Tech

YouTube launches ‘Study Hall’ which will allow earning college credits online

Published

10 months ago

Farwa

YouTube, Arizona State University, and Crash Course, the well-known YouTube channel of writers and brothers Hank and John Green, have announced an astonishing expansion of their accessible education programme Study Hall.

According to YouTube’s announcement, the partnership is “a new approach that demystifies the college process while creating an affordable and accessible onramp to earning college credit,” outlining the chance for online learners to pursue transferable course credits with fewer restrictions than traditional college programmes.

In addition to being able to watch all Study Hall videos for free on YouTube, users can register for related courses developed by Crash Course and academics at Arizona State University in order to receive credits and compile a transcript.

Beginning on March 7, 2023, the current lineup of four “College Foundations” courses will address postsecondary fundamentals including English composition, college math, American history, and interpersonal communication. Each course costs $25 to enrol in, plus an additional $400 registration fee to acquire credits. Prior to March 7, 2023, each course will cost $350 to enrol in.

When Study Hall is fully operational, the number of credits available will equal the whole first year of study at most institutions and the cost is “less than one-third of the typical course cost at a public four-year university,” according to YouTube.

Enrollment does not require a minimum GPA or even an application, and students are allowed to retake classes as many times as they need to. Any eligible student who wants to use their Study Hall experience toward a degree can apply for admission to Arizona State University through the Earned Admissions program or transfer to any school in the US that accepts ASU credits.

According to Katie Kurtz, head of learning at YouTube, the company wants to serve as a middleman between the general public and higher education.

“At YouTube, we want to empower learners to go further by breaking down barriers to high-impact learning experiences. Postsecondary education is still one of the best drivers of economic and social mobility, yet the path to higher education has too many barriers,” she explained.

“We want to help address this urgent challenge by tapping into our endlessly creative and passionate learning creator community. With 10 years of experience delivering compelling and engaging educational content, we knew Crash Course, paired with ASU’s world class faculty would be a dynamic partnership to address this challenge.”

The Green brothers, well-known for being early, influential creators on both YouTube and Tumblr, launched the Crash Course channel in 2012. The channel has produced a decade’s worth of educational material on a variety of topics linked to early college and Advanced Placement high school courses, including psychology, world history, and even intellectual property law. The Green brothers’ quick and easy educational videos have an even wider audience now that they are both regulars on the TikTok For You Page.

Hank Green discussed his most recent educational endeavour, writing, in a tweet: “Around 43 million Americans are saddled with 1.75 trillion dollars in student debt. This may sound bad, but it’s worse than it seems: 40% of those 43 million people do not have degrees and will not pursue them.”

The biggest obstacles to getting degrees in the hands of students, according to Green and his production firm, Complexly, included fees, the complexity of college admissions systems, and the difficulty of many college courses for people who didn’t acquire a thorough high school education. “With some funding and a lot of hard work, we started to build ‘Study Hall’ with the goal that it helps lower these barriers.”

Along with the new course options, Study Hall also offers educational material on comprehending and navigating the higher education landscape, including a Crash Course series on “How To College” and quick primers to popular ideas and subject areas, hosted by Green and other academics.

By January 2025, the programme is expected to have 12 courses accessible. On the Study Hall website, prospective students can sign up.

Tech

Elon Musk lands in Tel Aviv to meet Israeli president, families of hostages

Published

5 days ago

Farwa

Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has begun his wartime visit to Israel as he landed in Tel Aviv on Monday to discuss “rising antisemitism” on social media with Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

During his visit to Tel Aviv, the tech billionaire will also meet the relatives of the hostages held by Hamas following their October 7 attack.

“In their meeting, the president will emphasise the need to act to combat rising antisemitism online,” said President Herzog’s office on Sunday after announcing the meeting with Musk.

His meeting comes after the tech guru was accused by civil rights groups of amplifying anti-Jewish hatred on the microblogging website X, formerly known as Twitter.

The tweet accused Jews of promoting hatred against whites, and Musk’s reply, acknowledging the statement as the “actual truth,” triggered a fierce online backlash.

Musk, later defending himself against accusations of anti-semitism, asserted that such claims were “nothing could be further from the truth.” He clarified his intentions, expressing goodwill towards humanity and a desire for a prosperous future for all.

In an effort to counterbalance the controversy, Musk announced his commitment to donating advertising revenue from his company, X, to hospitals in Israel and Gaza.

Last week, Israeli media reported that Musk would visit Israel this week, with plans to tour Gaza border towns.

According to N12, the Tesla magnate was expected to engage in discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Herzog during his visit.

Additionally, Musk had previously pledged to provide internet satellite connectivity to Gaza’s remaining civilians and humanitarian workers.

Tech

Here’s how WhatsApp plans to enhance display of profile info

Published

5 days ago

Farwa

To further enhance user experience, WhatsApp is working on a new update to further enhance the display of profile information by acting on the user feedback and incorporating desired updates into the platform.

The development was discovered via the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.25.11 update available on the Google Play Store, reported WaBetaInfo.

The meta-owned platform is working to allow the displaying of profile information within conversations beneath the contact name.

Once introduced, the feature will provide users with an easier and faster way to interact with profile information when it is made visible in our conversations.

Users would be able to easily view the profile information within the chat rather than having to navigate to the chat info screen.

Furthermore, this enhances visibility in the event that users have recently updated their profile information, guaranteeing that those involved in the conversation are promptly informed of any modifications.

It is significant to remember that the user’s privacy settings will only permit the display of this information.

Tech

OpenAI’s ChatGPT offers human-like voice feature for all regular iOS, Android users

Published

1 week ago

Farwa

OpenAI has rolled out a significant update for ChatGPT, enabling regular users on both iOS and Android devices to engage with the chatbot using a human-like voice.

Initially introduced in September, the voice feature was exclusively available to Plus and Enterprise users until yesterday. This expansion signifies a milestone in ChatGPT’s accessibility, allowing a broader audience to experience conversational capabilities in voice mode.

ChatGPT with voice is now available to all free users. Download the app on your phone and tap the headphones icon to start a conversation.

Sound on 🔊 pic.twitter.com/c5sCFDAWU6
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) November 21, 2023

To activate the voice feature, users will find a headphone icon at the bottom right of the screen upon opening ChatGPT. Clicking on it prompts users to choose from five distinct voice options: Juniper, Ember, Breeze, Cove, and Sky, representing a spectrum from feminine to masculine. Users can easily switch between these options later.

The interaction with the voice assistant is visually engaging, with a grey circle appearing in the centre, transforming into a white cloud-like image while the chatbot processes information.

The voice assistant, exemplified by options like Sky with a raspy voice, introduces a more human-like element, including pauses during responses, fostering a conversational experience.

Despite the innovative leap, some users noted that the voice function occasionally prompted assistance queries even when the user remained silent, and there was a lack of a clear mechanism to turn off the application.

However, the flexibility to exit the app while keeping it active in the background enhances multitasking possibilities, catering to scenarios where users may want information while engaged in other activities.

This move towards a voice-centric interaction marks a departure from traditional text-based chatting, offering a more natural and engaging conversational AI experience.

OpenAI’s decision to make this feature available to a wider user base underscores the evolution of ChatGPT, positioning it as a versatile and accessible tool for diverse interactions.