LLMs
Hi everyone!
Over the semester, I’ve seen a surprising increase in the amount of ChatGPT-based code that’s been turned in. Please check out this little post about ChatGPT, writing, and coding. Using large language models (LLMs) for coding can be helpful if you know what you’re doing, but it’s incredibly detrimental when first learning to code.
Even more surprising, I’ve seen an increase in the amount of ChatGPT-based weekly check-ins. LLMs can’t find three things that you personally found interesting from the readings!
Using these AI tools to get through the exercises is like using a forklift at the gym. The weights do not actually need to be moved from place to place. That is not the work. The work is what happens within you.1
The goal of these exercises (especially now that there are no answer keys) is to give you space to practice and play around with R and ggplot and principles of data visualization so that you can learn more. This is why I have a super liberal ✓-based grading system. I’m not looking for perfection or for every little requirement to be checked off—I’m looking for curiosity and good faith effort. Please don’t outsource the playing and practicing to AI!
As always, remember to reach out when you’re stuck! Do not suffer in silence. You can always sign up for a time to meet with me at my Calendly page! I’m also highly responsive on Slack!
Footnotes
via Sam Halpert↩︎