Teaching
Courses, teaching philosophy, and classroom experience.
Teaching
COSC 55: ‘Security & Privacy’
Spring 2025Lead Graduate Teaching Assistant — Dartmouth College
Instructor: Prof. Sami Saydjari
- Designed AI-integrated teaching model with oral evaluations for 28 students
- Full ownership of lab design, grading, and weekly 1-on-1 check-ins
- Created project-based curriculum embracing AI tools while demanding understanding
Teaching Philosophy
I believe AI is reshaping how students learn — and our teaching must evolve with it. Instead of pretending students aren't using tools like ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot, I redesigned part of the course to embrace AI coding assistants while holding students to a higher standard of understanding.
Students had full freedom in system design. AI tools were allowed — but used mindfully. Every week, I met each student or team for oral check-ins to probe real understanding. Each project ended with a final oral evaluation. If you used AI, great — but you had to explain, justify, and defend your choices.
“This is the best way to force real understanding. I wish more courses at Dartmouth did this.”
— Student feedback, final oral evaluation
