Senior Track Courses
Senior (Grades 8,9,10 in Acad Year 2024-25)
To recap, the Senior Track is applicable for students moving to Grades 8,9,10 in 2024-25, with the following considerations:
- Grade 10 students have the option to pick from the Senior courses OR the Career Discovery & Planning experience.
- Grade 7 students who have already experienced our Junior Track are welcome to consider the Senior Track courses.
Available Options for July 2024 Grades 8,9,10
Courses
Duration
3 - week
3 - week
3 - week
3 - week
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
(Senior Track - Students in Grades 8,9,10 in 2024-25)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are changing the world, and there is going to be an increasing demand for the people who can understand and build AI/ML systems.
All aspects of our life are being digitized and data is being captured, and much of this data is available to anybody who wants to do something with it. More and more of our day-to-day activities will be controlled by or influenced by algorithms. Which means that the most exciting technologies today (and the ones that are also the most successful) are the ones that can make sense of this data in a way humans can. Every company, from Google to Facebook to Netflix to Amazon to Flipkart are turning to AI/ML for best results.
Topics to be covered:
The first two weeks of this course will give students a hands-on introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning, while Week 3 will focus on the groundbreaking progress being made in Generative AI, and how students can leverage the power of these developments.
The course will introduce the students to 3 different aspects of AI theory and practice:
- Understanding the theory of AI/ML
- Learning how to build simple machine learning systems using low-code/no-code tools
- Using AI algorithms with some existing data-sets to solve problems and build games
Specifically, the course will cover the following:
High-Level Concepts
- What are Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning?
- How is it different from normal software and computers?
- An overview of the most important different approaches to AI
- What types of problems they're best suited for?
- And, what are some current applications that they're being used for?
- The weaknesses of AI
- The problems caused by inappropriate use of AI
Theory
- Introduction to the mathematics that underlies ML algorithms
- Understanding the train-test-validation cycle
- Understanding the concept of hyperparameters and tuning
- Understanding overfitting, underfitting, and the bias vs. variance trade-off
- Techniques for improving accuracy
Building
- Image/audio/video/text classification using ML
- Build simple games using ML and Scratch
- Analyzing some real-world datasets using Python
- Final Course Project
Week 1 of the course will be purely focused on learning to use the full power of ChatGPT and GenAI. Details here.
This course is facilitated by Navin Kabra.
Modules in Economics
(Senior Track - Students in Grades 7,8,9,10 in 2024-25)
Economics is the study of how to get the most out of life.
But what does this mean in practice? It means understanding two things, above all else. The first is an understanding of what choices exist where each of our lives is concerned. The second is an understanding of the costs involved in making a particular choice.
In this week-long Economics & Life Choices module, we will learn to study and apply economics in the course of our daily lives. We will understand how we make a particular choice out of the menu of options that we are faced with, and how that choice affects our lives in the times to come. How, for example, do we end up choosing the subjects we do when it comes to studies? What is the cost of choosing a particular field of study? What, if anything, are we maximizing when we write examinations? Can economics tell us how to go about studying better?
We will also learn to apply concepts associated with choices and costs. What is the importance of time in our lives? Playing Call of Duty seems like an excellent idea while you’re playing it, but might seventy-year-old-you wish that you’d spent that time studying instead? How should we think about this problem?
How long a horizon should we keep in mind when thinking about the impact of choices we make? Will your great great grand-daughter wish that you had walked more, and driven less? And if that sounds too far fetched, do you wish that your grandparents had purchased some shares in your name?
How should we think about the unintended consequences of our actions? How should we anticipate other people might behave, and how should we change our behaviours accordingly? What is the correct way to think about prices, and what story are these prices telling us?
This module teaches you to do two things. It teaches you to think like an economist, and it teaches you to see the world like an economist does. The worldview of an economist may not be the most romantic one around, but it does help us understand - a bit better - why the world works the way it does.
An informed citizen data scientist not only helps analyze the raw data, supplemented with visualisations, but also is able to better interpret such analyses/ visualizations presented to him/ her. This Data/ Visualisation/ Statistics module covers the following:
- Set the context for what is possible using available data
- An overview of the statistical concepts/ tools that underlie data and analysis
- Interpreting the quality of the conclusions (signal/noise ratio, possible errors we need to seek to avoid, reliability, etc.), which is at the heart of all statistical analysis
- The format for interaction will be a mix of in-class lectures, hands-on assignments, and DIY projects.
The Public Policy module will cover the following:
- Various stages of the policy process, from problem identification and analysis to implementation and evaluation.
- Key issues in public policy, such as healthcare, education, and environmental sustainability.
- Various actors and stakeholders involved in policy-making, including governments, NGOs, and community groups, and how they interact with one another.
To make things more engaging, we'll play games in class to help illustrate different concepts and get students thinking about these issues in a hands-on way.
This course is facilitated by Ashish Kulkarni.
Level Up Your Game: A Journey into Game Design and Development (Sr Track - Students in Grades 8,9,10 in 2024-25)
"Game design is a unique art form, one that draws upon all other arts while adding its own unique ingredients." – Scott Rogers
Hey there, future game master! Ever wondered what makes games like Fortnite so addictive or why Monopoly can turn a chill night into a competitive showdown? Dive into the world of game design and discover the secrets behind crafting those epic gaming experiences!
Get ready to play and analyze everything from classic card games to the latest video games. Understand what makes each tick, and unleash your creativity to design your own. Whether you’re a fan of RPGs, board games, or digital adventures, there’s something here for you.
You'll also learn the nuts and bolts of game design. We're talking about crafting plans that don't just save time and resources but also turn your wild ideas into play-worthy games. No need to be a coding wizard either – this course is all about creativity and vision.
Ever dreamed of building your own game world? We’ve got you covered! You’ll get hands-on with digital tools and game engines, bringing your ideas to life across different platforms.
From creating your first game prototype to rewriting the rules of
Monopoly, every step is an adventure. Unleash your inner game designer and let’s create something legendary!
This course is facilitated by Amaresh Deshpande.
Explorations in Math (Senior Track - Students in Grades 8,9,10 in 2024-25)
A unique opportunity for students to explore and learn math concepts rarely offered in middle/high school; topics include Proofs Vs Conjectures, Combinatorics, Number Theory and Probability.
It is impossible to be a mathematician without being a poet in your soul - Sofya Kovalevskaya, Russian mathematician who made noteworthy contributions to analysis, partial differential equations and mechanics.
Module 1: Graph Theory & Routing: The Math Behind Google Maps & Amazon Delivery
Perhaps we are unaware that we are employing graph theory in our daily lives. In fact, graph theory is used in many of our daily routine activities.
We know that everything in our world is interconnected; for example cities are connected by road, rail and air networks; hyperlinks connected webpages on the internet; an electric circuit or a computer chip’s various components are interconnected; and so on. Graph theory can assist engineering, scientists, and other professionals who want to analyze, comprehend and optimize these interconnected networks.
For instance - every time we use Google Maps to find the best route between two locations, order food on Swiggy or a package on Amazon, they employ sophisticated versions of graph theory to share the most optimal route or recommend dishes or products.
Why is graph theory so useful in solving these problems? The most basic answer lies in the fact that graphs can be easy and straightforward models of objects that make up complicated real life situations.
In this module, we will explore mathematics of graphs and network routing using examples and problems that are basic and yet which bring out the key aspects of the more sophisticated problems in this domain. Additionally, this topic presents an opportunity for young, gifted students to experience how mathematics develops and how mathematicians approach their subject. This is an important learning experience for students as they rarely get a chance to discover mathematical material for themselves.
Module 2: Mathematics of Games & Puzzles
It is hard to find anyone who does not like games and puzzles. Sometimes the games seem complicated and it is difficult to figure out a strategy for playing the games. This course takes a mathematical approach to playing games and solving puzzles. Some games are pure strategy, like chess while others are pure luck. However, there are a range of games that are a combination of strategy and luck. For instance, many casino games fall in the last category.
In this module, we will discuss various types of games and the focus on understanding the underlying mathematical structure that leads to victory, loss or no win and no loss.
Similarly, for puzzles too, we will analyze them from the perspectives of their mathematical structure. There are some games and puzzles, for example, which look very challenging but are actually quite simple. On the other hand, there are games and puzzles which are very simple but even a small modification of the rules makes them extremely difficult. In short, through games and puzzles this module will explore fundamental mathematical concepts like Probability and Combinatorics.
Forensic Investigations (Senior Track - Students in Grades 8,9,10 in 2024-25)
An interdisciplinary explorationHow do forensic scientists analyse traces of evidence found at crime scenes? Can a small drop of blood or strand of hair help identify the suspects?
In this course, we will answer such questions by understanding the biological, chemical, and physical concepts of forensic science. We will further explore the ethical and legal aspects of crime forensics by understanding the roles of bias, doubt, and technology in investigations.
Each topic is set against the backdrop of a real or fictional case, and to solve it, we will engage in investigations, debates, and discussions to understand the topic in detail. All throughout, the focus is on the process of scientific inquiry and the legal principle of ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt’.
We will use our analytical skills to examine fingerprints, DNA, blood samples, and bullet fragments. We do this against the backdrop of cases adapted for students at this learning stage. In the process, we dive deeply into understanding fingerprint formation and patterns; and the structure of DNA, how it is useful as evidence, and what the process is for differentiating the DNA of two people. We will have similar deep dives into the understanding of blood and the process of blood typing and matching. We finally take a journey back in time and reconstruct one of the most famous crime scenes – the JFK assassination, and using our knowledge of force and motion, try to resolve discrepancies in the case.
This course is a perfect mix of deep dives into cutting-edge scientific concepts and using critical thinking to make evidence-based deductions. So put on your investigative hats, make deductions based on evidence, and reach conclusions on different forensic cases!
Shaping Places: Discovering Design through Architecture (Senior Track - Students in Grades 8,9,10 in 2024-25)
Whether we’re aware of it or not, design surrounds us, and has a profound impact on our daily lives. Take a look at your surroundings - the chair you are sitting on, the room you are working in, the neighbourhood, the trees, the streets, the weather. Would you have been doing the same thing, or felt the same way if any of the above were different? Our experiences and memories are given meaning by the places we inhabit, what we do in them and how we navigate through them. Our surroundings also affect and are affected by our aspiration for a certain kind of social and cultural life.
This course introduces students to the fascinating world of design, through new ways of seeing, thinking and making places. How does the built environment affect people’s lives? What does it mean to create a place for a future society?
Through hands-on exercises like drawing, model-making, collaborative assemblage and other forms of visualization, the course aims to make students more sensitive and critically responsive to the places they inhabit. It takes a studio based approach of ‘learning by doing’, where students and facilitators co-develop design ideas in response to a given scenario through deliberation and experimentation. During the course, students will be urged to step out of their comfort zones, question the status quo and challenge stereotypes to address some complex problems governing the built environment today.
This course is facilitated by Ramya Ramesh.
Leveraging the Power of ChatGPT/ Generative AI (Senior Track - Students in Grades 8,9,10 in 2024-25) July 24-31, 2024
ChatGPT (and more generally, all of Generative AI technology) is one of the most powerful technologies ever invented and will completely transform how we learn, how we study, and what all we are capable of doing. Everyone has tried it out, and most students are using it for homework assignments. However, most people have just scratched the surface of the possibilities and they are not aware of the full power of this technology. The different ways in which it can be used are just mind-boggling.
This course will give students a hands-on introduction to GenAI via lots of mini-projects designed to help them understand and use GenAI in a number of different areas, from programming, data analysis, visualizations, knowledge management, image/audio/video manipulations, translations, and much more. Students will learn how to go beyond the obvious and get better output out of the various GenAI tools. They will also explore how Gen AI can be used to learn a topic or assist them in a project- this is invaluable for students interested in any subject, not just 'STEM'.
The course will also give students an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of GenAI, what works well, what are the problem areas and gotchas to be careful of, and the common misconceptions people have about Gen AI. At this point, there is already research on the kinds of tasks for which it supercharges our abilities, and the kinds of problems for which it can make things worse if we're not careful.
In general, this technology is changing very fast and this course is designed to equip the students with strategies that will help them to be ready for whatever comes our way. Students will also learn to use Gen AI as a partner in their learning, well beyond this course.
Note #1: This course will not cover the internals of how ChatGPT in particular, or any other AI in general works. That is covered in a different course that will also run during this summer camp.
Note #2: Students will be required to have a ChatGPT Plus account (which costs approximately ₹1650 for one month) for this course. We will help students set this up if they don't already have it.
This course is facilitated by Navin Kabra.
