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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Sample-based Learning Methods by University of Alberta

4.8
stars
1,234 ratings

About the Course

In this course, you will learn about several algorithms that can learn near optimal policies based on trial and error interaction with the environment---learning from the agent’s own experience. Learning from actual experience is striking because it requires no prior knowledge of the environment’s dynamics, yet can still attain optimal behavior. We will cover intuitively simple but powerful Monte Carlo methods, and temporal difference learning methods including Q-learning. We will wrap up this course investigating how we can get the best of both worlds: algorithms that can combine model-based planning (similar to dynamic programming) and temporal difference updates to radically accelerate learning. By the end of this course you will be able to: - Understand Temporal-Difference learning and Monte Carlo as two strategies for estimating value functions from sampled experience - Understand the importance of exploration, when using sampled experience rather than dynamic programming sweeps within a model - Understand the connections between Monte Carlo and Dynamic Programming and TD. - Implement and apply the TD algorithm, for estimating value functions - Implement and apply Expected Sarsa and Q-learning (two TD methods for control) - Understand the difference between on-policy and off-policy control - Understand planning with simulated experience (as opposed to classic planning strategies) - Implement a model-based approach to RL, called Dyna, which uses simulated experience - Conduct an empirical study to see the improvements in sample efficiency when using Dyna...

Top reviews

DP

Feb 15, 2021

Excellent course that naturally extends the first specialization course. The application examples in programming are very good and I loved how RL gets closer and closer to how a living being thinks.

AS

Aug 12, 2020

Great course, giving it 5 stars though it deserves both because the assignments have some serious issues that shouldn't actually be a matter. All the other parts are amazing though. Good job

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151 - 175 of 241 Reviews for Sample-based Learning Methods

By amirhossein s

•

Apr 5, 2023

very nice course

By Antoni S D S

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Jul 1, 2021

Curso muito bom!

By Julio E V F H

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Jun 29, 2020

Amazing course!

By Santiago M C

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May 21, 2020

excelent course

By Trần Q M

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Feb 17, 2020

wondrous course

By Max L

•

Sep 29, 2020

great lecture

By RICARDO A F S

•

Sep 6, 2020

Great course

By Antonio P

•

Dec 13, 2019

Great Course

By John H

•

Nov 10, 2019

It was good.

By Marconi S G

•

Jan 20, 2022

Ótimo Curso

By Charles X

•

Jun 19, 2021

Good course

By Oren Z B M

•

Apr 12, 2020

Fun course!

By Jialong F

•

Feb 25, 2021

learn much

By Sohail R

•

Oct 8, 2019

Fantastic!

By Lucius

•

Sep 10, 2019

Very good.

By Nithiroj T

•

Dec 21, 2023

Very good

By Marc-Elie C

•

Aug 25, 2022

Thank you

By Oriol A L

•

Nov 10, 2020

Very good

By Pouya E

•

Nov 28, 2020

Amazing!

By Artod

•

Feb 27, 2021

Perfect

By Priyansh S

•

Jul 26, 2023

Great!

By Justin O

•

May 3, 2021

Great

By chao p

•

Dec 29, 2019

Great

By Alejandro S H

•

Aug 31, 2020

The course material are great. You will learn a lot from the assignments and from the book. The videos are a good refresher of what you'll read in the book, sometimes with improved animated visuals. However, I've a few nitpicks that prevent me from giving it 5 stars. (1) The instructors do not interact much with the students in the forum (if at all). (2) There's an inaccuracy in one of the videos that (as of the instant I'm doing this review) hasn't been fixed yet. (3) The quizzes sometime ask for questions that are NOT in the assigned homework materials (I'm thinking now about a question about prioritized sweeping in the planning section, but there are others). This is not a big deal, the questions will ring a bell immediately and you will find the section of the book where the answer lies (or you will answer out of common sense). (4) There's a video about applying RL in continuous tasks in robotics (purely motivational, not part of the syllabus) that is missing the second part. I'm guessing it's in the next course?

By Oscar R R M

•

Apr 26, 2021

I have to admit that the practical programming tasks are excellent. The discussions sections are well maintained by professors. The recommended readings are good. The exams are fine but some questions can be a bit confusing or not clear enough.

I consider the lectures to be the weakest part of this course. In lectures, they only provide a short summary of what is already written in the book, which may be useful for some people, but I prefer the old way of long lectures in a blackboard full of mathematical proofs and historical notes providing true understanding of the topic. The invited lecturers are pretty good, since they show some historical notes or cutting edge projects.

So far this is the best course I have found on this topic.