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Reuven Lerner
Helping people become more confident with Python and Pandas
Reuven Lerner is a seasoned Python trainer based in Modi'in, Israel, with extensive experience in teaching Python and data science to professionals around the world. He has been self-employed since 1995 and has offered training services since 1996, delivering over 30 courses that cater to various skill levels, from beginners to advanced practitioners. His teaching approach emphasizes interactivity and hands-on exercises, which he believes are crucial for effective learning.134
Lerner holds a bachelor's degree in computer science and engineering from MIT and a PhD in learning sciences from Northwestern University. His research focused on creating online collaborative learning communities. He has also contributed to the field through his writings, including a long-running column in Linux Journal and the publication of books such as "Python Workout" and the upcoming "Pandas Workout" .14
In addition to corporate training, Lerner offers numerous online courses and resources, including a subscription-based membership program that provides access to over 40 courses and regular exercises aimed at improving Python fluency. He also hosts a popular newsletter read by thousands of developers globally.234
Highlights
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AI post #11: AI and education
When some friends and I set up a Web site back in early 1993, we knew that it was the start of something big — but of course, we couldn't imagine how pervasive the Web (and generally speaking, the Internet) is in every part of our lives.
We can similarly see that AI will change the world. (Indeed, those changes have already started to happen.) We don't know what the future will look like, but it'll be heavily infused with AI.
One area that will change, and perhaps even change radically, is education. People already ask me if my work as a Python/Pandas trainer will change because of large-language models (LLMs). I tell people, "Yes, but I'm not quite sure how."
The thing is, these changes don't just happen by themselves. People try new things, and when those new things work, they share (or sell, or patent) their ideas, and then others adopt them, too. I've decided that the opportunities are so vast that it's worth doing some experiments over the coming months and years.
I'll admit that I'm in a privileged position here: As a freelance trainer, I have the freedom to experiment with the technologies I use, the subjects I teach, and the ways in which I convey information. I don't have to get approval from a faculty committee, supervisor, or accreditation board; I can just try something out, and see how it works.
And so, this series on AI is going to take a bit of a turn: So far, I've described how I use LLMs to run my business. As I've already demonstrated, AI has made me more productive while simultaneously improving the quality of my products.
I'm now going to look toward the future, describing how I think I can use LLMs to improve my teaching, and my students' learning, as well as the hurdles and issues that I foresee.
The biggest and most important point I want to make, though, is that I don't think teachers are going away. I expect that our roles will change. But just as accountants didn't lose their jobs when spreadsheets were invented, instructors will still be needed when LLMs are incorporated into classrooms.
Perhaps the biggest potential for AI is to give individual feedback. Just as I use LLMs to critique my writing and code, my students can similar get feedback along the way, without necessarily needing to wait for my individual help. In other words: AI won't replace the teacher, but will provide a stepping stone for when the student is confused and doesn't have a clear direction.
This could be particularly useful for students who are ashamed or embarrassed to ask questions in class; they might feel more comfortable confiding in an LLM that they don't know where to start with a programming project, rather than remaining silent and confused in class. An LLM can also provide incremental feedback, not just at the end of a project. And indeed, I can imagine moving toward more projects, rather than tests, with LLMs questioning students, rather than vice versa.
What do you think?
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Mesh makes it much easier to stay in touch with the people you care about. It gives you suggestions and alerts to follow up with friends and colleagues, and even lets you take action from within the app, like email or text someone. Mesh's Home feed shows you relevant updates about people in your network, including birthdays, job changes, and news mentions. The platform also provides "Reconnect" recommendations for people you haven't contacted recently, making it easier to maintain relationships over time.
Mesh is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Mesh stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Mesh excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Mesh is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
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Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Mesh offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Mesh focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Mesh also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Mesh offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
Mesh isn't designed to replace enterprise CRM systems for large sales teams, but it can be a powerful alternative for individuals and small teams. Many people use Mesh instead of Salesforce, Hubspot, and Pipedrive. Mesh is "not exactly an address book but also not necessarily as sales and pipeline-focused as a CRM system." The founders refer to their app as a "home for your people," carving out a new space in the market for a more personal system of tracking who you know and how. For solo entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small teams focused on relationship quality rather than sales pipelines, Mesh can absolutely serve as your primary relationship management tool.
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