Instructor: Adrian Salguero (asalguer [at] cs [dot] washington [dot] edu)
Each week, we will discuss various topics related to computer science. Our sessions will mostly relate to the societal and cultural impacts of technology and CS, and some exploration of some technical concepts. This course is NOT an opportunity to learn more programming or add more "rigor" to 12X, nor is any background or familiarity with computer science required outside of what is necessary for any of the CSE 12X courses. This is an opportunity to think about computer science and other related topics in a broader context.
This is a 1-credit, discussion-based course. To earn credit for this course, you need to "complete" 7 weeks of discussion activities along with the culminating activity and the final paper and presentation.
To "complete" a weekly discussion activity , you need to 1) do the assigned reading 2) do any assigned activities (requires some effort for completion) and 3) attend the discussion for that week (if you finish all the tasks and attend for a week, it's "completed"). There are 9 weeks that we will be meeting so that means you are able to miss 2 and still receive credit for the class!
Details about the culminating activity will be posted towards the end of the quarter. It will involve researching a new topic, writing a short research paper, and giving a short 3-5 minute presentation on your chosen CS-topic. You may choose to further explore a topic covered in the seminar or explore a new one you find interesting!
The readings and activities for this class are not meant to take up a lot of time and you are not being tested on your understanding of the material. The exercises are there to get you thinking about computer science, how you can apply it to your own areas of interest, and how it impacts your day to day life.
Our class meets on Thursdays from 3:30PM - 4:50PM in MGH 295. The first class session will be Thursday, October 8.
| Date | Info | Oct 1 |
|
|---|---|
| Oct 8 |
This will be our first meeting! We will have introductions, discuss the course expectations, and lay the groundwork for the rest of the quarter. Come prepared to chat and meet new people! :) In-Class ActivityNo reading for this week |
| Oct 15 |
In this section, we will discuss the role AI has had on computer science education. How should students, instructors, universities, and our education system evolve or change in this new era of AI? In-Class ActivityRequired reading for this weekResponse Form (due by 3:30pm) |
| Oct 22 |
In this section, we will discuss what are computer science ethics, how we can train future computer scientists on this subject, and how the increased prevelance of AI introduces new ethical concerns. In-Class ActivityRequired reading for this week (2 papers)Response Form (due by 3:30pm) |
| Oct 29 |
In this section we explore a general overview of what is CS reserach, what are skills of successful research, and discuss one way of "disecting" a research paper. In-Class ActivityRequired Reading
Response Form (due by 3:30pm)
|
| Nov 5 |
This week, we will discuss ongoing cybersecurity stories, including how AI has begun to introduce new challenges and advancements in this field. Required ReadingBonus Optional Reading>Response Form (due by 3:30pm) |
| Nov 12 |
|
| Nov 19 |
|
| Nov 26 |
|
| Dec 3 |
|
| Dec 10 |
|