Use of AI¶
This page contains the rules regarding use of AI on this course.
Very Briefly¶
Not allowed, using AI does not contribute towards the course's learning outcomes.
Actually Explained¶
The course's main learning outcome is to learn the fundamentals of programming in such a way that the student understands them, and is able to apply them. It is true that producing certain types of code with AI is part of modern programming, but these use cases are several levels above a fundamentals course. Furthermore, in order to effectively use AI as a tool in programming, the user needs to have sufficient fundamental understanding of programming. Without solid fundamentals it is not possible to
- instruct AI to produce desired outcomes;
- interpret the code produced by AI and spot mistakes in it;
- integrate the code produced by AI into a larger context.
Using AI to answer programming assignments on this course does not contribute to learning these necessary fundamentals in any way. It's impossible to critically evaluate the products of AI, because we have barely started to learn the basis for critically evaluating anything related to programming.
Problem solving is also included in the course's learning outcomes, and students are expected to make progress in this domain as well. Abstract thinking and logical problem solving are present at all aspects of programming. Externalizing these processes to the AI does not contribute to developing your own skills. A model answer is useless without an understanding of how it was arrived to.
In summary, the use of AI does not contribute in way to reaching the main learning outcomes of the course, and it is therefore blanket banned. Any code lines submitted as answers must originate from your own brain, and you must be able to justify the existence and form of every single one of them with your own thinking.
Finally, if you already know programming and have confidence in your ability to understand what the AI produces, you don't need AI to complete this course. If you find the tasks too basic, just flex your programming brain and come up with cool solutions to them.