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Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title Artificial Intelligence, Information & Information Seeking
Module Code CSC1138 (ITS: CA652)
Faculty Engineering & Computing School Computing
NFQ level 9 Credit Rating 7.5
Description

This module is divided into 5 themes, namely Human Cognition and Information Seeking, Sensing People and Sensing Context, Search Mechanics, AI/Machine Learning, and Semantic Web/Linked Data. The aim of the module is to familiariase students with a range of information seeking activities we pursue as part of day-to-day life and how Ai techniques are used in these information seeking activities.

Learning Outcomes

1. Analyse methods by which how human cognition, memory, and work/leisure tasks use computational support
2. Compare a variety of technologies for sensing human activities, including biometrics, and how AI techniques turn this into useful information
3. Analyse and compare how search mechanisms, including web search, question answering, information retrieval, and recommender systems operate including how machine learning is used.
4. Explain how multimedia information, covering image and video, can be automatically deconstructed, analysed and interpreted using AI techniques
5. Describe how linked data and semantic web technologies operate and are used and be able to apply this in implementations.


WorkloadFull time hours per semester
TypeHoursDescription
Lecture36Attend lectures and participate in Q&A sessions weekly
Online activity24Engaging with LOOP resources including videos and articles presented as "additional resources"
Independent Study128Independent study on topics covered in class suggested readings, additional resources and assignments
Total Workload: 188
Section Breakdown
CRN20412Part of TermSemester 2
Coursework50%Examination Weight50%
Grade Scale40PASSPass Both ElementsN
Resit CategoryRC1Best MarkN
Module Co-ordinatorAlessandra MileoModule TeacherAlan Smeaton, Liting Zhou
Assessment Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
Loop QuizIn Class Loop Quiz50%Week 8
Formal ExaminationFinal End of Semester Exam50%End-of-Semester
Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories;
RC1: A resit is available for both* components of the module.
RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module.
RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element.

* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite None
Co-requisite None
Compatibles None
Incompatibles None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

n/a

Class content
The module is delivered face to face and slides are made available to students across the 5 groups of content: 1. human cognition, how the human memory works, how we remember and forget, and how a variety of work/leisure tasks that we perform daily benefit from the use of computational support 2. sensing humans and context, covering a variety of technologies for sensing human activities, behaviour, location, including biometrics (HR, RR, GSR, EEG), and how AI techniques and in particular how machine learning turns this into useful information 3. Search mechanisms, including basic information retrieval, word stemming, inverted files, and them moving on to web search, PageRank, PANDA, positive and negative weighting factors. The theme also covers question answering, and how recommender systems operate including how machine learning is used to learn profiles and learning-to-rank 4. how multimedia information, covering image and video, can be analysed and understood using AI techniques. This includes convolutional neural networks, ImageNet, TRECvid and how this is now used in systems like FaceBook 5. linked data and semantic web technologies, how they operate and how they are used.

Additional resources
Additional resources are provided in form of links and articles that contribute to a deeper understanding of the topics presented in class

Suggested readings
References to resources for a more critical analysis of the presented material are also provided weekly. Despite their understanding is not directly assessed and their review is not mandatory, they are valuable resouces for students who want to delve deeper on specific topics

Indicative Reading List

Books:
None

Articles:
None
Other Resources

None

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