Life Long Learning

I am committed to life-long learning.

Daily

• I read daily a 10 – 15 minute summary of a non-fiction book.
• I subscribed to Merriam Webster’s WOTD (Word of the Day) Podcast.
• I try to learn a few new topics
• I try to enhance a few old topics
• I update several posts from my web site
  hlamin.com
• I administer / moderate selected Facebook pages

Finding topics

• Many years ago, I asked a journalist how he could write weekly columns.
  He replied, “As long as you have family, friends and colleagues, you can find some thing to write.”
• I was able to write 2000+ posts about my Circles.
  Examples :
  People that I know
  Places that I had visited
  Events that I had attended
  Names

Online Courses

I finished on-line courses which require reading, taking quizzes and exams.

• Democratic Development
• Computer Networks,
• Nanotechnology.

I have audited many courses such as

• Risk Management (3 courses)
• Cryptography (2 courses)
• Algorithms (2 courses)
• Data Analysis (2 courses)
• Programming Languages (2 courses)
• Machine learning (2 courses)
• Automata
• Combinatorics
• Big data
• Genetics and evolution
• Cosmology
• Critical thinking in Global Challenges

Beliefs

• Practicing loving kindness meditation and vipassana meditation.
• Proper Teaching / Dissemination
• Importance of History and Pioneers
• Effective use of Time

Teaching

• Teaching is only one aspect.
• A teacher learns by teaching and receiving feedback from the students.
• A teacher should be a life long learner.
• We should not encourage Rote Learning & mindless repetition.
• “Learning how to learn” and similar courses propose efficient and effective techniques.
• Bachelor’s level usually provides Liberal education and some basic research.
• Research and Development (R&D) transcends multiple disciplines and requires collaboration.

History

• Docent at Computer History Museum
• Member of “History of Myanmar Engineering Education” Projects
• Contributor to :Encyclopedia of Asian American Folklore and Folklife”

Computer Pioneers

• In the beginning, there were no computers and no Computer Science.
• Among the computer pioneers were engineers (Electrical, Chemical, …), mathematicians (Pure, Applied,…), physicists (Theoretical, …), psychologists, and linguists.
• Edgser W. Dijkstra, who won the ACM Turing Award (equivalent of Nobel Prize in Computer Science) had to put “Theoretical Physicist” in his marriage license instead of “Programmer” or “Computer Scientist”.
• The same is true for pioneers of other emerging disciplines.

Effective use of time

• Some people said that I have “too much time”.
• Time is an equalizer.
• Everyone — rich or poor — has 24 hours in a day.

Our elders reminded us, one should get — in whatever we do —

• Kutho (Kusala, wholesome deeds)
• Oksa (income / wealth)
• Pyinna (Panna, knowledge/wisdom)

I have already received a zillion “thanks” from my sayas for my voluntary work in getting the alums reconnected electronically and physically.