GenÂerÂaÂtive AI is rapidÂly becomÂing an essenÂtial tool for streamÂlinÂing work and solvÂing comÂplex chalÂlenges. HowÂevÂer, knowÂing how to use GenAI effecÂtiveÂly isn’t always obviÂous. That’s where Google PromptÂing EssenÂtials comes in. This course will teach you to write clear and speÂcifÂic instructions—known as prompts—for AI. Once you can prompt well, you can unlock genÂerÂaÂtive AI’s potenÂtial more fulÂly.
Launched in April, Google PromptÂing EssenÂtials has become the most popÂuÂlar GenAI course offered on CoursÂera. The course itself is dividÂed into four modÂules. First, “Start WritÂing Prompts Like a Pro” will teach you a 5‑step method for craftÂing effecÂtive prompts. (Watch the video from ModÂule 1 above, and more videos here.) With the secÂond modÂule, “Design Prompts for EveryÂday Work Tasks,” you will learn how to use AI to draft emails, brainÂstorm ideas, and sumÂmaÂrize docÂuÂments. The third modÂule, “Speed Up Data AnalyÂsis and PreÂsenÂtaÂtion BuildÂing,” teachÂes techÂniques for uncovÂerÂing insights in data, visuÂalÂizÂing results, and preparÂing preÂsenÂtaÂtions. The final modÂule, “Use AI as a CreÂative or Expert PartÂner,” explores advanced techÂniques such as prompt chainÂing and mulÂtiÂmodal promptÂing. Plus, you will “creÂate a perÂsonÂalÂized AI agent to role-play conÂverÂsaÂtions and proÂvide expert feedÂback.”
Offered on the CoursÂera platÂform, Google PromptÂing EssenÂtials costs $49. Once you comÂplete the course, you will receive a cerÂtifiÂcate from Google to share with your netÂwork and employÂer. BetÂter yet, you will underÂstand how to make GenAI a more useÂful tool in your life and work. Enroll here.
Note: Open CulÂture has a partÂnerÂship with CoursÂera. If readÂers enroll in cerÂtain CoursÂera coursÂes and proÂgrams, it helps supÂport Open CulÂture.
In 2023, Google launched sevÂerÂal online cerÂtifiÂcate proÂgrams designed to help stuÂdents land an entry-levÂel job, withÂout necÂesÂsarÂiÂly havÂing a colÂlege degree. This includes a cerÂtifiÂcate proÂgram focused on CyberÂseÂcuÂriÂty, a field that stands poised to grow as comÂpaÂnies become more digÂiÂtal and face mountÂing cyberÂatÂtacks.
UnderÂstand the imporÂtance of cyberÂseÂcuÂriÂty pracÂtices and their impact for orgaÂniÂzaÂtions.
IdenÂtiÂfy comÂmon risks, threats, and vulÂnerÂaÂbilÂiÂties, as well as techÂniques to mitÂiÂgate them.
ProÂtect netÂworks, devices, peoÂple, and data from unauÂthoÂrized access and cyberÂatÂtacks using SecuÂriÂty InforÂmaÂtion and Event ManÂageÂment (SIEM) tools.
Gain hands-on expeÂriÂence with Python, LinÂux, and SQL.
The CyberÂseÂcuÂriÂty ProÂfesÂsionÂal CerÂtifiÂcate also now includes six new videos that explain how to use AI in cyberÂseÂcuÂriÂty. The videos covÂer everyÂthing from using artiÂfiÂcial intelÂliÂgence to help idenÂtiÂfy bugs and sysÂtem vulÂnerÂaÂbilÂiÂties, to refinÂing code and priÂorÂiÂtizÂing alerts with AI.
StuÂdents can take indiÂvidÂual coursÂes in these proÂfesÂsionÂal cerÂtifiÂcate proÂgrams for free. (Above, you can watch a video from the first course in the cyberÂseÂcuÂriÂty cerÂtifiÂcate proÂgram, entiÂtled “FounÂdaÂtions of CyberÂseÂcuÂriÂty.”) HowÂevÂer, if you would like to receive a cerÂtifiÂcate, CoursÂera will charge $49 per month (after an iniÂtial 7‑day free triÂal periÂod). That means that the CyberÂseÂcuÂriÂty ProÂfesÂsionÂal CerÂtifiÂcate, designed to be comÂpletÂed in 6 months, will cost roughÂly $300 in total.
Once stuÂdents comÂplete the cyberÂseÂcuÂriÂty cerÂtifiÂcate, they can add the creÂdenÂtial to their LinkedIn proÂfile, resume, or CV. As a perk, stuÂdents in the U.S. can also conÂnect with 150+employÂers (e.g., AmerÂiÂcan Express, ColÂgate-PalÂmoÂlive, T‑Mobile, WalÂmart, and Google) who have pledged to conÂsidÂer cerÂtifiÂcate holdÂers for open posiÂtions. AccordÂing to CoursÂera, this cerÂtifiÂcate can preÂpare stuÂdents to become an entry-levÂel “cyberÂseÂcuÂriÂty anaÂlyst and SOC (secuÂriÂty operÂaÂtions cenÂter) anaÂlyst.”
You can start a 7‑day free triÂal of the CyberÂseÂcuÂriÂty ProÂfesÂsionÂal CerÂtifiÂcatehere. AlterÂnaÂtiveÂly, if you sign up for CoursÂera Plus, whose price has been reduced by 40% until DecemÂber 2, 2024, you can enroll in the cyberÂseÂcuÂriÂty cerÂtifiÂcate proÂgram at no charge. Find out more here.
Note: Open CulÂture has a partÂnerÂship with CoursÂera. If readÂers enroll in cerÂtain CoursÂera coursÂes and proÂgrams, it helps supÂport Open CulÂture.
Back in 2021, Google released a series of cerÂtifiÂcate proÂgrams, includÂing one focused on Project ManÂageÂment. Designed to give stuÂdents “an immerÂsive underÂstandÂing of the pracÂtices and skills needÂed to sucÂceed in an entry-levÂel project manÂageÂment role,” the cerÂtifiÂcate proÂgram feaÂtures six coursÂes overÂall, includÂing:
FounÂdaÂtions of Project ManÂageÂment
Project IniÂtiÂaÂtion: StartÂing a SucÂcessÂful Project
Project PlanÂning: Putting It All TogethÂer
Project ExeÂcuÂtion: RunÂning the Project
Agile Project ManÂageÂment
CapÂstone: ApplyÂing Project ManÂageÂment in the Real World
More than 1.7 milÂlion peoÂple have since enrolled in the course sequence. And Google has now updatÂed the coursÂes with 6 new videos on how to use AI in project manÂageÂment. The videos will teach stuÂdents how to boost project manÂageÂment skills with AI, idenÂtiÂfy potenÂtial project risks with gen AI, use AI to improve project comÂmuÂniÂcaÂtions, and more.
The Project ManÂageÂment proÂgram takes about six months to comÂplete (assumÂing you put in 10 hours per week), and it should cost about $300 in total. FolÂlowÂing a 7‑day free triÂal, stuÂdents will be charged $49 per month until they comÂplete the proÂgram.
All Google career coursÂes are hostÂed on the CoursÂera platÂform. FinalÂly, it’s worth menÂtionÂing that anyÂone who enrolls in this cerÂtifiÂcate before NovemÂber 30, 2024 will get access to Google AI EssenÂtials at no cost.
Note: Open CulÂture has a partÂnerÂship with CoursÂera. If readÂers enroll in cerÂtain CoursÂera coursÂes and proÂgrams, it helps supÂport Open CulÂture.
This week, Google announced the launch of Google AI EssenÂtials, a new self-paced course designed to help peoÂple learn AI skills that can boost their proÂducÂtivÂiÂty. Taught by Google’s AI experts, and assumÂing no priÂor knowlÂedge of proÂgramÂming, the course venÂtures to show stuÂdents how to “use AI in the real world,” with an emphaÂsis on helpÂing stuÂdents:
DevelÂop ideas and conÂtent. If you’re stuck at the beginÂning of a project, use AI tools to help you brainÂstorm new ideas. In the course, you’ll use a conÂverÂsaÂtionÂal AI tool to genÂerÂate conÂcepts for a prodÂuct and develÂop a preÂsenÂtaÂtion to pitch the prodÂuct.
Make more informed deciÂsions. Let’s say you’re planÂning an event. AI tools can help you research the best locaÂtion to host it based on your criÂteÂria. You can also use AI to help you come up with a tagline or sloÂgan.
Speed up daiÂly work tasks. Clear out that inbox faster using AI to help you sumÂmaÂrize emails and draft responsÂes.
Google AI EssenÂtials feaÂtures five modÂules (the video above comes from ModÂule 1) and takes about 9 hours to comÂplete. The tuition is curÂrentÂly set at $49, and those who comÂplete the course will earn a Google cerÂtifiÂcate that they can share with their proÂfesÂsionÂal netÂwork.
Note: Open CulÂture has a partÂnerÂship with CoursÂera. If readÂers enroll in cerÂtain CoursÂera coursÂes and proÂgrams, it helps supÂport Open CulÂture.
FYI. Google and MIT RAISE have partÂnered to creÂate a free course for teachÂers and eduÂcaÂtors, one designed to show teachÂers how they can use genÂerÂaÂtive AI tools to save “time on everyÂday tasks, personaliz[e] instrucÂtion to meet stuÂdent needs, and enhanc[e] lessons and activÂiÂties in creÂative ways.” AccordÂing to the course descripÂtion, in this two-hour self-paced course, teachÂers can learn how to use genÂerÂaÂtive AI tools to:
CreÂate engagÂing lesÂson plans and mateÂriÂals. For examÂple with genÂerÂaÂtive AI, they can input their speÂcifÂic lesÂson plan and taiÂlor it to stuÂdent interÂests like explainÂing sciÂence using sports analoÂgies.
TaiÂlor instrucÂtion for difÂferÂent abilÂiÂties. ImagÂine a teacher who has 25 or 30 kids in their classÂroom. With genÂerÂaÂtive AI, that teacher can easÂiÂly modÂiÂfy the same lesÂson for difÂferÂent readÂing levÂels in their class.
Save time on everyÂday tasks like draftÂing emails and othÂer corÂreÂsponÂdence. For instance, if a stuÂdent is out sick teachÂers can creÂate sumÂmaries of that day’s lessons to help make sure the stuÂdent doesn’t fall behind.
For those teachÂers who comÂplete the course, they will “earn a cerÂtifiÂcate that they can present to their disÂtrict for proÂfesÂsionÂal develÂopÂment (PD) credÂit, dependÂing on disÂtrict and state requireÂments.” Sign up for the course here.
We hereÂby announce that we’re switchÂing our setÂtings and alleÂgiance to New Tab with MoMA.
After installing this extenÂsion, you’ll be treatÂed to a new work of modÂern and conÂtemÂpoÂrary art from The MuseÂum of ModÂern Art’s colÂlecÂtion whenÂevÂer you open a new tab in Chrome.
If you can steal a few minÂutes, click whatÂevÂer image comes up to explore the work in greater depth with a curaÂtor’s descripÂtion, links to othÂer works in the colÂlecÂtion by the same artist, and in some casÂes instalÂlaÂtion views, interÂviews and/or audio segÂments.
Expect a few gift shop heavy hitÂters like VinÂcent Van Gogh’s The StarÂry Night, but also lessÂer known works not curÂrentÂly on view, like YayÂoi Kusama’s VioÂlet ObsesÂsion, a rowÂboat slipÂcovÂered in elecÂtric purÂple “phalÂlic proÂtruÂsions.”
You can hear audio of Kusama describÂing how she “encrustÂed” the boat in soft sculpÂture proÂtuÂberÂances in her favorite pinkÂish-purÂple hue “to conÂquer my fear of sex:”
Boats can come and go limÂitÂlessÂly and move ahead on the water. The boat, havÂing overÂcome my obsesÂsion would move on forÂevÂer, carÂryÂing me onboard
A link to a 1999 interÂview with Grady T. TurnÂer in BOMB allows Kusama to give furÂther conÂtext for the work, part of a sculpÂture series she conÂceives of as ComÂpulÂsion FurÂniÂture:
My sofas, couchÂes, dressÂes, and rowÂboats brisÂtle with phalÂlusÂes. … As an obsesÂsionÂal artist I fear everyÂthing I see. At one time, I dreadÂed everyÂthing I was makÂing.
That’s a pretÂty robust art hisÂtoÂry lesÂson for the price of openÂing a new tab, though such deep dives can defÂiÂniteÂly come at the expense of proÂducÂtivÂiÂty.
We weren’t expectÂing the 3‑dimensional nature of some of the works our tabs yieldÂed up.
An excerpt from the 2019 pubÂliÂcaÂtion,MoMA HighÂlights: 375 Works from The MuseÂum of ModÂern Art, New York proÂvides a brief bio of both JohnÂston, “a proÂfesÂsionÂal phoÂtogÂraÂphÂer, notÂed for her porÂtraits of WashÂingÂton politiÂcians and her images of coal minÂers, ironÂworkÂers, and women laborÂers in New EngÂland texÂtile mills” and the HampÂton InstiÂtute, BookÂer T Washington’s alma mater.
BookÂmark such bite-sized culÂturÂal hisÂtoÂry breaks, and cirÂcle back when you have more time.
Time is someÂthing that scares me… or used to. This piece I made with the two clocks was the scariÂest thing I have ever done. I wantÂed to face it. I wantÂed those two clocks right in front of me, tickÂing.
Project IniÂtiÂaÂtion: StartÂing a SucÂcessÂful Project
Project PlanÂning: Putting It All TogethÂer
Project ExeÂcuÂtion: RunÂning the Project
Agile Project ManÂageÂment
CapÂstone: ApplyÂing Project ManÂageÂment in the Real World
Above, a ProÂgram ManÂagÂer talks about “her path from dropÂping out of high school and earnÂing a GED, joinÂing the milÂiÂtary, and workÂing as a coder, to learnÂing about proÂgram manÂageÂment and switchÂing into that career track.” An introÂducÂtion to the Project ManÂageÂment cerÂtifiÂcate appears below.
The Project ManÂageÂment proÂgram takes about six months to comÂplete, and should cost about $250 in total. StuÂdents get charged $39 per month until they comÂplete the proÂgram.
Note: Open CulÂture has a partÂnerÂship with CoursÂera. If readÂers enroll in cerÂtain CoursÂera coursÂes and proÂgrams, it helps supÂport Open CulÂture.
“Just as we take the train to get to TarasÂcon or Rouen, we take death to reach a star,” VinÂcent Van Gogh wrote to his brothÂer from Arles in the sumÂmer of 1888:
What’s cerÂtainÂly true in this arguÂment is that while alive, we canÂnot go to a star, any more than once dead we’d be able to take the train.
JudgÂing from thoughts expressed in that same letÂter, Van Gogh may have conÂceived of such a death as a “celesÂtial means of locoÂmoÂtion, just as steamÂboats, omnibusÂes and the railÂway are terÂresÂtriÂal ones”:
To die peaceÂfulÂly in old age would be to go there on foot.
Although his winÂdow at the asyÂlum affordÂed him a sunÂrise view, and a priÂvate audiÂence with the promiÂnent mornÂing star he menÂtioned in anothÂer letÂter to Theo, StarÂry Night’s vista is “both an exerÂcise in obserÂvaÂtion and a clear deparÂture from it,” accordÂing to 2019’s MoMA HighÂlights: 375 Works from The MuseÂum of ModÂern Art:
The vision took place at night, yet the paintÂing, among hunÂdreds of artÂworks van Gogh made that year, was creÂatÂed in sevÂerÂal sesÂsions durÂing the day, under entireÂly difÂferÂent atmosÂpherÂic conÂdiÂtions. The picÂturesque vilÂlage nesÂtled below the hills was based on othÂer views—it could not be seen from his window—and the cypress at left appears much closÂer than it was. And although cerÂtain feaÂtures of the sky have been reconÂstructÂed as observed, the artist altered celesÂtial shapes and added a sense of glow.
Before or after forÂmuÂlatÂing your own thoughts on The StarÂry Night and the emoÂtionÂal state that conÂtributed to its exeÂcuÂtion, get the perÂspecÂtive of singer-songÂwriter MagÂgie Rogers in the below episode of ArtZoom, in which popÂuÂlar musiÂcians share their thoughts while navÂiÂgatÂing around a famous canÂvas.
Bonus! Throw yourÂself into a free colÂorÂing page of The StarÂry Nighthere.
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