WELCOME TO
CS 4332 Introduction to Artificial
Intelligence
3 CREDIT HOURS
Spring 2023
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Email: linh@uhd.edu |
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Office: S-717 |
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Office Telephone:
713-221-2781 |
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Office Hours: Monday&Wednesday 11:30am-12:30pm |
My preferred method of contact is email
(linh@uhd.edu). Responses to messages received will be sent within 24-48 hours. However, please note that emails sent
over the weekend may not receive a reply until the next business day. It is
important to plan accordingly. Repeated emails about a matter that has been
addressed may not be responded.
Gatormail is the official
student email of UHD. All messages and announcements sent from Blackboard will
be directed to the enrolled students’ Gatormail. All
email correspondence from you and to you will occur using Gatormail
or your personal email that you choose to use to write to the instructor.
This course
focuses on applications and problems in the field of modern AI techniques and
algorithms for making good decisions that are widely applied on a large range
of financial, biomedical, robotics, information, and industrial systems. The
course covers local agents, state-space searching, computational game theory,
classification problem, and knowledge representation.
Prerequisites:
Grade of C or
better in CS 3304.
Learning Objectives:
By
the end of this course, we hope you achieve the following goals:
Foundation:
You should build
a strong foundation in classic AI techniques like game playing, search,
constraint satisfaction, logic and planning, machine learning, graphical
models, etc.
Skills:
You should be
able to propose, evaluate, and implement solutions to problems requiring AI
techniques.
Integration:
You should be aware
of where AI intersects with other disciplines, primarily machine learning and
perception.
Assessment:
You should have
experienced different flavors of problems and solutions, and
have confidence in how and where AI can be applied in problems relevant to
society.
Textbook & Course Materials:
Required
Text(s):
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Artificial Intelligence: A
Modern Approach, Fourth Edition, Stuart Russell & Peter Norvig. Pearson
Education Inc., May 2020, Pearson Publisher. ISBN: 978-0134610993. |
Recommended
(Optional) Readings:
Students are encouraged to read materials about the
topics that are helpful in their study. There are ample resources about courses
that use the same textbook, e.g., the following websites, to name a few:
https://omscs.gatech.edu/cs-6601-artificial-intelligence
Required
Technology:
During the course,
students will be required to do programming assignments using Python. You can
choose your preferred Python IDE to edit and run your Python codes,
among them, Anaconda is an integrated software that allows you to define your
own Python environment. Make sure that your computers have necessary software
installed.
Course
Format:
This course is hybrid. Following
the departmental guidelines about hybrid courses, we will use a mixture of
synchronous face-to-face and asynchronous interaction modes to handle the
teaching/learning.
For the synchronous face-to-face
mode, we will meet every Wednesday 2:30pm-3:45pm at OMB S614. Exams will
be also scheduled in the synchronous face-to-face mode time slots.
For the asynchronous mode, we will
assign materials for self-paced study as the course work for Monday, but do not
schedule any meetings, either face-to-face or online.
The split of the course work
between synchronous and asynchronous modes in principle is 50-50 percent.
A few must-know items that need
your attention:
1. All assignments will be handled
in Blackboard, which means only submissions in blackboard will be accepted and
graded. Please do not submit any assignment to Blackboard message box. Late
submissions will not not accepted.
2. All email communications please
be directed to my UHD email address: linh@uhd.edu. Please do not send any
messages in Blackboard.
The course syllabus, PPTs, and
lecture recordings can be found in the Blackboard course shell.
Students new to Blackboard may find
the following resources useful:
·
Online
Readiness Self-Assessment (Link): Complete this self-assessment to receive specific feedback
based on a student’s individual needs. This self-assessment has 22 questions,
and it shouldn't take more than a few minutes for you to complete.
·
Realistic
Preview of Online Learning (Video): In this
brief video, hear from UHD students on what to expect in an online class and
how to overcome common challenges.
·
Blackboard
Orientation: After logging into Blackboard, students can complete an
orientation on the foundations of Blackboard.
Competency:
To
succeed in this course, you should be able to answer 'Yes' to the following
questions:
·
Are you confident with computer programming in Python?
·
Have you taken classes that required intensive programming?
·
Are you familiar with basic concepts of data structures?
·
Are you familiar with basic concepts of algorithm design, such as
algorithms for sorting, searching, and matching?
If your answer is
“No” to any of these questions, this course may not be appropriate for you.
Course
Requirements:
Course grades will be determined as follows:
- 2 Tests 40% (20% each)
-
Final Exam 30%
-
Homework, Labs and
Programming Assignments 30%
Grading
Scale:
Your final course grade will
be determined by the standard college formula based on your course
average:
90‐100 à "A",
80‐89 à "B",
70‐79 à "C",
60‐69 à "D",
0‐59 à "F"
Course
Policies & Procedures:
Late
Work:
All coursework, including closed labs,
must be submitted by the deadline. No late submissions will be accepted.
Make-Up
Exams:
Make‐up exams will only be given in cases
of documented emergencies. It is your responsibility to contact your instructor
with documentation of your emergency at least 3 days before the exam date.
Feedback
& Grading Policy:
Submitted coursework will be graded within
one week. Given the size of the class, re-submission is not accepted.
Any correspondence regarding your
participation or grades can only be sent to your Gatormail
or your personal email address that you have used in communicating with the
instructor. Please note that all communications with the instructor must be
directed to email address: linh@uhd.edu.
Participation Policy:
Student attendance in the synchronous
class meetings is expected. It is strongly recommended that the students attend
closed lab sessions. Attendance in exams is mandatory.
Strategies
for Student Success:
A successful
student in this course should exhibit full understanding of artificial
intelligence concepts, and demonstrate readiness for
advanced study in computer science or career development in computing
profession. The students are encouraged
to exploit relevant student services provided by the University or the CST
College, including: Reading & Writing Center, Math
& Stat Center, Supplemental Instruction, Library, Career Development
Center, and Student Counseling Services.
Student
Challenges & Emergencies:
In case of any emergency or challenge with
personal matters that impact a student’s ability to succeed in the course,
please contact appropriate UHD services such as Student Counseling, Registrar,
Financial Aid, etc., while notifying the instructor. University policy allows an incomplete grade be issued in case a student has been performing well
throughout the semester but is not able to complete the last portion of the
coursework due to an emergency matter. Such an incomplete grade must be removed
in a limited time frame.
Responses to University-Wide Disruptions:
In the event of university-wide disruptions for any reason, including weather,
health, and safety concerns, UHD may require instructors and students to engage
in their classes via different modalities and/or timelines to minimize disruption
to the continuity of the semester. Such changes may entail adjustments in
syllabus content. Instructors will communicate any changes in writing to all
enrolled students as soon as circumstances allow. Disruptions aside,
instructors reserve the right to adjust their syllabi as needed in order to accommodate the education needs of the class,
but any such changes will be communicated to students in writing during the
course of the semester.
Please continue to check the UHD website uhd.edu to
understand how UHD is responding to the most current COVID-19 circumstances and
regularly check your class Blackboard site and Gatormail
sources for information specific to your classes.
Academic Honesty:
As a UHD student, you are responsible for following the UHD Academic Honesty Policy Statement
3.A.19, which defines the scope of academic honesty and identifies processes
for addressing violations, including an appeal process. As per the policy,
“students are responsible for maintaining the academic integrity of the
University by following the Academic Honesty Policy. Students are responsible
for doing their own work and avoiding all forms of academic dishonesty."
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating and plagiarism.
Your faculty member will identify the penalty for academic honesty violations
and the penalty of an F in a course is recommended “in instances of multiple
and/or flagrant violations." The policy also requires that all violations
are reported to the Office of the Dean of Students.
Accessibility and Statement of Reasonable
Accommodations:
The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD), is committed to creating a learning
environment that meets the needs of its diverse student population.
Accordingly, UHD strives to provide reasonable academic accommodations to
students who request and are eligible, as specified by Section 504 and ADA
guidelines. Students with disabilities may work with the Office of Disability
Services to discuss a range of options to removing barriers in this course,
including official accommodations. If you have a disability, or think you may
have a disability, please contact the Office of Disability Services, to begin
this conversation or request an official accommodation. Office of Disability
Services, One Main St., Suite GSB 314, Houston, TX 77002. (Office Phone)
713-221-5078 (Website) www.uhd.edu/disability/ (Email) disabilityservices@uhd.edu
Attendance and Roster Certification:
Students are expected to participate regularly in classes as appropriate to
modality of the course. If the class has scheduled meeting times, either
online or in-person, students are expected to attend all class sessions.
In addition to class meeting times, students are expected to dedicate time to
relevant course work outside of class meeting times based on the number of
credit hours per course. For a typical 3-credit course, students should
budget an average of 6 additional hours per week outside of class. This may
vary for lab, practicum, or other classes that do not have standard meeting
times or formats.
Your failure to attend class (in-person, hybrid, or
synchronous online), engage through the Blackboard course (online asynchronous
only), or make contact with faculty to adequately explain
your absence by the 12th calendar day of the semester may
result in your being administratively dropped from this course. Being dropped
from this course may affect your enrollment status and/or your financial aid
eligibility.
Book Purchasing:
A student of this institution is not under any obligation to purchase a
textbook from a university affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be
purchased from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.
COVID-19 Exposure or Diagnosis:
Any student who is symptomatic or tests positive for COVID-19 should follow the
UHD COVID-19 isolation protocols that can be found on our Emergency Management webpage, even if you are
taking online courses. In order to request academic
adjustments that may be available, notify your instructor as soon as you are
aware of the need to isolate. COVID-19-related adjustments requested after the
period of isolation will not be available.
Recording of Class Sessions:
Some of the sessions in courses with online engagement may be pre-recorded,
recorded or live streamed by the instructor. Such recordings/streaming will be
available only to students registered for this class. Students should not share
these instructor-recorded sessions with those not in the class,
or upload them to any other online environment. Students should not
record or stream course sessions. Doing so may be a violation of the Federal
Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Please check with your instructor
before sharing recordings of class content with any individual.
Religious Holy Days:
The University of Houston-Downtown respects the religious observances of
students even though they may conflict with university class meetings,
assignments, or examinations as per the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board Texas Administrative Code §4.4 Student Absences on Religious Holy Days.
A student whose absence is excused under this policy
shall be treated consistently with the instructor's policies and procedures
relating to other excused absences, except that no instructor's policy may deny
the opportunity for make-up work, as described here. Instructors should
announce reasonable time periods for make-up work and exams in writing to the
class and make clear the consequences of a student's failure to meet such time
requirements. Students needing to reschedule missed work or exams for a holy
day should submit a written request to each instructor at least one week prior
to the class period or assignment/exam date that will be missed. An instructor
should acknowledge receipt of that request via email to the student's official
UHD email address. A new date for taking an examination or completing classwork
missed for a holy day shall be set by the instructor in accordance with
announced policies.
If a student and an instructor disagree about whether
the absence is for the observance of a religious holy day, or if they disagree
about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any
missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may
appeal to the Office of the Provost. For further information about the state
law, please see the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Texas
Administrative Code §4.4 or contact the offices of the UHD Title IX/Equal
Opportunity Services to review the policy.
Safety Precautions:
All individuals coming to the UHD campus must observe all safety precautions
articulated by the university. Please review the most current
requirements on our website. We encourage all UHD
community members to get vaccinated and UHD encourages mask-wearing as per
state health guidance, though they are not required. Failure to comply with any
institutional policies, including those regarding COVID precautions, may
constitute a violation of the student code of conduct and lead to disciplinary
action through the Office of the Dean of Students.
Student Support Services:
UHD has developed many resources to support your learning, engagement with UHD
activities, and other UHD processes. Please access this
Student Success and Student Life website to get started. If you
do not find the resource you need on this website, please contact the Dean of
Students Office at 713-221-8100 or uhdstudentaffairs@uhd.edu;
they will make every effort to connect you with the help you need.
Student Counseling Services:
As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning. These might include strained relationships,
anxiety, high levels of stress, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, or loss of
motivation. UHD Student Counseling Services is here to help with these or other
issues you may experience. You can learn about the free, confidential mental
health services available on campus by calling 713-221-8121 or at https://www.uhd.edu/student-life/counseling/.
Technology Requirements:
All classes at UHD require students to access materials in our Blackboard
learning system or other learning applications. Online, hybrid or even
face-to-face classes will assign work that requires access to a computer for
creating and submitting assignments, taking tests, conducting research, working
with classmates, or engaging with the class. As importantly, if University
locations are not available to students for any reason, the online environment
becomes a critical pathway for continuing our classes and supporting your goals
of completion. Unfortunately, most phones and even some tablets may not provide
the level of technology or access that can maximize your success. Therefore, it
is essential for every student at UHD to have reliable access to internet and a
computer that meets some basic requirements.
You should communicate in a timely manner with your
instructors in the case of any challenges in using technology.
Here are some resources to help you determine
equipment needs and usage:
- For recommended technology requirements: Technology recommendation
- For challenges in using technology: UHD IT support center
- For resources on purchasing technology: Computer access and support
Testing and Final Exams:
Asynchronous online courses may use a virtual testing option through Blackboard
or other proctoring service option. For synchronous online courses, any
final exam will be offered virtually through BB or other proctoring service
option and will allow completion during the scheduled exam period. In-person or
hybrid classes may have in-person or online finals during the scheduled exam
period as indicated on the course syllabus. For more information on taking
Blackboard tests, see this guide. If proctoring is required, your
instructor will inform you of the process for setting up this option either
through Blackboard or an alternative venue, and they will inform you of whether
there are any additional costs as part of the course syllabus.
UHD has a final exam period at the end of the
semester. For any courses with a scheduled class meeting component, there are
specific times scheduled for the exams which can be found on our academic calendars webpage. Students
are expected to be available during the scheduled period unless they have
consulted their instructor and identified an alternative option.
Use of Blackboard, Gatormail,
and Zoom:
You are expected to regularly participate in your classes as scheduled as well
as engage course material through Blackboard as required by instructors.
Gatormail is the official UHD email communication system and
UHD staff and faculty must use it to share student-specific information that is
protected by federal FERPA guidelines. You should check your account regularly
for both class and university messages.
If you are taking a class that has virtual online
meetings that use Zoom or other university-supported technology, you are
expected to attend at scheduled times and participate fully following any
protocols established by your instructor. Zoom classes, activities, and/or
exams may require live video. Your instructor will provide this information to
you as part of the course syllabus. Students with concerns regarding any
requirement to participate in live video for specific course learning outcomes
and/or assignments should consult their instructor.
End-of-Course Student Surveys (IDEA):
During the last week of the
course, you will be asked to complete an end of course survey. Your thoughtful and honest responses to the
survey are extremely important. We learn best what works, and what doesn’t, by
listening to our students. The survey is
your chance to help us improve.
Syllabus Subject to Change:
This syllabus is tentative and subject to
change. Changes, if any, will be updated at the course website: http://cms.uhd.edu/Faculty/LinH/courses/CS4332/index.htm.
Course
Calendar:
The Course calendar below contains only
the general outline of the activities and assignments that you are responsible
for each week. Specific instructions for each week are provided in Blackboard.
Note that the course calendar is subject to updates during the semester. It is
your responsibility to check this calendar prior to planning any course events.
|
Week |
Monday (virtual) |
Wednesday (face-to-face) |
|
1 |
1/16 Martin Luther King Jr Holiday |
1/18 Review course syllabus; |
|
2 |
1/23 Game playing |
1/25 Game playing |
|
3 |
1/30 |
2/1 Informed search |
|
4 |
2/6 Simulated Annealing and Local Search |
2/8 Simulated Annealing and Local Search |
|
5 |
2/13 Review for Exam 1 |
2/15 |
|
6 |
2/20 Constraint satisfaction |
2/22 Constraint satisfaction |
|
7 |
2/27 Probability |
3/1 Probability |
|
8 |
3/6 Bayes Nets |
3/8 Bayes Nets |
|
|
3/13 Spring Break |
3/15 Spring Break |
|
9 |
3/20 Bayes Nets |
3/22 Bayes Nets |
|
10 |
3/27 Review for Exam 2 |
3/29 Exam 2 |
|
11 |
4/3 Machine learning – Bayes Learning |
4/5 Machine learning – Gaussian Mixture models |
|
12 |
4/10 Pattern recognition through time |
4/12 Pattern recognition through time |
|
13 |
4/17 Pattern recognition through time |
4/19 Logic and planning |
|
14 |
4/24 Logic and planning |
4/26 Logic and planning |
|
15 |
5/1 Planning under Uncertainty |
5/3 Review for final exam |
|
16 |
5/6 (Saturday) Final Exam 2:15pm-4:15pm |
5/10 |