Is there interest in forming a learning circle (study group) on HTM? I’m not sure how this would function - probably a regular video call. The basic idea is that learning in a group works better - partly because teaching is a good way to learn and partly because discussion can help clarify assumptions. Maybe things like this are already happening? Regards, Mark
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I like this idea! I’m assuming there would be a mixed level of knowledge/expertise, so it’d be both challenging and fun. I wonder what you are thinking about focus? I think a study group of the theoretic or algorithmic aspects could be full of a lot to learn.
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I’m a fan of this idea, I would probably be interested in joining.
Hi aklandi & Andrew, thanks for your interest. I agree that a focus on theory and algorithms makes sense. But if people wanted to present/discuss practical issues in their own work, then I imagine this group might be useful (once the group has some common understanding of Numenta’s work). There are some good videos online (HTM SChool https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3yXMgtrZmDqhsFQzwUC9V8MeeVOQ7eZ9 by Matt Taylor) that give an intro, so perhaps that could be a sort of minimal level of knowledge for participation - of course people might already have that knowledge from another source, there would be no obligation to watch the videos. Do either of you have experience with study groups? I recently started a study group on another topic. That is the first time for me. We have been using Google Drive to share some documents and GoToMeeting for video-conferencing. We are currently reading a book and then will organise discussions on themes of interest (perhaps…) I guess you can direct message me on this forum with an email that can access Google Drive shared documents. Then we could start by building a list of people interested and timezones. I guess that 3 people would be the minimum possible, and more than about 6 might become difficult if the meetings are kept to 1-1.5hrs. Let me know what you think. Cheers, Mark.
I think this is a great idea. I’ve been missing some of the more interactive aspects of this community. While it’s nice to be a fly on the wall of the Numenta research meetings, I think a lot of us could probably benefit from batting these ideas around with each other.
In my experience, study sessions typically work best when they are focused on a particular topic or assignment. Of course the conversation can take tangents where appropriate, but having a central topic or problem to discuss gives everyone something to think about and prepare for beforehand. Whether its coming in with a basic understanding of the prerequisites or just identifying specific questions that need to be cleared up. Typically I find the better prepared the participants, the better the conversation.
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Hi Eric, that is great that you have experience with study circles, can you send me a message with your email and we could start creating a space on Google Drive. Cheers, Mark
Perhaps a good place to start with the study group would be to read and discuss On Intelligence, which lays the foundational ideas for HTM.
I like that idea. The next book by Jeff is due soon too. Putting the HTM work into a broader context is interesting.
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Could we use the HTM Community discord for this?
ping @Bitking
Of course.
It’s good to give it some use
I have added a learning circle channel.
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Thanks. So far I have had email addresses sent to me by Andrew, Eric, and Martin. I’ve shared the Google Drive folder with them. Eric and Martin made an entry in the spreadsheet Participants so we can try to find a time. I think with three people it is worth trying to organise a call. @CollinsEM you will need to update the days you are available in the Participants document - thanks!
Discord has a good voice chat thing.
@Bitking I would like to be able to share a screen. Does it allow for that? I have access to GoToMeeting if we want to videoconference.
I also have access to WebEx if needed.
@CollinsEM do you use Discord ? Martin and I are in the learning-circle chat at the moment
Discord does enable screen sharing, I believe. It would be the easiest to use for the meetings IMO.
We could certainly experiment with Discord. At the moment we have a call for scheduled for Tuesday, 24 November at 13h30 UTC using GoToMeeting. But this is just a first chat to discuss how we could proceed.
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I don’t really know that much about discord.
Matt asked me to share moderation and I keep it running after he died.
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A general update on the HTM Learning Circle (HLC). We had two calls so far (Tuesdays 15h30 UTC) and the group is currently 7 people. We agreed that if an 8th person joins, then we will split into 2 circles of 4 people. We have identified some themes that interest most participants. The next discussion will focus on a particular topic - we are voting on the topic at the moment. There is a learning-circle channel on Discord. We have perhaps learnt more about learning circles than HTM so far 
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Thank you @markNZed for this wonderful initiative.
It has been a pleasure to have been part of the circle intermittently between Feb 2021-2022.
Which was well facilitated/organized and attended by serious learners such as @Falco, @eliasdaler, Mathieu, @marty1885 sharing this learning journey.
That little experiece has brought following learning lessons for me, from a perspective of a HTM beginner (and hobby developer) regarding expectation from a Learning Circle:
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To truly participate at a minimum a learner must commit to viewing HTM School videos. While the circle supports onboarding of new member with preliminary conversation around those basic concepts until that learner could be brought into deeper context.
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Learner must commit to installing HTM on their local machine. While learner circle supports with hand holding (with senior learning coach backing the effort) towards successful installation.
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Learner must commit to contributing one encoder they design and develop, supported by the learning circle.
Reason for above suggestion is to enable a learner get started at a minimum with HTM and basic hands on learning by doing.
This will ensure a beginner feel welcomed, supported into the community, to allow long term sustainability of a learner community.
Sharing personal journey and challenges so far, I stumbled upon HTM and HTM school video around 2019-2020. At that time with enormous difficulty managed to install NUPIC over old version of python only to realize HTM Visualizer dint work, creating a sense of disappointment in learning with videos, but not being able to play with cool features shown in the video.
After giving up on it, found Learner Cirlce initiaitive on HTM Forum, breathing life into this journey once again, only to realize my HTM installation got broken and with issues after issues, making me give up on hands on learning, and just contributing with thoughts (that too without deep diving into content behind, or without coding action).
Now with advent of ChatGPT enabling to trouble shoot faster and giving a steroid boost to learning HTM, which has given new source of energy into this learning effort to support personally, and my professional engagement with market facing HTM vendor (such as Cortical IO) on the side.
But only to find short lived elation of HTM Core is now current with latest version of Python, but I still cant get it to work on my local machine - due to a possible compiler issue - throwing some dummy.h extension error.
I have tried seeking help on github with no resolution and seeking freelancer support through Fiverr, only to find myself developing more paitence as my commitment to figure out the beauty of HTM algorithm.
A simple supportive message from a senior community member, offering to help figure out the installation challenge for me over zoom will be a blessing at this moment.
In return, I would be more than happy to reignite efforts around Learners Circle to enable other beginner learners.
Thank You.
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