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Tips for educators to master virtual instruction | AWS Public Sector Blog

As educators, we need to approach the transition to online teaching as permanent change and innovate for the future. At California State University, we have moved to virtual instruction repeatedly throughout the last five years for a variety of reasons. I encourage educators to have an online version for all your classes, not only for emergencies, but also to be responsive to students who want online offerings.

In this AWS Public Sector Blog post I discuss how to:

  1. Leverage technology to replace face-to-face interaction.
  2. Make the tech work for you.
  3. Get creative.
  4. Throw out the rulebook.
  5. Change the way you approach grading.
  6. Balance organization with passion.
  7. Bonus tip for computer science instructors: Some material is easier to teach online.

From: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/publicsector/tips-for-educators-to-master-virtual-instruction/

Amazon Wants to Train 29 Million People to Work in the Cloud – WSJ

Amazon . com Inc. announced an effort Thursday aimed at helping 29 million people world-wide retrain by 2025, giving them new skills for cloud-computing roles as the pandemic upends many careers.

The online giant committed $700 million last year to reskilling 100,000 of its own workers in the U.S. The new effort will build on existing programs and include new ones in partnership with nonprofits, schools and others.

Amazon’s latest initiative is geared toward those who aren’t already employed at the company. The idea, it says, is to equip people with the education needed to work in cloud-computing at a number of employers seeking to fill high-tech positions. While some participants might find jobs at Amazon, it is more likely they would get hired at other companies, including many that use Amazon Web Services, the online retailer’s cloud division.

Source: Amazon Wants to Train 29 Million People to Work in the Cloud – WSJ

KVTA 1590 Interview on the AWS Cloud at CSUCI

Interview on the partnership between CSUCI and Amazon Web Services, Dec 7, 2020

Main Points of the interview:

  1. Can you explain what a“cloud” is for the laypeople?
    • In some sense it is giant warehouses filled with computers
    • But more importantly it is a new paradigm of computing, described often as on demand access to IT resources via the Internet with a pay-as-you-go plan
    • A good analogy is the power grid; instead of running your own generator, and its backup, and being responsible for its maintenance and operation, you connect to the grid, and outsource those responsibilities to the power company. Then you are just responsible for paying the bills. 
  2. Give a short history of the Cloud.
    • Started over a 100 years ago with the telegraph, smart terminal and operator at the edges, but “dumb” inside (just a cable and repeaters)
    • Then the telephone, dumb at the edges, but smart inside with the switchboard / circuit switching
    • Then the Internet, again flipping the paradigm, smart at the edges, dumb inside – 50 years ago
    • Finally the cloud, going back to the original, dumb at the edges, smart inside – 15 year ago
  3. How is Artificial Intelligence, in particular Machine Learning, connected to the Cloud?
    • Machine Learning is a method of computing where the computation is data driven, rather than instruction driven. A good example, is Optical Character Recognition – you can train the computer to recognize hand written digits, e.g., depositing a check the OCR software extracts the amount from the check.
    • The mathematical idea behind it is a perceptron, that models the neurons in the human brain, and this was first discovered in the 1960s but at that time we lacked the computer power to implement it in practice.
    • Suddenly, 15 years ago or so with the advent of the data center, more companies and institutions had access to the necessary computer power.
    • But since 5 years, maybe a little longer, individuals have access to it via the Cloud. Our AWS Pilot in Machine Learning – students have access to the latest.
  4. What are some examples of the Cloud?
    • Service that we all use: Dropbox, Netflix, Gmail, etc.
    • Your handheld device does not have a lot of compute power, so in some sense it is a portal into the cloud – google maps directions are computed for you in the cloud
  5. Is the cloud secure?
    • That is a very good question, but it does not have a yes/no answer. Security is assessed with risks and probabilities.
    • But, in general, a company like Dropbox has tremendous resources and expertise at its disposal to secure your data.
    • On the other hand, how secure is your data in on-premises solution? 
    • In any case, businesses are moving swiftly into the cloud, because the pricing is so attractive, but their number one concern is: will my data be secure? 
    • Famous saying of Gene Spafford: “The only truly secure system is one that is powered off, cast in a block of concrete and sealed in a lead-lined room with armed guards – and even then I have my doubts.”
  6. What is the job market in the cloud?
    • Excellent, LinkedIn has listed cloud skill as the #1 skill searched for by employers since 2014.
    • That is why we have been growing our Cloud offering at CSUCI. 

How can I learn more about the cloud

  1. List of certification classes
  2. Link to sign up

Computer Science 7th Advisory Board Meeting

most Important: CaPstone Showcase

Please help us make our students’ Virtual Capstone Showcase a special occasion by visiting the sites of their projects, and leaving a comment. Our students have worked hard to meet the demands of a senior capstone project, in difficult circumstances, and they are facing a challenging job market (although Computer Science is doing relatively well even in the COVID19 economy). It will encourage them to have your feedback, as industry leaders.

Here is the list of all the Capstone projects:

  1. http://marcusit308.cikeys.com/
  2. http://translator.cikeys.com/
  3. https://www.retropi.capstone.justindelgado001.cikeys.com/blog/
  4. http://kirstyalexandranguegang.cikeys.com/
  5. http://abdulnachawati.cikeys.com/
  6. http://polyrhythmmetronome.cikeys.com/
  7. http://www.capstone.luisfigueroa.cikeys.com/
  8. http://thomasmadsen.cikeys.com/
  9. http://jasondiep.cikeys.com/
  10. http://zacharylloyd.cikeys.com/capstone/
  11. http://roguespaceproject.cikeys.com/project-page/
  12. http://adam.cikeys.com
  13. http://connorstephens.cikeys.com/uncategorized/final-capstone-submission/
  14. http://cross.cikeys.com/capstone/uncategorized/final-project/
  15. http://www.isaac-garza.icheadache.cikeys.com/
  16. http://csuci-nibbe.cikeys.com/
  17. http://brettmusser.cikeys.com/
  18. http://elliottdiaz.cikeys.com/

Summary of the Meeting

  1. Introduction to the Computer Science Advisory Board meeting, Chris Meissner
  2. 10min + questions: term overview and updates by Michael Soltys (see slides below)
  3. 15min + questions: update on Mechatronics by new faculty Bahareh Abbasi and Vida Vakilian (see slides below)

Slides

AdvisoryBoard-Dec4-2020

vida_vakilian

Why 4-year colleges are tapping Amazon to help deliver cloud computing degrees

Amazon Web Services is one of a handful of tech employers, including Google and Microsoft, helping colleges offer credentials in the field.

Cal State Channel Islands is part of the growing list of AWS Academy institutions, a group of mostly colleges that select at least one instructor to be authorized by the cloud computing giant to teach its courses to students.

Source: Why 4-year colleges are tapping Amazon to help deliver cloud computing degrees | Education Dive

Position as an Automation Engineer at Wilwood Engineering

Wilwood Engineering, The Leader in Aftermarket High Performance Disc Brake Systems is looking for a detail oriented individual for our Systems Automation department.

Responsibilities will include:

  • Software development on PLC control systems
  • Design advanced electronic control systems for mechanical systems
  • Process data interpretation and presentation of key parameters
  • Machine and process automation
  • Maintain process Historian
  • Provide technical support for onsite control systems
  • Assist with the implementation of manufacturing systems
  • Ensure system documentation is maintained up to date
  • Upgrade the design of existing devices by adding automation
  • Create test programs

Essential Experience:

  • Design, engineer, test and troubleshoot control systems
  • Ability to work independently while applying the available resources
  • Experience or knowledge of DAQ modules, signal processing and software/system integration
  • Ability to work with a multi-disciplinary team
  • Programming in C++, & C#
  • Autodesk Eagle

Wilwood Engineering is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?cmp=Wilwood-Engineering&t=Automation+Engineer&jk=da77581281d72c9d&q=wilwood&vjs=3

Job as Information Security and Compliance Manager

Information Security and Compliance Manager

Oxnard, CA

The Information Security & Compliance Manager will help establish, manage, and maintaining the Global Information Security & Compliance Management Program encompassing information security, regulatory compliance and data privacy. They are responsible for the development, establishment, and communication of security policies, standards, guidelines, and the education and awareness of these requirements. They will also be responsible for identifying, tracking and reporting on information security and compliance risk and ensuring that information system controls and monitoring systems operate effectively. Prevent, detect and respond to cyber-criminal threats and other risks to corporate information (IT) and operational technologies. If you are interested in applying for this position, please send your resume to Jenna Colitti at jcolitti@missionproduce.com.

https://worldsfinestavocados.com/careers