Budding computer scientists develop appreciation for liberal arts in a reimagined first-year seminar where various topics including diversity and inclusion are investigated through the lens of a pervasive shared reading. Active learning strategies including polls, live question and answer sessions, buzz groups, and embedded videos are used and demonstrated.
A reimagined first-year student seminar is a common requirement for all incoming and transfer students beginning fall 2019 to explore the relationship between the individual and society within the context of a discipline-specific problem domain. The seminar is taken concurrently with a symposium where service-learning is a major component. This session describes a blended-learning style seminar using artificial intelligence topics inter-woven throughout the course, based on the three foundational components of a liberal arts and sciences-based education of engaging the big questions, cultivating intellectual and practical values, and fostering character. These questions engage students as they develop intentional beliefs and actions while moving toward becoming ethically and empathetically engaged students, an integral part of the university’s Vision Statement. The seminar fosters an awareness of one’s own identity as well as understanding the development and context of that identity. It facilitates discussion about diversity and inclusion with respect to social structures and ideology, globally and within the United States including topics on culture, gender, class, identity, ability, and religion. Shared readings within the problem domain of artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on identity development and society at-large is integrated throughout the seminar. The big questions of artificial intelligence and the liberal arts are also integrated into required writings and discussions. Critical thinking, problem-solving, writing, speaking, teamwork, and digital literacy in addition to topics of diversity, inclusion, and intercultural knowledge are also covered. During the fall 2020 semester, the course is taught as a blended course, with two-thirds of all students attending online each class period and the remaining one-third attending class in person. Several active learning strategies are utilized including polls, live question and answer sessions, embedded videos, and buzz groups. Each of these strategies will be demonstrated throughout the session. Formal assessment measures as well as anecdotal evidence will be presented which suggest the newly-created seminar is meeting its objectives and playing a role in significantly improving university-wide retention. At end of this session participants will be able to design a reimagined first-year student seminar combining the liberal arts within a specific discipline focus, generate learning outcomes for this type of seminar, and engage learners with active learning strategies of live polls, question and answer sessions, buzz groups, and embedded videos.