Nelson Meets Sparky
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2025
Pages: 32
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2025
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When Nelson's dad surprises him with a brand new robot dog, Sparky, he can't wait to play. But his excitement quickly fades when his amazing new friend doesn't know how to fetch or even sit. A question mark just appears on Sparky's screen face.
Is Sparky broken? Or is he a special kind of robot that needs a teacher to show him the way? Nelson is about to discover that his new friend doesn't come with all the instructions, and it's up to him to provide the data Sparky needs to learn. Can a young boy teach a robot dog how to be a real friend? Find out in Nelson Meets Sparky!
Nelson Meets Sparky is an instructional children's book designed to introduce young learners to the basic concepts of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Teachers and parents can use this book to introduce children to core concepts related to AI and its connection to learning and their daily lives.
Dr. H. Justin Ballenger chairs the Education Department and is an Assistant Professor of STEM Education in the Division of Professional and Continuing Studies at Morehouse College. In this role, he develops educators, policy experts, and education researchers.
He also serves as Co-PI for the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Computer Science Ecosystem and is a research fellow with the Morehouse Black Men’s Research Institute (BMRI). Previously, Dr. Ballenger was Co-PI for the NSF - Institute for African American Mentoring in Computing Sciences (IAAMCS) and Research Lead for the NSF-National Data Science Alliance (NDSA).
Dr. Ballenger's work focuses on pre-service teacher development and broadening participation in STEM. He leads initiatives to support pre-service teachers, expand research infrastructure, and foster collaboration in AI integration and STEM education, especially among Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Having served on faculty advisory teams for the White House Office of STEM & Technology Policy and NASA Transform to Open Science (TOPS), he is committed to empowering future educators and STEM professionals through innovative strategies and partnerships.
When Nelson's dad surprises him with a brand new robot dog, Sparky, he can't wait to play. But his excitement quickly fades when his amazing new friend doesn't know how to fetch or even sit. A question mark just appears on Sparky's screen face.
Is Sparky broken? Or is he a special kind of robot that needs a teacher to show him the way? Nelson is about to discover that his new friend doesn't come with all the instructions, and it's up to him to provide the data Sparky needs to learn. Can a young boy teach a robot dog how to be a real friend? Find out in Nelson Meets Sparky!
Nelson Meets Sparky is an instructional children's book designed to introduce young learners to the basic concepts of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Teachers and parents can use this book to introduce children to core concepts related to AI and its connection to learning and their daily lives.
Dr. H. Justin Ballenger chairs the Education Department and is an Assistant Professor of STEM Education in the Division of Professional and Continuing Studies at Morehouse College. In this role, he develops educators, policy experts, and education researchers.
He also serves as Co-PI for the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Computer Science Ecosystem and is a research fellow with the Morehouse Black Men’s Research Institute (BMRI). Previously, Dr. Ballenger was Co-PI for the NSF - Institute for African American Mentoring in Computing Sciences (IAAMCS) and Research Lead for the NSF-National Data Science Alliance (NDSA).
Dr. Ballenger's work focuses on pre-service teacher development and broadening participation in STEM. He leads initiatives to support pre-service teachers, expand research infrastructure, and foster collaboration in AI integration and STEM education, especially among Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Having served on faculty advisory teams for the White House Office of STEM & Technology Policy and NASA Transform to Open Science (TOPS), he is committed to empowering future educators and STEM professionals through innovative strategies and partnerships.