Course logistics

Course structure 

• The course is organized into themes and topics, which are listed as modules on the main course website.
• Each module will have a summary at the top saying how long that module is expected to take to complete.  Note that all modules are either 1 or two weeks long.  
• Each module will have readings, videos, and homework assignments.  Some modules will also have either a project.
• Each module will have the content broken into sections.  At the top will be a short summary of the module, followed by an introduction to the topic.  Following that, each sub-topic within the module will be broken out under the topics heading.  Each topic will be in a colored box.  Following the topics, if the module has a project associated with it, it will be listed there.  Finally, the module will end with a suggested schedule for that module. You can do the assignments in shorter or longer pieces of time but we suggest a schedule to help with your planning. 
• There are 3 cross-cutting modules at the bottom of the main course website.  We will introduce each one below but this is a quick overview.
  • The Projects Module will collect all information on the project (which will be active throughout the semester).   
  • The In-The-News Module will feature a semester long discussion of how AI shows up in current news. 
  • The Information Module will contain links to important information like the syllabus, the online classroom code of conduct, and a copy of the weekly announcements.

• At the start of each week, I will summarize the plans for the week and post in #announcements on slack
• Canvas will have all of the grades

Class expectations:

• I assume you will spend about about 6-9 hours per week on class.  If this was in person, we would have 3 hours of lecture/discussion and 3-6 hours of homework assignments, reading, and project work per week.  Remember, the class is completely asynchronous. I have assignments and expectations for you due each week but you decide on your schedule.  
• I assume you will be an active participant in class!  Ask questions of myself, the TA, and your fellow students.  Engage in the material and join the discussions! 
• I expect you to adhere to the class code of conduct and to be respectful at all times in your discussions.  See the assignment below for more. 

Class schedule:

• I have structured the deadlines to space out the assignments through the week.  This is to help you remain engaged all week.  However, it is an online class and flexibility is great!  As you will learn when we discuss grading, the deadlines are flexible.  Each assignment and grading declaration will close Sunday 11:59pm for that week, even if I ask for you to complete the item by an earlier day.

Class tools:

• Because we are sharing this material across AI2ES, as much as possible by law, we will share course materials on the AI2ES course website. 
• For OU students, canvas will store all grades/points and links to all assignments
• Slack will manage all discussions and DMs – Slack will be our main mode of communication!

Required course materials:

• The required book is the fourth edition of “Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach” Make sure you buy the fourth edition as it is significantly updated and we will be using the new materials.  Readings from this book will be referred to as AIMA for the rest of the semester.  There is an online edition which is quite nice and hyperlinked.
• There will be some additional reading beyond the book but it will be freely available and linked through the webpage.

Announcements: Announcements will go on slack on the #announcements channel AND on the information module here.

Accommodations: If you need accommodations, please register with the Office of Disability Services and they will email me.  Please feel free to contact me with any concerns or questions that you have about any kind of accommodations you think you might need. Online classes are really flexible, and I am sure we can come up with a good solution for any concerns you might have. Just let me know!

Contact me anytime! I hope you will find answers to all your questions about how class will work as you work through the first week of activities.  However, please feel free to slack DM me, ask on a public slack channel if it of wide interest, or even email me.  I don’t always check messages instantly in the evenings or on the weekends, but I am at work every day, Monday through Friday (and if I’m going to be out of the office during business hours, you’ll see a note about that in the announcements).

Have fun in class! I look forward to working with you on class and to having fun learning together!