Curious about equity in assessment? Enjoy reading and seminar-style discussion and listening? Join the AALHE, members-only, SPARK (formerly Book Club). The SPARK discussions (held online via Zoom) are facilitated by a discussion leader. All AALHE members are encouraged to participate: diverse perspectives and ideas are welcomed and valued. SPARK is one way that the AALHE cultivates a community of assessment practitioners.

"Unmasking AI" by Joy Buolamwini

SPARK is excited to host our 2024 Summer Reading Session: 

July 1, 8, 15, and 22
4 pm EST / 3pm CST / 1pm PST

Online via Zoom. Open to AALHE members.

Log-in & register

"The rising frontier for civil rights will require algorithmic justice. AI should be for the people and by the people, not just the privileged few." (Joy Buolamwini, 2023)

Join SPARK, our newly renamed book club, this July as we reflect on the bias of technology through "Unmasking AI" by Joy Buolamwini. This book sheds light on the hidden biases and potential harms of artificial intelligence, SPARKing conversations about the future of our technology-driven world.

Buolamwini, hailed as "the conscience of the AI revolution" (Fortune), draws from her extensive experience to illuminate how racism, sexism, colorism, and ableism can become embedded in the very technologies that shape our lives.

Through her compelling narrative, Buolamwini demonstrates the urgent need for "algorithmic justice" and ignites a SPARK within readers to join the fight for more equitable and accountable AI. Our SPARK sessions will provide a platform for meaningful discussions on the key themes and insights from "Unmasking AI," to reflect on the aspirations and limitations of the people behind AI systems and explore how we can work towards a future where AI truly serves the interests of all humanity.

In four engaging sessions, we will explore how the "coded gaze" perpetuates discrimination and exclusion in AI systems and how this might impact our work in assessment for student learning in higher education. Join us and let your curiosity SPARK a deeper understanding of the complex world of AI.