Course Syllabus

SPEA-V 600 Capstone (section 34758) 

Course description 

The capstone has three main objectives: 1) Assess the impacts of the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by Indiana University. 2) Recommend ways to help faculty, staff, and students transition from using unsanctioned AI tools to tools authorized by IU, and 3) Design a set of best practices for the ethical and responsible use of AI among students and faculty. The first goal is rather challenging and complex given the economic development and productivity-enhancing opportunities of AI, in comparison to the environmental threats posed by data centers. Students must consider various factors and circumstances that affect AI use and acknowledge that an assessment of this nature will be rife with uncertainty. The project will need to take into account a number of stated assumptions and build upon these to present actionable recommendations. Recommendations will need to be derived within the context of uncertainty that stems from the complex and dynamic interaction of numerous technical, social, economic, and political factors.

Learning outcomes (context)

By the end of the semester students should be able to:

1. Design a work plan outlining a process that ensures the effective completion of the project.
2. Establish an organizational structure to execute the work as scoped in the plan.
3. Gather and analyze data and make decisions under uncertainty.
4. Communicate efficiently within a group environment, resolve internal disputes and coordinate efforts across working groups.
5. Critically evaluate the policy recommendations that will achieve the outcome of the project.

 Learning outcomes (skills)

Throughout the semester, students will significantly improve:

1. Their writing skills through contributing to the draft and final report.
2. Their presentations skills by contributing to the final presentation to the client.
3. Their professional communication skills by engaging with guest speakers and external reviewers.
4. Their leadership and followership abilities.

Meeting time and location

Mondays-Wednesdays 11:10-12:25 at PV-A205

Textbook

There is no required textbook for the course. 

Grading weights/scales and assignment due dates

Student’s grades for this course will be based on a combination of group (G) and individual (I) performances, listed below. The following grading criteria will be used:

The work plan is a critical element of the course. It should be designed by all group members to address each group's anticipated major tasks, the timeline for these tasks, and the overall method and timeline for integrating group contributions into a comprehensive final report and presentation. The work plan should include an organizational strategy ensuring cooperation and coordination across groups, particularly since the project's components are interdependent and can only be adequately addressed through a coordinated strategy. Formal presentation of the work plan and discussion with the faculty advisors (and possibly the client) should result in a revised document. This revised work plan will guide each group throughout the semester.

The progress report should discuss work accomplished to date, upcoming challenges and anticipated problems, anticipated changes to the work plan, and any other necessary details. It should also outline work completed by each group and work toward the completed integrated final analysis with its set of recommendations.

There will be two draft reports submitted to the faculty advisors. We will complete a formal referee-style peer-review of each draft report that lists the exact points in the text that need to be revised or edited. Each item discussed in the referee report should be assigned to a specific student or group. When submitting the second draft and final report, students need to include, in a separate document, a point-by-point response to each of the comments in the referee report.

The preliminary project presentation is a dress rehearsal for the final presentation to the client representatives and other stakeholders. It should be treated as though the full group is making the final presentation to the client, although students will not need to dress in “business professional” (which will be required for the final presentation). The purpose of the dress rehearsal is to allow for feedback from the faculty advisors, client representatives, and students, and to ensure that the final presentation will be of the highest quality.

All students will receive the same grade for the preliminary project presentation, the final project presentation, the two project drafts and final written report provided to the client representatives. Group grades will be given for the work plan, progress report, and the group assessment; this is the faculty advisors’ overall assessment of each group's effort. The participation grade is an assessment of individual contributions to the full group from the faculty advisors’ perspective. Students will also have the opportunity to reflect on their own contributions and those of their peers.