Academics
  /  
Courses
  /  
Descriptions
COMP_SCI 496: Transformative AI and the Learning Sciences


VIEW ALL COURSE TIMES AND SESSIONS

Prerequisites

PhD in the CS, LS, CS+LS, and TSB programs. No exceptions will be made.

Description

Over the past few years, the advancement of transformer models has revolutionized the field of machine learning and made AI systems such as ChatGPT widely accessible to the public. These developments in AI are rapidly impacting teachers, learners, and learning environments. This interdisciplinary graduate seminar explores the opportunities and risks associated with modern AI systems for learning sciences research and practice. To guide this exploration, we will engage in a variety of activities:

  • We will trace the arc of recent developments in machine learning models and algorithms with the goal of understanding their present and future impact on learners;

  • We will explore the impacts that modern AI systems are already having on teachers, learners, and industry by drawing on both academic and non-academic sources;

  • We will situate these advances within the learning sciences literature, taking a thoughtful and critical perspective that draws on theories of learning; 

  • We will ask students to use ChatGPT as a support tool in this course. By engaging with AI technologies as learners, students will gain a first-hand perspective on the subject matter. 

Students will apply these ideas by writing discussion posts, leading class discussions, and exploring the opportunities and risks associated with modern AI systems in their specific area of research. This course promises to be an engaging journey through the intersection of AI and the learning sciences, preparing students for a future where these fields are inextricably linked.

COURSE COORDINATORS: Prof. Eleanor “Nell” O’Rourke

COURSE INSTRUCTOR: Prof. Eleanor “Nell” O’Rourke