about in this article.

  • List the claims the author will discuss.

As the teacher or one of your peers reads the first three paragraphs of the informational article, do the following:

  • Underline any words or phrases that will help you respond to the following question: What is machine learning?

With a partner, share the words and phrases you underlined. In your Learning Log, write your answer to the following question: What is machine learning?

Share your answers with the class.

Activity 3: Read – Write

We will independently read the section: how does machine learning work?

Independently read the section: How Does Machine Learning Work? Underline words or phrases that will help you answer that question: How does machine learning work?

Think about repeated words or phrases. Circle any words that are unfamiliar and vital to understanding the text.

Write down your circled words and definitions in your Vocabulary Journal.

Activity 4: Write – Discuss

In small groups of four, we will respond to the following question: how does machine learning work? we will respond to the question in layman’s terms.

Step 1

In small groups, share the unfamiliar vocabulary words you circled. Check the Vocabulary Journal created in Section 1, Lesson 2. If not, add the circled words to your Vocabulary Journal, and try to determine a working definition from context or other sources.

Share the words or phrases you underlined that will help you respond to the following question: How does machine learning work?

Write a group answer to that question in layman’s terms (i.e., nontechnical language a person not deeply familiar with the topic can understand).

Step 2

Your teacher will lead a class discussion as you share your group answers to the question: How does machine learning work?

Activity 5: Discuss – Write

In groups of four, we will read and analyze machine learning application, a section from the Meserole article.

In small groups of four, assign each member one of the following subtopics of a section from the Meserole article: Machine Learning Application.

  • speech recognition

  • image recognition

  • robotics

  • reasoning

As you read your section, underline words or phrases that will help you respond to the following question: What is _____ (e.g., speech recognition)?

After reading, complete sections of a Word Map for your subtopic. Write the definition or description of your application in one box and write examples of that application in another.

After reading, share your Word Map with your group.

Activity 6: Read – Discuss

As a class, we will read the last section of the article.

Think about the following question as the teacher or one of your peers reads the last section of the article: What’s Next for Machine Learning?

  1. Can machine learning mimic human intelligence?

As a class, discuss the impact of machine learning and any concerns it raises.

Activity 7: Read – Write

For homework, read and annotate the article “Machine Bias” from propublica.

For homework, read the article “Machine Bias” from ProPublica. While reading, annotate sentences that express the writers’ purpose and major claims.

Write new or interesting words you encounter in your Vocabulary Journal.