Deep Learning in the IT Curriculum
Amy K. Hoover, Adam Spryszynski, Michael H Halper · 2019
Deep learning is a form of neural-network based machine learning that is becoming prevalent in many IT endeavors. It is therefore important to expose IT undergraduate students to it somewhere in the curriculum. However, deep learning has mathematical foundations that may be beyond the reach of the average undergraduate student. A course focusing on creative AI has been developed to introduce deep learning from the practitioner perspective. Specifically, the application of deep learning in human creative activities, such as in art, music, and multimedia, forms the basis of our educational approach. The major topics of this course are presented, along with the software tools being utilized. Sample laboratory assignments and projects are introduced, and the results of measuring various student outcomes across two semesters are presented. Overall, the use of deep learning in applications mimicking human creativity can serve the purposes of getting students excited about machine learning and also help enhance their core knowledge of programming and the utilization of standard library tools.