Afsaneh Razi - Teaching

Courses

Instructor, College of Computing and Informatics, Drexel University

INFO 693 Human–Artificial Intelligence Interaction, Fall 2023, Fall 2024
- As AI becomes more broadly embedded in technologies used by people, it is increasingly important to consider human-AI interaction design as part of the AI system development process. This class introduces the unique design challenges presented by AI. It explores questions of usability and user experience specific to AI systems, and it reflects more broadly on the relationship between humanity and emerging technologies. Students will practice skills in design, research, and writing relevant to the human side of AI. Topics include interactive system design, speculative design, algorithmic fairness, explainable AI, human augmentation/amplification, data ownership, and AI ethics.
INFO 608 Human-Computer Interaction, Winter-Spring 2023, Winter 2024
- Focuses on the physiological, psychological, and engineering basis of design and evaluation of human-computer interfaces covering such topics as; theoretical foundation of HCI; cognitive modeling of user interactions; task analysis techniques for gathering design information; iterative design cycles; formative and summative usability testing; and project planning and report writing.

GTA, Department of Computer Science, University of Central Florida

COP3330: Object-Oriented Programming, Fall 2018
COP3402: Systems Software, Summer 2018, Spring 2018, Fall 2017, Summer 2017
COT3100: Introduction to Discrete Structure, Spring 2017, Fall 2016, Spring 2016

Teaching Philosophy

Providing Constructive Feedback. I believe encouraging students and helping them understand their strengths is important. At the same time, it is important to provide them feedback to improve their work. I teach my students that communication is an important factor and provide them with ways to reach out to me. For instance, I set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals with each of my mentees each week to make sure they know what their goals are and that they are attainable. As a result, my mentees value our relationship because even though I give them hard feedback, they know that I am there to support them:

“We built a trusting relationship where communication was key and straightforward. We worked together on most tasks, and she helped me whenever I needed assistance. She is very reliable and accessible and I am very grateful to have worked with her.”

Active and Engaged Learning Experience. The purpose of education is not only knowledge learning and content mastery, but also developing students’ individual fulfillment, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. I believe learning occurs by interacting with new materials with more engagement. Having passive classes where professors only write on a board explaining the subject in a purely scientific way does not work for all students. Since my future students will most likely be Gen-Z students, who are more connected and social compared to previous generations, then it will be important to adapt methods that work for them. Similar to how I mentor my undergrads in research, I would engage students in my class by asking them questions and facilitating group discussions. I desire for students to be more open-minded, to be willing to collaborate with one another on projects, and to demonstrate an appreciation for the subject they are learning. To make sure that students are receiving the concepts, acquiring their attention is important. My goal is to make my students not only interested in the subjects, but also make them more interested in lifetime learning. I would like to make the learning experiences for students internalized so they can guide the learner’s attitudes, opinions, and behavior in the future.