AI and the Real World: Data, Power, & Society on AI and Society Course

Week 1 Assignment: AI Foundations Reflection

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 1 Assignment: AI Foundations Reflection

Due: End of Week 1 | Format: Discussion post or brief reflection | Length: 300-500 words

📝 Assignment Overview

This assignment asks you to reflect on your current understanding of AI and machine learning, and to start thinking critically about how these technologies appear in your life.

📋 Instructions

Part 1: Reflection Essay (200-300 words)

Write a brief reflection addressing these prompts:

Prior to this week, what was your understanding of AI and machine learning? What misconceptions did you have?
After the readings, what surprised you most about how AI works?
In your own life, identify 2-3 examples of AI or ML you encounter (recommendation systems, voice assistants, search algorithms, etc.). How do they affect your daily experience?

Part 2: Discussion Forum (100-200 words)

Post your response to the discussion forum and respond thoughtfully to at least two classmates’ posts.

Week 1: Fundamentals of AI

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 1: Fundamentals of AI

Focus: What is AI/ML? Brief history and overview

📚 Required Readings

Primary Readings

“Artificial Intelligence: A Brief History” (15 min read)
- Overview of AI development from symbolic AI to modern machine learning
- Key figures and pivotal moments in AI research
“What is Machine Learning?” (20 min read)
- Difference between AI and machine learning
- Supervised vs. unsupervised learning basics
- Real-world examples of ML applications

Supplementary Resources

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Artificial Intelligence (link) — Philosophical foundations
“A Very Short Introduction to Artificial Intelligence” — Excerpts (10 min)

💭 Discussion Prompts

Before class, consider these questions as you read:

Week 2 Assignment: Data Analysis Exercise

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 2 Assignment: Data Analysis Exercise

Due: End of Week 2 | Format: Short report + visualization | Length: 400-600 words

📝 Assignment Overview

You’ll select a real dataset and analyze it through the lens of what you learned about data quality, representation, and how training decisions affect AI systems.

📋 Instructions

Part 1: Dataset Selection & Exploration

Find a dataset that interests you (suggestions: Kaggle, UCI ML Repository, Google Dataset Search, or your field’s data repository)
Download or access the dataset
Document:
- What does the dataset contain?
- How many records/observations?
- What features/variables?
- Who collected it and why?

Part 2: Critical Analysis (400-600 words)

Write a report addressing:

Week 2: AI Systems & Data

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 2: AI Systems & Data

Focus: How AI systems work; data and training

📚 Required Readings

Primary Readings

“How Machine Learning Works: The Training Process” (25 min)
- Training data, features, and labels
- Algorithms and parameter optimization
- Testing and validation
“Data: The Fuel of AI” (20 min)
- Data collection and preparation
- Data quality and representation
- The role of big data in modern AI

Supplementary Resources

“The Hidden Technical Debt in Machine Learning Systems” — Selected sections
Interactive visualizations: Neural network playground

💭 Discussion Prompts

Why is data quality more important than data quantity?
How do training decisions affect AI system behavior in the real world?
What role does feedback play in AI systems over time?

📝 Preparation for Class

Find a dataset related to a topic you care about (e.g., Kaggle, UCI Machine Learning Repository)
Reflect on what patterns you’d hope an AI system would find in that data
Consider: What could go wrong if the data was biased or incomplete?

See Week 2 Assignment for this week’s task.

System Overview

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

System Architecture Overview

This page explains how all the pieces of the course infrastructure fit together.

The Big Picture

 Hugo Site (Content)
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 Typst PDF Pandoc DOCX
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 [Brightspace Upload]
 (PDF + DOCX Files)

Component Breakdown

1. Hugo Site Generator

What it does: Converts markdown content + templates into a static website

Week 3 Assignment: Bias Case Study Analysis

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 3 Assignment: Bias Case Study Analysis

Due: End of Week 3 | Format: Written analysis | Length: 600-800 words

📝 Assignment Overview

Select a real-world case of algorithmic bias and conduct a deep analysis of what went wrong, why, and what could have been done differently.

📋 Instructions

Case Study Selection

Choose one of these cases or propose your own:

Amazon Hiring Algorithm — Gender discrimination in recruitment
COMPAS Recidivism Tool — Bias in criminal risk assessment
Facial Recognition Bias — Misidentification by race/gender
Apple Card Algorithm — Gender discrimination in credit decisions
Automated Resume Screening — Discrimination by name/background
Your choice (get instructor approval)

Analysis (600-800 words)

Address each section:

Week 3: Ethics & Bias

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 3: Ethics & Bias

Focus: Algorithmic bias and fairness

📚 Required Readings

Primary Readings

“Weapons of Math Destruction” — Chapter 1 (30 min)
- How algorithms can amplify inequality
- Case studies of biased AI systems
- The impact on vulnerable communities
“Defining and Detecting Algorithmic Bias” (25 min)
- Statistical definitions of fairness
- Types of bias: historical, measurement, representation, evaluation
- Methods for detecting and mitigating bias

Supplementary Resources

ProPublica: “Machine Bias” investigation — Interactive article
“The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence” — Stanford Encyclopedia excerpt

💭 Discussion Prompts

How can an AI system be mathematically “accurate” yet fundamentally unfair?
When is some level of bias acceptable in AI systems?
Who should be responsible for the harms caused by biased algorithms?

📝 Preparation for Class

Read about a real-world case of algorithmic bias (e.g., Amazon hiring, COMPAS, facial recognition)
Prepare a 2-minute summary: What went wrong? Who was harmed?
Brainstorm: How could that system have been designed more fairly?

See Week 3 Assignment for this week’s task.

Accessibility Features

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Accessibility Features & WCAG AAA Compliance

This site includes a separate accessibility layer that provides WCAG AAA and UDL (Universal Design for Learning) compliance without modifying the base theme.

What’s Included

🎯 Core Features

Skip Navigation Link — Keyboard users jump to main content (Tab at page top)
ARIA Landmarks — Semantic roles for screen readers (main, nav, contentinfo)
Enhanced Focus Styles — 3px white outline with 2px offset for keyboard navigation
Color Contrast — All text meets 7:1+ AAA ratio (dark theme, white text)
Form Accessibility — Proper labels, 44px touch targets, error messaging
Reduced Motion Support — Respects prefers-reduced-motion user preference
Dark/Light Mode — Adapts to prefers-color-scheme setting
Alt Text Validation — Build-time checks for missing image descriptions
Print-Friendly Styles — Optimized for paper and PDF output
Screen Reader Support — Content hidden from view but available to assistive tech

WCAG AAA Compliance

All elements meet or exceed AAA (Triple-A) standards:

Week 4 Assignment: Policy Analysis

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 4 Assignment: Policy Analysis

Due: End of Week 4 | Format: Policy brief | Length: 800-1000 words

📝 Assignment Overview

Analyze a real AI policy or regulatory framework. Explain its goals, mechanisms, strengths, and limitations in a professional policy brief format.

📋 Instructions

Policy Selection

Choose one of these policies or propose your own:

EU AI Act — Risk-based regulatory classification
US Executive Order on AI — Biden administration AI governance
NIST AI Risk Management Framework — Voluntary guidelines
California’s SB 701 — Algorithmic Discrimination Law
China’s AI Governance — Industry standards and oversight
Your choice (get instructor approval)

Policy Brief (800-1000 words)

Structure your brief as follows:

Week 4: Policy & Governance

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 4: Policy & Governance

Focus: Regulation and policy approaches

📚 Required Readings

Primary Readings

“Global AI Governance Approaches” (30 min)
- EU AI Act overview
- US regulatory landscape
- Approaches from China, Canada, and other regions
- Key principles: transparency, accountability, human control
“Regulating AI: The Challenge of Speed and Change” (25 min)
- Why traditional regulation struggles with AI
- Policy options: principles-based vs. rules-based regulation
- Role of self-regulation, industry standards, and technical safety

Supplementary Resources

Summary of the EU AI Act
NIST AI Risk Management Framework overview
Stanford AI Index 2024 — Policy section

💭 Discussion Prompts

What are the tradeoffs between innovation and regulation?
Should AI regulation be global or local? Why?
How can policymakers stay informed about rapidly evolving technology?

📝 Preparation for Class

Choose one recent AI policy or regulation (EU AI Act, Biden Executive Order, etc.)
Prepare a 2-minute summary: What does it do? What problems does it aim to solve?
Consider: Is this approach effective? What are its limitations?

See Week 4 Assignment for this week’s task.

D2L Document Generation

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

D2L Document Generation

Python-based system to generate professional, WCAG AAA-compliant PDFs and DOCX files from course content for Brightspace (D2L) upload.

Features

📄 Dual-path generation — PDFs via Typst (beautiful), DOCXs via Pandoc (editable)
🎯 Flexible modes — Combined or individual files per content item
✅ WCAG AAA compliant — Both formats meet accessibility standards
🎨 Professional styling — MSU green branding template
📊 Multiple content types — Readings, assignments, resources, docs
🔄 Batch processing — Generate all at once or by type

Quick Start

Generate readings as PDF + DOCX

cd /path/to/repo
source venv/bin/activate.fish
python scripts/generate-d2l-docs.py --type readings --format both

Output:

Week 5 Assignment: AI & Employment Analysis

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 5 Assignment: AI & Employment Analysis

Due: End of Week 5 | Format: Research report | Length: 700-900 words

📝 Assignment Overview

Investigate how AI and automation might impact a specific occupation, industry, or sector you care about. Develop an informed assessment of risks and opportunities, along with policy recommendations.

📋 Instructions

Choose Your Focus

Select an occupation or industry you’re interested in:

Examples: healthcare, education, manufacturing, agriculture, retail, finance, law, transportation, construction, etc.

Research & Analysis (700-900 words)

1. Current State (100-150 words)

Week 5: Employment & Economics

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 5: Employment & Economics

Focus: Job displacement, economic implications

📚 Required Readings

Primary Readings

“AI and the Future of Work” (30 min)
- Historical context: previous waves of technological disruption
- Which jobs are most vulnerable to automation?
- Retraining and reskilling: what has worked before?
“Economic Inequality and AI” (25 min)
- Winner-take-all dynamics in AI markets
- Wealth concentration and market power
- Policy responses: UBI, wage subsidies, taxation approaches

Supplementary Resources

McKinsey: “The Future of Work After COVID-19” — Selected sections
“Race After Technology” by Ruha Benjamin — Chapter on economics

💭 Discussion Prompts

What economic sectors are most at risk from AI automation in the next 10 years?
How might society distribute the economic gains from AI productivity?
Is job displacement from AI different from job loss from other technologies? How?

📝 Preparation for Class

Research one occupation you’re interested in: How might AI change that field?
Find 2-3 policy proposals addressing AI and employment
Reflect: Which approach(es) seem most promising to you? Why?

See Week 5 Assignment for this week’s task.

Template Customization

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Typst PDF Template Guide

Complete guide to the Typst template used for professional PDF generation.

Overview

The template is located at: templates/typst/clean/

Used by the D2L document generator to create beautiful, WCAG AAA-compliant PDFs.

Design Specifications

Typography

Element	Font	Size	Color	Weight	Notes
Body	Roboto	11pt	White	Normal	Main text, 17.4:1 contrast
h1	Roboto	15pt	MSU Green	Bold	Title, 10.75:1 contrast
h2	Roboto	12.5pt	MSU Green	Semibold	Section heading
h3	Roboto	11pt	Gray	Semibold	Subsection
Code (inline)	Roboto	9.9pt	Green	Normal	Highlighted background
Code (block)	Roboto	9.68pt	Green	Normal	Light green box
Footer	Roboto	9pt	Gray	Normal	Page numbers, 8.06:1 contrast

Colors

// MSU Green palette
#let green = rgb("#18453B") // Main color
#let green-light = green.lighten(88%) // Light background

// Grays
body text: luma(30) // Very dark (17.4:1)
footer text: luma(80) // Medium gray (8.06:1)
heading h3: luma(50) // Dark gray
borders: luma(210) // Light gray

All colors tested for AAA contrast (7:1+ ratio).

Week 6 Assignment: Domain-Specific AI Application Analysis

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 6 Assignment: Domain-Specific AI Application Analysis

Due: End of Week 6 | Format: Analytical report with multimedia | Length: 800-1000 words + visuals

📝 Assignment Overview

Choose a domain where AI is being deployed (healthcare, criminal justice, education, finance, etc.) and conduct a comprehensive analysis of benefits, risks, and ethical implications for different stakeholders.

📋 Instructions

Domain Selection

Choose one domain:

Healthcare: Diagnostic AI, drug discovery, personalized medicine, robotic surgery
Criminal Justice: Risk assessment, policing, sentencing, parole decisions
Education: Personalized learning, essay grading, student performance prediction
Finance: Loan decisions, fraud detection, algorithmic trading
Employment: Hiring, performance evaluation, scheduling
Transportation: Autonomous vehicles, traffic management, logistics
Your choice (get instructor approval)

Analysis (800-1000 words)

1. The Application (150 words)

Week 6: AI in Society

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 6: AI in Society

Focus: Applications across domains

📚 Required Readings

Primary Readings

“AI in Healthcare: Promises and Pitfalls” (25 min)
- Diagnostic AI systems
- Drug discovery and personalized medicine
- Equity in healthcare AI applications
“AI in Criminal Justice: Beyond Predictive Policing” (25 min)
- Risk assessment algorithms in sentencing
- Bias in criminal justice AI systems
- Transparency and accountability challenges

Supplementary Resources

“AI in Education: Opportunities and Risks” — Brief overview
Case studies from your field of interest

💭 Discussion Prompts

What are the unique ethical considerations in high-stakes domains like healthcare or criminal justice?
How do we balance innovation benefits with preventing harm?
Who should benefit most from AI applications?

📝 Preparation for Class

Choose one domain where AI is being deployed (healthcare, education, transportation, finance, etc.)
Research: What does the AI system do? What problem does it solve?
Analyze: What are the potential benefits and harms for different groups?

See Week 6 Assignment for this week’s task.

Midterm Assessment

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Midterm Assessment

Date: End of Week 7 | Format: Exam or project | Duration: 2-3 hours (exam) or equivalent effort (project)

📝 Assessment Overview

The midterm assesses your understanding of core concepts from Weeks 1-6 and your ability to analyze and apply them to new situations.

📋 Format Options

Option A: Traditional Exam

Structure:

Part 1: Multiple Choice (20 questions, 30 min)
- Concepts, key figures, historical facts, definitions
Part 2: Short Answer (3 questions, 45 min)

Week 7: Midterm Review & Synthesis

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 7: Midterm Review & Synthesis

Focus: Integration of Weeks 1-6 concepts

📚 Review Readings

Key Concepts to Review

AI Fundamentals (Weeks 1-2)
- What is AI/ML? How systems are trained.
- Key terminology and basic processes
Ethics and Governance (Weeks 3-4)
- Bias and fairness definitions
- Policy approaches and regulatory frameworks
Societal Impact (Weeks 5-6)
- Economic implications and employment
- Domain-specific applications

Study Materials

Glossary of key terms
Summary charts and timelines
Review questions from previous weeks

💭 Reflection Questions

How have your views on AI and society evolved over the past 6 weeks?
What are the most important ethical challenges we face?
How do technical, policy, and societal factors interconnect?

📝 Midterm Preparation

Review all weekly reading discussion prompts
Revisit case studies from weeks 1-6
Prepare examples to illustrate key concepts
Formulate your own perspective on AI and society issues

See Midterm Assessment for details on the midterm exam format and expectations.

Week 8 Assignment: Case Study Report

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 8 Assignment: Case Study Report

Due: End of Week 8 | Format: Report + 10-minute presentation | Length: 1000-1200 words + slides

📝 Assignment Overview

Conduct a comprehensive case study of a real-world AI system or deployment. Present your findings to the class in a 10-minute presentation.

📋 Instructions

Case Study Selection

Featured options (or propose your own):

COMPAS Recidivism Algorithm
Amazon Hiring Algorithm
Facial Recognition Systems (government or private use)
Facebook/Meta Recommendation Algorithm
ChatGPT/Large Language Models
Autonomous Vehicles (Tesla, Waymo, etc.)
Your choice (get instructor approval)

Written Report (1000-1200 words)

Section 1: Background & Context (150 words)

Week 8: Case Studies

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 8: Case Studies

Focus: Deep dives into real-world examples

📚 Case Study Readings

Featured Case Studies

“The COMPAS Recidivism Algorithm” (20 min)
- Predictive policing and criminal justice
- ProPublica investigation
- Questions of bias and accountability
“Amazon’s Hiring Algorithm” (20 min)
- Gender bias in recruitment AI
- Training data issues
- Lessons learned and corrections

Supplementary Cases

Facial recognition systems and civil liberties
Social media algorithms and misinformation
ChatGPT and generative AI capabilities/limitations
Select your own case study from current news

💭 Analysis Framework

For each case study, consider:

Week 9 Assignment: Privacy & Emerging Tech Analysis

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 9 Assignment: Privacy & Emerging Tech Analysis

Due: End of Week 9 | Format: Research analysis | Length: 900-1100 words

📝 Assignment Overview

Investigate an emerging AI technology or practice that raises privacy and surveillance concerns. Analyze current impacts, implications, and policy responses.

📋 Topic Options

Choose one focus area:

Privacy & Data Collection:

Facial recognition systems and privacy
Biometric data collection and use
Location tracking and surveillance
Data brokers and data markets

Surveillance Systems:

Week 9: Emerging Issues

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 9: Emerging Issues

Focus: Privacy, surveillance, generative AI

📚 Required Readings

Primary Readings

“Privacy in the Age of AI” (25 min)
- Data collection and personal privacy
- Differential privacy and technical solutions
- Right to privacy in different jurisdictions
“Surveillance Capitalism” — Chapter selections (25 min)
- Business models based on data extraction
- Power asymmetries between individuals and platforms
- Societal implications
“Generative AI: Opportunities and Risks” (25 min)
- How large language models work
- Applications and capabilities
- Concerns: bias, misinformation, environmental costs, training data ethics

Supplementary Resources

Facial recognition and mass surveillance — Current articles
Copyright and AI training data — Legal perspectives
“The Environmental Costs of AI” — Brief overview

💭 Discussion Prompts

Is privacy still possible in a world of ubiquitous data collection?
What responsibility do generative AI creators have for training data and outputs?
How should we balance innovation in AI with protection of fundamental rights?

📝 Preparation for Class

Reflect on your own digital privacy: What data about you exists? Who has access?
Try a generative AI tool (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.): What can it do? What are its limitations?
Research one recent AI privacy or surveillance controversy

See Week 9 Assignment for this week’s task.

Week 10 Assignment: Autonomous Systems Risk Assessment

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 10 Assignment: Autonomous Systems Risk Assessment

Due: End of Week 10 | Format: Risk assessment report | Length: 1000-1200 words

📝 Assignment Overview

Choose an autonomous or semi-autonomous system. Conduct a comprehensive risk assessment examining technical, ethical, legal, and governance dimensions.

📋 System Selection

Choose one autonomous system:

Autonomous Vehicles (self-driving cars: Tesla, Waymo, etc.)
Medical Robots (surgery, diagnosis, etc.)
Drones/UAVs (delivery, surveillance, military)
Autonomous Weapons (theoretical or in development)
Robotic Process Automation (business processes)
Warehouse Robots (Amazon, other logistics)
Your choice (get approval)

📋 Risk Assessment Report (1000-1200 words)

1. System Overview (150 words)

Week 10: Autonomous Systems

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 10: Autonomous Systems

Focus: Self-driving cars, robotics, accountability

📚 Required Readings

Primary Readings

“The Ethics of Autonomous Vehicles” (30 min)
- How self-driving cars work (sensors, decision-making)
- The trolley problem and real-world tradeoffs
- Liability and insurance in autonomous systems
- Safety standards and testing protocols
“Robots in Society: Accountability and Control” (25 min)
- Where are robots deployed? What tasks?
- Human-robot interaction and trust
- Who is responsible when autonomous systems cause harm?

Supplementary Resources

Tesla autopilot incidents and investigations
Boston Dynamics robots — Current capabilities and concerns
“Why Accountability Matters for Autonomous Weapons” — Brief overview

💭 Discussion Prompts

Who should be held liable when an autonomous vehicle causes an accident?
How much human oversight is necessary for autonomous systems?
Should there be limits on where robots or autonomous systems can be deployed?

📝 Preparation for Class

Research one autonomous system currently in use (self-driving car, delivery robot, medical robot, etc.)
Prepare: How it works, current limitations, real-world incidents if any
Consider: What could go wrong? What safeguards exist?

See Week 10 Assignment for this week’s task.

Week 11 Assignment: AI Futures & Policy Proposal

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 11 Assignment: AI Futures & Policy Proposal

Due: End of Week 11 | Format: Policy proposal or vision document | Length: 1200-1500 words

📝 Assignment Overview

Synthesize your learning to develop a comprehensive proposal for how AI should be governed and developed to create a future you want to see. This prepares you for your final project.

📋 Choose Your Approach

Option A: Comprehensive AI Governance Framework

Propose an integrated governance approach addressing:

Week 11: Futures & Regulation

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 11: Futures & Regulation

Focus: Possible futures, values, and comprehensive regulation

📚 Required Readings

Primary Readings

“The Future of AI: Scenarios and Possibilities” (30 min)
- Optimistic scenarios: abundance, solutions to major challenges
- Pessimistic scenarios: misalignment, power concentration
- Most likely path: continued uncertainty and mixed outcomes
- Role of decisions we make today
“Comprehensive AI Governance Frameworks” (30 min)
- Integration of technical, policy, and ethical approaches
- Role of stakeholders: governments, industry, civil society, academia
- International cooperation challenges
- Building values into AI systems from the start

Supplementary Resources

AI policy recommendations from diverse organizations
“The Alignment Problem” — Overview of AI safety research
Scenarios from AI foresight exercises

💭 Discussion Prompts

What future for AI and society would you most want to see?
How can we ensure AI benefits are broadly shared?
What values should guide AI development and deployment?

📝 Preparation for Class

Envision your preferred future with AI (5-10 years from now): What works well? What problems have been solved or prevented?
Write down 2-3 actions or policies that would help achieve that future
Reflect on obstacles and resistance that might prevent that future

See Week 11 Assignment for this week’s task.

Final Project

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Final Project

Due: End of Week 12 | Format: Flexible (see options) | Scope: Comprehensive exploration of an AI & society topic

📝 Project Overview

The final project is your opportunity to conduct an in-depth exploration of an AI and society topic you care deeply about. This is a chance to synthesize what you’ve learned and develop an informed, nuanced perspective or proposal.

Core Requirements:

In-depth research and analysis
Engagement with multiple perspectives
Clear communication of findings or vision
Connection to course concepts
Original thinking and synthesis

📋 Format Options

Choose a format that matches your strengths and topic:

Week 12: Student Projects & Synthesis

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Week 12: Student Projects & Synthesis

Focus: Student-led explorations and integration of course concepts

📚 Project Resources

Research & Writing Support

How to find credible sources on AI and society topics
Fact-checking and verification strategies for AI claims
Structure for policy briefs and research reports
Citation guidelines (Chicago Manual of Style, APA, MLA)

Presentation Skills

Presenting technical information to non-technical audiences
Visual design principles for slides
Crafting compelling arguments with evidence
Handling questions and disagreements respectfully

Topic Ideas

Students may choose from:

AI and the Real World: Data, Power, & Society on AI and Society Course

Week 1 Assignment: AI Foundations Reflection

Week 1 Assignment: AI Foundations Reflection

📝 Assignment Overview

📋 Instructions

Part 1: Reflection Essay (200-300 words)

Part 2: Discussion Forum (100-200 words)

Week 1: Fundamentals of AI

Week 1: Fundamentals of AI

📚 Required Readings

Primary Readings

Supplementary Resources

💭 Discussion Prompts

Week 2 Assignment: Data Analysis Exercise

Week 2 Assignment: Data Analysis Exercise

📝 Assignment Overview

📋 Instructions

Part 1: Dataset Selection & Exploration

Part 2: Critical Analysis (400-600 words)

Week 2: AI Systems & Data

Week 2: AI Systems & Data

📚 Required Readings

Primary Readings

Supplementary Resources

💭 Discussion Prompts

📝 Preparation for Class

🔗 Related Assignment

System Overview

System Architecture Overview

The Big Picture

Component Breakdown

1. Hugo Site Generator

Week 3 Assignment: Bias Case Study Analysis

Week 3 Assignment: Bias Case Study Analysis

📝 Assignment Overview

📋 Instructions

Case Study Selection

Analysis (600-800 words)

Week 3: Ethics & Bias

Week 3: Ethics & Bias

📚 Required Readings

Primary Readings

Supplementary Resources

💭 Discussion Prompts

📝 Preparation for Class

🔗 Related Assignment

Accessibility Features

Accessibility Features & WCAG AAA Compliance

What’s Included

🎯 Core Features

WCAG AAA Compliance

Week 4 Assignment: Policy Analysis

Week 4 Assignment: Policy Analysis

📝 Assignment Overview

📋 Instructions

Policy Selection

Policy Brief (800-1000 words)

Week 4: Policy & Governance

Week 4: Policy & Governance

📚 Required Readings

Primary Readings

Supplementary Resources

💭 Discussion Prompts

📝 Preparation for Class

🔗 Related Assignment

D2L Document Generation

D2L Document Generation

Features

Quick Start

Generate readings as PDF + DOCX

Week 5 Assignment: AI & Employment Analysis

Week 5 Assignment: AI & Employment Analysis

📝 Assignment Overview

📋 Instructions

Choose Your Focus

Research & Analysis (700-900 words)

Week 5: Employment & Economics

Week 5: Employment & Economics

📚 Required Readings

Primary Readings