Feel free to reach out as I am here to help you learn and do the best you can, and to provide guidance and support that you may need even for matters outside of this course. Know that our meetings are always confidential. Instead of a conventional office-hour format, you can make an appointment with me via email. Many of your questions can often be answered by your TAs, so reach out to them first.

But, yes, you may use AI to help (key word here) you improve your writing, vocabulary, or grammar, but you must disclose your AI use when submitting your assignments—use the notes/comments function on the submission page. I am most interested, though, in seeing/reading what YOU have to say, and the assignments in this class are designed to facilitate the communication of your individual intellect and critical thinking. Seize the opportunity to grow.

There is a reasonable amount of homework, but the assignments are here to help you develop a habit of looking, thinking, writing, and creating that should all be essential parts of your life, and in your academic and professional pursuits. In this course, you will also have the unique opportunity to evaluate your peers’ work.

Please note that you will be called out, in front of the entire class, if you use those devices, and your attendance point will be invalidated. Let's try to minimize conflicts and connect with each other, in body and mind, to learn together.

Attendance is mandatory because this nudges you to practice showing up to "work," even when you do not feel like to. Data consistently shows that students who are physically present earn higher grades with less stress. Think of this hour as a gift to your "future self" so you don’t have to play catch-up later.

one of many.

Annotation: 5 pts./each x 4 = 20 pts. Now It’s My Turn (NIMT): 5 pts./each x 4 = 20 pts. Quizam*: 10 pts./each x 3 : 30 pts. [*A hybrid quiz+exam = Quizam] SUPs (Show Up Points): 20 pts. Attendance is mandatory and part of your grade. Out of the 16 weeks of classes, only 20 random lectures will be designated as point-earning attendance. Must submit 2 time-stamped selfies per lecture to receive the point; no 1/2 point. See more notes below. BETs (Be Engaged Tokens): 10 pts. - Discussion section attendance is mandatory and part of your grade (a lower-division course needs 4 contact hours; the discussion section counts as 1 of the 4 required hours). You earn "tokens" (points) by attending and participating, as well as submitting in-class work and peer reviews. Total Points: 100 (A+~A- = >90 pts. / B+~B- = 89~80 pts. and so on. F = >60. No final grade curving.)

this course’s topics

What is the long history of the notion of “seeing is believing” and how has it been challenged by the emergence of new technologies, such as visual manipulation software and “deepfake” videos?