Artificial Intelligence in Occupational Safety & Health

Course Structure:
This course is broken into two parts. In Part 1, students will experience various lectures on what AI is and how it can be applied to OSH systems. In Part 2, students will participate in a project in which they will apply the knowledge learned in Part 1 and team up with AI experts to design an AI system for an application within their own organization or other organizations.

Students will need to dedicate up to 40 hours over the duration of this course. Part 1 will require 16 hours and Part 2 will require 24 hours. In addition, the students will spend up to 16 hours with the AI experts outside the class time on their projects. The meeting hours with AI experts will be scheduled in the first class’s session based on the students and AI experts’ availability.

Part 1 – Instruction: All activities and assignments designed for the lectures will be completed during the class time.

Part 2 – Class Project: The class project will take up most of the course, consisting of in-class and out of class time. Please read the Course Project Specifications, which outlines what will be needed of your project, to plan accordingly. All students are required to have a project to use during the course.

Learning Objectives:

Through this course, students can expect to:

1. Learn what AI is, how it functions, and how it can be used to prevent or reduce the risk of common OSH hazards.
2. Engage in open discussions with the instructor and fellow classmates that are prompted by the lectures.
3. Learn how to design an AI-OSH application to solve an OSH problem in their workplace by collaborating with AI experts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Q: Am I eligible to take this course?
A: In order to participate in this course, you must be at least 18 years or older and have adequate knowledge of the occupational health and safety field.

Q: What can I expect to receive by completing the course?
A: Along with the knowledge students are expected to learn by partaking in this course, each student will also receive a certificate of CEUs after completing the course.

Q: How long is this course expected to be? How many hours do I need to dedicate for this course?
A: This course will require students to dedicate 40 hours of their time. Students should expect to spend 16 hours for instruction and 24 hours for the class project.

Q: Do I work with other people?
A: Yes, in class each student will be required to participate in discussions involving the other students and the instructor. This course also has a project in which each student will need to work in groups.

Q: I have no idea what artificial intelligence is, will I fail the course?
A: No, you will not fail! This course was created with the intention that students will succeed in the course even if they have no prior knowledge of artificial intelligence and computer programming.

Q: What level of computer science do I need to know?
A: None! This course was created assuming that the students taking the course will have zero knowledge of computer science.

Q: What material will I need for this course?
A: You will need a laptop/tablet, camera, microphone, and internet access in order to attend class sessions and participate in the course project.

Q: What kind of course platform will be used?
A: We will use the UIC Blackboard system to communicate with students. This course site will house all the class materials. All participants will receive a UIC NetID to access the course site. Lectures will be delivered via Zoom links shared.

Q: What are the expectations of me as a student?
A: As a student, you are expected to fully participate in all course aspects. This includes attending each class, full attention in class, participation in class discussions, completion of all assignments, and active participation in class project. While attending class, students should not engage in any work or activities that are not related to the course. All students are expected to inform their organizations about their unavailability during class hours. If students do not participate or are distracted during the class, this will be an issue that can result in failure of course completion.

Q: What kind of assignments and exams will I have in this course?
A: You would be required to complete in-class quizzes for each lecture via Blackboard (a course management system that you will be given access to). These quizzes will be graded upon completion only. Students will also complete a project in which they will develop presentations for the class. Additionally, you will be required to do class surveys throughout the course.

Q: Will attendance be required?
A: Yes, attendance is required for this course. It will be extremely beneficial for you as a student to be actively involved in course instruction. However, we understand there may be dire circumstances in which you cannot attend the class. If this happens, please communicate with the instructor for next steps.