Maya Language Skill & ML Learning Skills

There are some Native American communities in Latin America that are economically disadvantaged. The goal is to create job skills based on the unique characteristics found in the languages of the Native American communities, which also encourages the appreciation of the language as well. The key characteristic that is presented is what is called the split ergative in Maya, and how it can help one to learn machine learning as wells data analytic skills in general. Other language have this characteristic as well, ranging from some of the Australasian languages to Pashto which is found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The solution can be used in other languages and can positively changes lives it were to be scaled globally.

  Some Native American communities are in remote locations and are economically disadvantages. Language is one barrier for accessing online resources. This factor contributes to the solution in that the very language that could be a barrier is actually a resource for learning a topic in computer science.

   Maya can be a resource for learning machine learning. This can assist people in the Mayan community to learn this subject in computer science. Maya has what is called the split-ergative. The ergative essentially describes the actions of inanimate objects having actions. A good example would be "the glass breaks". The split is because the language is essentially a blend of normal sentences and ergative. I will return to this idea, and here is an example of split-ergative in English:

(ergative).......The glass breaks. 

(split-ergative) The glass breaks as I tap the glass with a hammer and nail.

    In Maya, the above example would essentially have a marker for the ergative in the sentence.

    From the above, two analogies can be presented.

 -As a computer(an inanimate object) generating a result is separate to a person preparing data in machine learning, so is the ergative separate to sentences describing procedures in Maya.

-As there are two modalities found in split-ergative, so are there two modalities in processing the prepared data which are the Training and Testing of the data. Cross Validation in Machine Learning uses in one procedure the two modalities of Training and Testing...a split-ergative?

The solution would serve the Mayan community in terms of providing education and job skills, at the same time encouraging an appreciation of the  Mayan language. 

The problem being addressed it to provide job skills by means of course in information technology, in order to create jobs in the region of Latin America. The population being served is the Maya community. In the future, the hope is that this type of program can be used for other Native American languages in Latin America. This is why it is believed that the present project and its potential application align with the Prize Challenge.

The online course is in the process of being developed.

It uses a Native American language as a resource to teaching technology job skills.

The solution is a new way of teaching machine learning. The core technology for the project is machine learning. 

The technology is existing and proven technology. The solution is a new way of teaching the technology as a way to create job skills. 

No

The course is not online at this moment and will not have an audience until it is completed and distributed.

The goal in the next year to five years is to be able to reach the Mayan communities ranging from Chiapas, Mexico to the communities in Guatemala and El Salvador in order to provide them with this online introduction to a computer science skill that is in great demand at this time.

The measurements of the project's progress would be the number of students enrolled in the online course, the number of graduates, as well as the numbers of students who, by means of an online questionnaire, state their goal to continue learning the subject or to find jobs in this application of computer science.

Only one person works on the solution.

The uniqueness of the idea allows for the solution to likely be a well-positioned proposal.

The leadership team will need people from the Mayan community for translation and course development, which will create diverse, equitable, and inclusive leadership.

The solution could help the Mayan community in Latin America as well as serve a prototype for like solutions.

The main needs will be translators as well staff experienced with developing and distributing online courses.

I would like to partner with UNESCO because the missions of the solution and the organization go hand in hand.