The baseline qualifications for taking this course include:

• proficiency to type on a full-size computer keyboard (104-key or equivalent)
• proficiency with basic computing concepts (files, storage, units of information)
• proficiency to read instructions and available technical data in relevant theatres and domains
• ability to readily ask questions
• ability to take notes and later retrieve useful information from them
• ability to recall important concepts and experiences
• ability to work on class-related content outside of class
• willingness to attempt solving new and unfamiliar problems
• willingness to encounter new and unfamiliar concepts
• willingness to indulge in new and unfamiliar activities
• willingness to learn in new and unfamiliar ways
• willingness to work on class-related content outside of class

With the advent of commercially-viable and desktop-usable AI products (AI/AGI/chatGPT/LLM/etc.), heretofore all regarded as “AI”, questions of ethics and allowability of such tools in the learning process have become a rather hot topic. For the purposes of my classes:

• AI use is not recommended; you would be better off at this stage not even touching it.
  • AI is a powerful tool for productivity, yet when used prior to solid understanding of the concepts and information being transacted, ultimately suffer and stagnate.
  • aim to understand and know how to do things yourself. This allows you to better vet AI output.
  • aim to, during this learning process, do as much of the task as you can by hand or mentally: this is how you gain understanding and comprehension. This allows you to better vet AI output.
• if you insist on using AI:
  • please limit it to “what” queries
  • do not try to use AI to perform “how” and “why” queries. YOU need to figured out and understand how to do things, YOU are the student. YOU letting an AI come up with your solutions is a detriment
  • accept that you are putting yourself at risk of deeply sabotaging your learning journey, subjecting yourself to stagnant thought and limited perspectives, as you insulate yourself from the rigors of doing the actual work
  • accept that, if you pass off AI-generated work as your own, and your work is questioned, if you are unable to competently demonstrate your understanding, you risk losing any and all credit for that deliverable
  • accept that you will have to live with the awareness that the instructor and other suitably aware individuals in the course may lose some faith in your humanity
    • increasing focus and study on the accuracy of AI, when not vetted by a sound foundational understanding, results in significant error and incorrectness being introduced into the work
    • AI prose is increasingly sophisticated and convincing. Yet there is a difference between verbosity and competence. Learning to differentiate between them is a valuable life skill, and an important ability to have when dealing with AI output.