Key Information
Tutors: Dr Chris Cooling
Course Level: Level 2
Course Credit: 1 credit
Prerequisites:
- Familiarity with the basics of Python (such as from the online course Introduction to Python for Researchers (Online Course) would be helpful but is not required.
- You must follow the pre-course instructions at least 10 days before the course.
Course Duration: 1 x 2 hours workshop + approximately 30 minutes pre-course setup
Course Resources
Generative AI has revolutionised the way content is generated, including code. The use of generative AI tools can dramatically speed up the programming process and has the potential to increase the quality of code. However, care must be taken to ensure the functionality and appropriateness of any code produced by these tools. There are also considerations relating to ethics, privacy, and academic integrity that users should be aware of.
This course introduces you to using GitHub Copilot, which is one of the leading tools for AI-assisted programming, and teaches you to best leverage it to help you write code.
Course Information
We will start by introducing the idea of generative AI, discussing it’s uses, limitations and ethical issues. We will then introduce GitHub Copilot, covering its basic functionality and interface. We will also discuss it in relation to ethics, plagiarism and privacy.
The course will then proceed to cover how to use Copilot to examine, modify and write code. This includes practical tips on how to best integrate the Copilot into programming practice, including suggestions of how to ask the most useful questions and how to use Copilot’s code suggestions in your development process.
The course format will be a mixture of lecture-like materials, demonstrations, and hands-on exercises working with Copilot. The examples in the course are primarily written in Python, but knowledge of Python is not essential for the course.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, you will be better able to:
- Describe the basics of how generative AI works.
- Discuss common ethical considerations around the use of generative AI in the context of programming.
- Evaluate when it is appropriate to use AI assistance when programming.
- Use a common generative AI tool to assist programming, including critically evaluating its output.
- Design prompts most likely to produce useful outputs.
Dates & Booking Information
- Wednesday 15 January 2025, 10:00-12:00, Microsoft Teams
- Tuesday 06 May 2025, 10:00-12:00, South Kensington (In-Person Teaching)
To book your place, please follow the booking process advertised on the main programme page