[ closed ] Feedbacks from existing study groups

To all: previously (see wiki post), I thought a Google Sheet would be interesting to order your feedbacks on the study groups, but after our first exchanges, I think we should be more ambitious.

Why not writing a Fastai Study Group Guide through an online wiki or even better in https://course.fast.ai/ (if possible, I do not know).

What do you think?

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To all: I posted the version 1 of the Fastai Study Group Guide at (link deleted. See post).

This Google document is editable by everyone.

I propose to finish it before the end of March. OK ? (cc @jeremy, @rachel, @sgugger)

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Thanks for putting it together. Very comprehensive list for existing groups to grow.

For the first time organizer, I will recommend:

  • Focus on learning objectives one at a time
  • start a small group but commit to meet on regular basis (minimum once a week)
  • Build a healthy supportive culture from start and have fun :blush:
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thank you @pierreguillou for all the work collecting feedback and writing guides for study groups. nice week and big help.

are we going to setup a separate ‘study groups’ sub-category like for part 1 recently? or if i want to start a virtual study group for my time zone do i just post it in the ‘open’ category?

thanks!

@pierreguillou @henripal @init_27
(Forums usually sends me a message when I have been tagged, but guess that’s not the case anymore, so this a bit tardy.)

My thoughts on the study groups:

Impact

Creating a shared document on impact of study groups is always beneficial (blogs, projects produced, people getting jobs, workshops given, speaking at conferences, etc.).

This impact report can also be used to obtain sponsorship, particularly funding of meetup dues.

Diversity & Inclusion

Good to keep track of how many women and URGs (under-represented groups) join, and how you can make your groups welcoming for them.

My recent podcast interview with extended discussion on diversity and inclusion: https://www.datacamp.com/community/podcast/women-in-data-science

Code of Conduct

Include a code of conduct on what behavior is acceptable and what is not. If you don’t have one, use this one (brief and to the point), and include attribution:

https://numfocus.org/code-of-conduct

Structure of Study Groups

Not to discourage use of meetup functionality, but to share that meetups, unfortunately for those who invest in organizing the event, often have the culture of low appreciation/commitment by members of the community.

In NYC, Jon Krohn began a Deep Learning Study Group which he held (generally on Saturdays) at his place of work, Untapt. The space was fairly small, maybe seating for 30. It made organizing easier and he communicated via email in setting up the events. There were hardly any no-shows, and people were cognizant of communicating if they said they would attend but then did not. Because of space size, he did have to limit the number of people joining.

I am not discouraging meetup groups, simply sharing the challenges.

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I’ve joined several meetup groups here in KL for FastAI and organized a small virtual group as well.

In cases that it worked, the organizers are usually tied to some larger organization, and as such the events are rather structured. Examples are like the study groups organized by Nurture.ai and School of AI (Siraj’s).

In cases that it didn’t, the group usually starts out nice initially but over time loses momentum as people gets distracted with daily commitments.

What I find to be working (for me and a group of friends currently) are just loosely connecting via slack group and having our internal Q&A from time to time. It started off as a study group, but transformed into an enthusiasts chat room. Physical meetups are hard to be honest, as tendencies for no-shows are rather high (without someone who’s consistently managing and encouraging others with goals and motivation).

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Thanks @Moody for your feedback. I’ve updated the Fastai Study Group Guide with it :slight_smile:

Hi @miwojc. Not sure I understood your question. What do you want to do?

i wanted to set up a study group just like we had for part 1, i did it in the main part 2 thread, thanks!

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for example for part 1 we had sub-categories for timezeone study groups like here: https://forums.fast.ai/c/part1-v3/utc-2-eu-east

Hello @reshama. Thanks a lot for your feedback!

I copied/pasted your advice.

This a key point. I copied/pasted your advice.

Great idea. I wrote a paragraph on it.

Sorry but I did not get this point. What did you want to mean with this paragraph?

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Great. This link? https://forums.fast.ai/t/polska-study-group/41619

yes this is the correct link

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Thanks @hafidz for you feedback! :slight_smile:

As a co-organizer of a study group last year, I share some of your points of view (eg “the group usually starts out nice initially but over time loses momentum as people gets distracted with daily commitments”), but I’m not sure that there is any causal connection to the fact that “organizers are usually tied to some larger organization” or not. I think that the key point is the engagement of organizers.

I agree as well with you comment “Physical meetups are hard to be honest, as tendencies for no-shows are rather high (without someone who’s consistently managing and encouraging others with goals and motivation)” but i think that face to face meeting are crucial to help to create a local fastai community and then, local projects on AI.

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To all : I posted the version 2 of the Fastai Study Group Guide at (link deleted. See post).

This Google document is editable by everyone.

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End of the work on our “Fastai Study Group Guide” today (April 1, 2019)

To all + jeremy: thanks to your feedbacks, I have finished writing our Fastai Study Group Guide today :slight_smile:

You will find the online version at (link deleted. See post).

I hope this guide could help existing and new organizers of fastai study groups. Personally, I had a good time talking with all of you about your local experiences and learned a lot. Thanks!

@jeremy : is there any possibility to get an html version of this guide in https://www.fast.ai/ (with improvements if needed)? and/or publish its link in order that anyone who needs it could easily find it? Many thanks.

Thanks! If you make that in to a new topic here as markdown, then we can wikify it, and keep it updated as a resource - and share it more widely.

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Thanks Jeremy. I did it in the new topic Fastai Study Group Guide (link below) and therefore, to avoid updating 2 documents, I disabled public sharing of the Google Docs version.

Thanks to those who want to read, share or update the guide to do it here at present:
Fastai Study Group Guide.

PS: Jeremy, can you wikify its first post (which is the guide a markdown)? Thank you.

A post was merged into an existing topic: Fastai Study Group Guide

This topic is closed.

Go to Fastai Study Group Guide if you want to read, share or update the guide. Thank you.