CS 123 Syllabus
Class | Instructor | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Course Number | CS 123 | Name | Brian Bird | |
CRN | Hybrid (on campus) 21403 Online 21028 | birdb@lanecc.edu | ||
Day & Time | Tu, Th 2:00–3:50 | Office Hours | M and W 2:00–2:50 Tu and Th 4:00–4:50 | |
Room | Building 19, Room 128 Zoom meeting | Room | Building 19, Room 152 Zoom meeting |
Course DescriptionLearning OutcomesOnline ResourcesCourse MaterialsLearning Management SystemSoftwareSoftware Required for Course WorkFree and Discounted Software for StudentsComputer Lab and TutoringCIT Computer Lab and In-Person TutoringOnline TutoringAssessment and GradingPoints for Each Graded ActivityGrade ScaleQuizzesParticipationTeam ProjectsMidterm and Final QuizzesAcademic HonestyUse of AIAttendanceNo Show DropLate WorkAccessibility and Campus NavigationCenter for Accessible ResourcesCampus Location and MapsSchedulesAcademic Calendar for Fall Term 2025Course Schedule
This course provides an overview of the field of Artificial Intelligence. Students will learn what AI is and how machine learning works. There will be a focus on generative AI and its practical applications in the workplace such as prompt engineering and creating custom chatbots. The risks and dangers of AI will be explored along with the potential benefits.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
Explain what AI is.
Discuss the potential dangers and benefits of AI to society.
Describe how neural networks are used in deep machine learning.
Decide what uses of AI are appropriate in education and work settings.
Use prompt engineering to get more effective results from generative AI.
Create a custom chatbot.
There is no textbook for this class. In place of a textbook you will read online tutorials and chapters in the free online course, Elements of AI, a high-quality course provided by the The University of Helsinki.
Moodle is the Learning Management System (LMS) used for this course; LCC’s Moodle site is at: classes.lanecc.edu.
All of the software required for this class is free. You can use any operating system: Windows, Mac OS, or Linux.
See the Getting Started Guide for a list of the software needed for this class.
You will need to download and install any software you don't already have on your computer. The software has
already been installed on the computers in the classroom and in the CIT computer lab.
None of the software provided in these offers is required for this class, but you may want to take advantage of the free and discounted software offers.
Azure Dev Tools for Teaching (previously known as Microsoft Imagine Premium, Dream Spark, and MSDNAA) is a subscription-based offering, paid for by the LCC CIT department, providing access to professional development and design tools, software, and services from Microsoft.
Microsoft Office 365 LCC students and staff can get a free subscription to Office 365, which includes Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and more.
On The Hub has partnered with Microsoft, Adobe, IBM, Symantec, VMware and other software publishers to offer discounted and free software for students and faculty.
The CIT Main lab (Building 19, room 135) is equipped with computers and software which are available exclusively for students in the CIT department. There are tutors available in the lab to help you with your lab work. The schedule for when the lab will be open and when in-person tutors are available is TBD.
See the LCC Tutoring Services web page for information.
The table below summarizes the possible points for each assessment task as well as the course as a whole:
Assessment Tasks | Number | Each | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Exercises | 6 | 30 | 180 |
Quizzes | 9 | 20 | 180 |
Participation | 10 | 10 | 100 |
Projects | 6 | Variable | 240 |
Midterm and Final Quizzes | 2 | Midterm: 100, Final: 200 | 300 |
Course Total | 1000 |
Letter grades for the course will be determined by the following percentages:
+ | - | ||
---|---|---|---|
A | 100 to 98 | 97 to 92 | 91 to 90 |
B | 89 to 88 | 87 to 82 | 81 to 80 |
C | 79 to 78 | 77 to 72 | 71 to 70 |
D | 69 to 68 | 67 to 62 | 61 to 60 |
F | Below 60 |
Weekly (except midterm an final quiz weeks) quizzes are given that cover learning material for that week. These quizzes are "open book".
Participation is assessed differently depending on whether you are taking the class online, on Zoom or in person.
In person and on Zoom (synchronous): Your grade is based on class attendance and participation in class discussions.
Online (asynchronous): You grade is based on participation in the Moodle forums and on Discord.
You will work together with your team to either make a presentation or create an AI solution. Each team member will have a specific part to contribute and will be individually graded.
The midterm and final quizzes are given in weeks 4 and 8. See Moodle for exact dates and times. Quizzes are "closed book", but students may prepare a 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of notes to refer to during the quiz. These quizzes may be taken either:
On-campus students (hybrid modality) will take the quiz In the classroom during the normal class time.
online students will take the quiz In the Instructional Testing Center in the Center Building, room 311. See the Instructional Testing Services web site for testing times and procedures.
Students who live outside the Eugene/Springfield area can send an email to online@lanecc.edu well in advance of the test dates to arrange for your midterm and final to be proctored at a location near you.
While students are encouraged to discuss assignments and to use each other as resources, each student is responsible for his/her own work. In other words you can help each other, but you can’t copy any part of someone else’s work. The end product must be each student’s own individual work.
Generative AI tools such as GitHub Copilot or ChatGPT are useful resources and you are encouraged to use them, but don't use them to give you quiz answers or do your assignments for you. Use them to help you learn, to come up with ideas, or for drafts of text you write.
See the participation and attendance section under Assessment and Grading for grading criteria.
The college’s “no show, drop” policy requires that: during the first week students must complete at least one activity (a quiz or assignment) otherwise the student will be dropped from the class.
Grades for assignments submitted after the due date will be reduced by 10%.
No late assignments accepted after Tuesday of week 11, finals week.
Quizzes and exams cannot be taken after the due date. Plan ahead! Exceptions will only be made for illness or emergency situations.
Lane Community College (LCC) is dedicated to providing inclusive learning environments. The Center for Accessible Resources (CAR) coordinates all academic accommodations for students at LCC. If you anticipate or experience academic barriers due to a disability, to request assistance or accommodations, contact the Center for Accessible Resources.
In-Person Services: Monday and Thursday, 9:00am - 12:30 and 1:30pm - 3:00pm. Location: Main Campus, Building 19, Room 263A
Remote Support through Support Hub: Monday - Thursday 9:00am–12:30 and 1:30pm–3:00pm. Enter the Support Hub by going to lanecc.edu/hub. Wait for a Lane staff to let you into the Zoom.
Phone: Voice, (541) 463-5150 TTY: 711, Monday—Friday 9:00am–12:30pm and 1:30pm–3:00pm. Email: AccessibleResources@lanecc.edu
For upcoming closures, please visit the Center for Accessible Resources webpage
Main Campus: 4000 East 30th Ave. Eugene, Oregon 97405
Floor plan of buiding 19 (All CIT classes meet on the 1st floor of this building)
Event | Date | |
---|---|---|
Fall term classes begin | 9/29 | Monday |
Last day to receive refund | 10/6 | Monday |
Veteran’s Day—college closed | 11/11 | Tuesday |
Last day for schedule changes | 11/21 | Friday |
Thanksgiving Vacation – college closed | 11/27–11/30 | Thursday, Friday |
Final exam | 12/9 | Tuesday |
View academic calendars on the LCC web site.
(Tentative, may be subject to change)
Week | Topics | Activities |
---|---|---|
1 9/29 | Intro to the course Overview of AI | Introduce Yourself Survey Join a Team Essentials of AI Ch. 1 exercises Quiz |
2 10/6 | AI Problem Solving | Essentials of AI Ch. 2 exercises Project: Applications of AI Quiz |
3 10/13 | Real-World AI | Essentials of AI Ch. 3 exercises Quiz |
4 10/20 | Machine Learning | Elements of AI Ch. 4 exercises Quiz |
5 10/27 | History of AI and Midterm | TBD Midterm quiz: - In the classroom on 10/30 - In the testing center 10/30–11/1 |
6 11/3 | Neural Netowrks and Deep Learning | Elements of AI Ch. 5 exercises Quiz |
7 11/10 | Generative AI | TBD Quiz |
8 11/17 | Prompt engineering | TBD Project: prompt engineering Quiz |
9 11/24 | Custom GPT chatbots | TBD Project: Custom chat-bot Quiz |
10 12/1 | Social and ethical issues of AI | Elements of AI Ch. 6 exercises Quiz |
11 12/8 | Final | Final quiz: - In the classroom on 12/9 - In the testing center 12/9–12/11 |