Module 5: Machine Learning Basics


Topic 1: Introduction to ML

What is ML anyway?

Before we jump into specific machine learning methods, we need to understand some fundamentals of ML!  This module will focus on the basics that are common to all ML methods.  We will not jump into specific methods until the next module.  

The reading to go with this module is Section 19-19.2 (Introduction through Supervised Learning)

Explaining ML to non CS people

I found a really fun video of how to explain machine learning to a very varied audience (5 different ages and types of people).  It is not required but it is recommended!

Computer Scientist Explains Machine Learning in 5 Levels of Difficulty | WIRED

How do we classify the different ML methods?

For my introduction to ML, please watch the video below about the different types of ML.  As I said before, we can’t study all of these during this course since it is an overview, but we will look into methods across the spectrum of different types of ML.

Copy of the slides

Looking a bit more deeply into the different categories of ML

This video jumps into the different types of ML and discusses them in a bit more detail.

Copy of the slides

Exercise