From 52cd1cc8ba1d72f9b2bb7da3ade35cd5aca2d793 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Poonam Rajput Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2026 08:59:58 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 1/8] Update ITD to reflect new Slack structure and ITD dates --- .../accessing-the-dashboard/index.md | 4 ++-- .../module/itd/how-itd-works/reviewing/index.md | 2 +- .../itd/how-itd-works/useful-links/index.md | 10 ++++------ .../how-itd-works/using-the-dashboard/index.md | 2 +- .../itd/how-itd-works/what-is-itd/index.md | 16 ++++++++-------- 5 files changed, 16 insertions(+), 18 deletions(-) diff --git a/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/accessing-the-dashboard/index.md b/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/accessing-the-dashboard/index.md index 55323f96c..45e121c30 100644 --- a/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/accessing-the-dashboard/index.md +++ b/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/accessing-the-dashboard/index.md @@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ time=15 ## How to access the Dashboard -These instructions come from **Step 4** in the `#cyf-intro-to-digital-course` canvas ([https://codeyourfuture.slack.com/canvas/C01332PNRTN](https://codeyourfuture.slack.com/canvas/C01332PNRTN) so please refer to that first as it contains links to the instructions your should follow to access the dashboard. The information below is just designed to summarise those instructions.. +These instructions come from **Step 3** in the [`#cyf-intro-to-digital-course-volunteers` canvas](https://cyf-introtodigital.slack.com/docs/TNZ5MU8DD/F0AMT9D0406) so please refer to that first as it contains links to the instructions your should follow to access the dashboard. The information below is just designed to summarise those instructions. 1. Volunteers need to access the Dashboard [https://dashboard.codeyourfuture.io/](https://dashboard.codeyourfuture.io/) 1. Sign in using GitHub. @@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ These instructions come from **Step 4** in the `#cyf-intro-to-digital-course` ca ```console Important: If you already completed this form in some point please click here. ``` - This takes you to a page where you enter your email address and you will then get sent an email to confirm your login and thereafter you will be able to access the dashboard directly. If you have problems, post a question into the slack channel `#cyf-intro-to-digital-course`
+ This takes you to a page where you enter your email address and you will then get sent an email to confirm your login and thereafter you will be able to access the dashboard directly. If you have problems, post a question into the slack channel `#cyf-intro-to-digital-course-volunteers`
1. Once you are in, the home screen of the dashboard looks like this:
![the dashboard home screen](dashboardHome.png)
The menu at the top has links to the home page and the ITD programme. There will be other programs linked here as and when they start and have applicants on them. diff --git a/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/reviewing/index.md b/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/reviewing/index.md index 13d23de4c..f5d6b8903 100644 --- a/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/reviewing/index.md +++ b/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/reviewing/index.md @@ -10,4 +10,4 @@ time=10 Reviewing work submitted by the applicants is a core task for volunteers. You should prioritise reviewing submitted work when you have free time available. We will also have online sessions on Saturdays for ITD so please check in slack to find the details of those. The links should be posted into the channel and on the global channel. -The Slack channel `#cyf-intro-to-digital-course` is for volunteers to discuss and ask questions, for example if you have questions about reviewing applicants work. This channel has a canvas containing important information [https://codeyourfuture.slack.com/canvas/C01332PNRTN](https://codeyourfuture.slack.com/canvas/C01332PNRTN). You **should read the canvas first**. This document contains additional information to help you find your way around as a volunteer. +The Slack Workspace `CodeYourFuture Intro to Digital/Basic Online Skills` has a channel called `cyf-intro-to-digital-course-volunteers` which is for volunteers to discuss and ask questions, for example if you have questions about reviewing applicants work. This workspace has a [canvas containing important information](https://cyf-introtodigital.slack.com/docs/TNZ5MU8DD/F0AMT9D0406). You **should read the canvas first**. This document contains additional information to help you find your way around as a volunteer. diff --git a/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/useful-links/index.md b/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/useful-links/index.md index 642e9eab0..d17827507 100644 --- a/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/useful-links/index.md +++ b/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/useful-links/index.md @@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ Here is a quick list of useful links (some are for applicants only, but it is he **CYF Learning Platform (for applicants only):** [https://course1.codeyourfuture.io/](https://course1.codeyourfuture.io/) -**ITD Slack Channel:** -[https://codeyourfuture.slack.com/archives/C01332PNRTN](https://codeyourfuture.slack.com/archives/C01332PNRTN). Post into the slack channel if you have questions or problems. +**ITD Slack Workspace:** +[https://cyf-introtodigital.slack.com](https://cyf-introtodigital.slack.com) for all communication around the ITD. -**ITD Canvas:** -[https://codeyourfuture.slack.com/canvas/C01332PNRTN](https://codeyourfuture.slack.com/canvas/C01332PNRTN). The canvas is the official CYF information about ITD. The canvas is attached to the ITD slack channel. +**ITD Canvas for Volunteers:** +[https://cyf-introtodigital.slack.com/docs/TNZ5MU8DD/F0AMT9D0406](https://cyf-introtodigital.slack.com/docs/TNZ5MU8DD/F0AMT9D0406). The canvas is the official CYF information about ITD for volunteers. **CYF Dashboard:** [https://dashboard.codeyourfuture.io/](https://dashboard.codeyourfuture.io/). Use the dashboard to view applicant progress. @@ -33,5 +33,3 @@ Here is a quick list of useful links (some are for applicants only, but it is he - **Step 5**: [https://curriculum.codeyourfuture.io/itd/steps/five/#acceptance-criteria](https://curriculum.codeyourfuture.io/itd/steps/five/#acceptance-criteria) - **Step 6**: [https://curriculum.codeyourfuture.io/itd/steps/six/#acceptance-criteria](https://curriculum.codeyourfuture.io/itd/steps/six/#acceptance-criteria) - **Step 7**: [https://curriculum.codeyourfuture.io/itd/steps/seven/#acceptance-criteria](https://curriculum.codeyourfuture.io/itd/steps/seven/#acceptance-criteria) - -## To be continued... diff --git a/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/using-the-dashboard/index.md b/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/using-the-dashboard/index.md index 33b6cdb21..20a506754 100644 --- a/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/using-the-dashboard/index.md +++ b/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/using-the-dashboard/index.md @@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ _ You can see that `Applicant 1` has submitted work for Step 0 but it hasn't yet ### How to view submissions - Click on the **name** of one of the applicants. You will see a menu appear like this one:
- ![review options](reviewOptions.png). + ![review options](reviewOptions.png) - If you click on **Steps** you will see what the applicant has submitted for the ITD steps. The example below shows the applicant has submitted work for three steps and you are looking at their submission link for STEP 1: ![reviewing steps](reviewSteps.png) Clicking the **Submitted** link will allow you to see their submitted work. diff --git a/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/what-is-itd/index.md b/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/what-is-itd/index.md index d4d67eb8a..2aab58f8f 100644 --- a/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/what-is-itd/index.md +++ b/common-content/en/module/itd/how-itd-works/what-is-itd/index.md @@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ Volunteers review the submissions and guide learners via: 1. [drop-in sessions](./workshops) organised in-person or online by respective regional CYF teams 1. calling and SMS messaging directly from the dashboard -If you'd like to help, please [sign up as a volunteer](https://codeyourfuture.io/volunteer/). +If you'd like to help, please [sign up as a volunteer](https://codeyourfuture.io/volunteers/). --- @@ -29,19 +29,19 @@ If you'd like to help, please [sign up as a volunteer](https://codeyourfuture.io ### 📅 Open -January -March -May -July +February +April +June September November <---> ### ⛔ Closed -February -April -June +January +March +May +July August October December From 6e57f8507361f1684799b90726a21e9895ea601d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Poonam Rajput Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2026 12:01:51 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 2/8] re-write itd step three to incorporate AI guidance --- .../module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md | 75 +++++++++++++++---- 1 file changed, 59 insertions(+), 16 deletions(-) diff --git a/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md b/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md index e113042a1..ebe78599c 100644 --- a/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md +++ b/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md @@ -1,6 +1,6 @@ +++ title ="Step 3: What to do" -description= "Learn how to use AI appropriately" +description= "Learn what is acceptable AI use within the ITD." time= 90 [build] render = 'never' @@ -8,25 +8,65 @@ time= 90 publishResources = false +++ +You may have heard of, or used, generative AI tools (shortened to AI or AI tools from now on) like ChatGPT, Copilot or Gemini. These are powerful tools that we have seen both disrupt and assist the learning for trainees at {{}}. This page aims to guide you in best practices for AI use in the ITD. -### Overview +To read the full AI guidelines for training at {{}} please access the [AI Use Guidelines for Trainees](/ai-use-guidelines). -You may have heard of or used generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot or Gemmi (shortened to AI or AI tools from now on). These are powerful tools that can enable your learning journey with CodeYourFuture (CYF). +At this stage, you may be taking your first step in your tech career. AI can help you orientate yourself, explaining unfamiliar concepts and answering basic questions. It is acceptable to explore AI tools as part of understanding the digital landscape. Let's see how it could affect our learning journey. -These AI tools are not really intelligent. They are just very very good at guessing what words should come next in a sentence. They don't understand the real world at all. They're just good at pretending they do. This means they can make silly mistakes and make up things that don’t exist (hallucinations). For instance, up until fairly recently, many AI tools said there were two 'r's in the word strawberry. Most mistakes are not as funny or as obvious. For instance it is common for AI to make up names of code packages which don't exist. Malicious packages even get created with names often generated by AI to exploit this. +### AI: A predictive word-generator -This means that all output from AI is potentially untrustworthy. It's especially hard to tell if AI code output is any good as a junior developer. You just haven't built the understanding of what good code looks like yet - that comes with experience. +AI assistants, like those mentioned above, are often large language models (LLMs). LLMs are "trained", on huge amounts of data, to predict what word should come next in a sentence. Because they can read and generate text data, it feels like you're messaging a smart "entity" but it is just a tool that has an algorithm for guessing what words should follow your input ("prompt"). -Despite all these downsides and risks, AI can be an amazing tool. The great majority of our teachers are volunteers, so their availability is limited. AI means that you now have a teacher at your fingertips whenever you get stuck. However, good teachers try to help you to understand and find the answers yourself. AI tools do not do this by default - they tend to simply give you the answer. This can make you think you’re progressing and understanding when you’re not. So, you need to use it correctly. You need to be careful to ask it to help you to learn the concepts, not to solve the problems. For instance it would be inappropriate to get it to do CYF coursework for you but it would be appropriate to get it to help you to understand a concept you're struggling with. +Because AI tools "guess" the text to generate, they can make silly mistakes or make up things that don’t exist (_hallucinations_). For instance, a famous hallucination from 2024 was that many AI tools said there were two 'r's in the word strawberry. -Success at CYF is not about using AI to rush through the course and tick all the boxes. It's about building a deep understanding of the concepts we teach for yourself. Using AI to do the work for you wastes everyone’s time. You will end the course without the coding skills you wanted (which means you won't get a job) and our volunteers will have wasted their time marking AI work. +AI hallucinations can be costly to a programmer. For instance, it has been reported that AI can make up names of code packages which don't exist, and direct a programmer to use the package in their code. This comes with a security risk: malicious packages can get created with names often generated by AI to exploit their "predictions" and get coders to import viruses into their code. + +This means that all output from AI is potentially untrustworthy, we should keep a critical eye on the output of AI tools. + +### Why do we need to be careful as ITD trainees? + +At {{}}, we prioritise building understanding so trainees can be employable in the tech industry. Employability in software engineering involves knowing how to debug broken code, find information you might not already know, and breakdown problems to find a solution. {{}} mentors you encounter during the ITD and beyond will try to help you without finding the answers or writing the code for you - all so that you learn how to overcome hurdles yourself, and apply that skill in the workplace when mentors aren't around. + +**Why does it matter how we learn at {{}}? What does it have to do with AI?** + +Well, it can be easy for AI tools to do the hard work for us e.g. solving the problem, fixing errors, and writing emails for us. But by making sure we do that work ourselves, we build the skills that will help us in our careers. When AI does the work for us, we may think we're progressing when we're actually not building skills that will make us employable. + +AI can make mistakes when it's guessing what output to return to the user, but it can also be led to give incorrect information when a prompt isn't accurate. Which means we need to ask good questions (or {{}} The input we give an AI assistant. {{}}). As learners early in the {{}} journey it might be harder to ask accurate questions to AI chatbots, which means it is more likely AI will give misleading results. It's something to be aware and cautious of - we will discuss this more in later courses. + +For now, remember to question and verify what AI tools give us back. If we can't explain it, or verify the information with our own fact-finding, we shouldn't use it. + +### What's acceptable AI use in ITD + +Generally AI might be a good tool for: + +- Explaining tech concepts in plain language +- Answering "what does this mean?" questions +- Getting a starting point for research + +You need to exercise CAUTION and avoid the following situations: + +- Letting AI write your CV +- Copying AI explanations without checking your understanding +- Just accepting the AI answer without exploring further + +#### How to check if you're using AI right + +Ask yourself: **Will you need to ask AI this question again the next time you face this task?** + +If the answer is: + +- No - you've learned the skill and can demonstrate it without AI. +- Yes - you didn't understand and have to ask again, try to recap this question with less AI assistance. +- Depends - did you learn the research skill to help you find answers in the future without AI help? #### Questions ##### Question One -A CYF student is assigned coursework on a CYF course. The assignment is to build a homepage for a library which displays their twenty newest books. It requires that they use CSS Grid (a CSS feature used to display HTML elements in a grid format). They think that ChatGPT could help them complete this task. -Which of the prompts below is an appropriate use of AI? +A {{}} trainee is assigned coursework on a {{}} course. The assignment is to build a homepage for a library which displays their twenty newest books. It requires that they use CSS Grid (a CSS feature used to display HTML elements in a grid format). They think that ChatGPT could help them complete this task. + +Which of the prompts below is an appropriate use of AI by the trainee? 1. Generate a webpage to display information about books in a grid format. 2. Use CSS Grid to build a webpage to display twenty digital books @@ -34,9 +74,10 @@ Which of the prompts below is an appropriate use of AI? 4. I want to learn more about CSS Grid. Please explain the core concepts simply with examples. ##### Question Two -A CYF student asks an AI tool to help them understand a complex CSS topic. The information the AI gives doesn't sound right. -Which of the below might be appropriate responses? +A {{}} trainee asks an AI tool to help them understand a complex CSS topic. The information the AI gives doesn't sound right. + +Which of the below might be appropriate responses? 1. Googling the topic and look for reliable sources to clarify the point. 2. Trying to persuade the AI to check again. @@ -45,22 +86,24 @@ Which of the below might be appropriate responses? 5. Asking another AI tool.  ##### Question Three -A CYF student balances fulltime work and family responsibilities with studying at CYF. They are struggling to keep up with the course. In particular, they are struggling to understand some fundamental concepts. -Which of the below are NOT appropriate responses? +A {{}} trainee balances fulltime work and family responsibilities with studying at {{}}. They are struggling to keep up with the course. In particular, they are struggling to understand some fundamental concepts. + +Which of the below are NOT appropriate responses? 1. Asking volunteers for guidance at a session 2. Giving an AI tool their assigned problems and ask it to solve them for them. They then copy and paste the output, making no edits. 3. Asking an AI tool to explain the concepts they find difficult to understand. 4. Attempting to solve the problems, then giving up asking an AI tool to fix their code. Then copying and pasting the answer without understanding the changes it made. 5. Using Google to find articles on the topics they are struggling with.  -6. Copying another student’s answers. +6. Copying another trainee’s answers. 7. Sending a direct message to a active volunteer 8. Giving an AI tool their assigned problems and ask it to solve them for them. They then copy and paste the output, making small edits. ### What Should You Do? #### 1. Create a Google Doc + 1. Create a Google Doc 2. Place your answers for each of the questions above into the doc 3. Add one to three sentences explaining why you chose the answers you did @@ -68,7 +111,7 @@ Which of the below are NOT appropriate responses? > [!NOTE] > If you are new to Google Docs, you may find this [guide on what Google Docs is and how to use it](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/7068618?hl=en-GB&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop) useful. -#### 2. Put your name in the document name +#### 2. Put your name in the document name Include your given name or your family name in the title of the Google Doc. @@ -86,4 +129,4 @@ Change the sharing settings of your Google Doc to "Anyone with the link can view #### 4. Submit the Google Doc link -Submit the link to the Google Doc in Step 3 on the [CYF Course Platform](https://application-process.codeyourfuture.io/). \ No newline at end of file +Submit the link to the Google Doc in Step 3 on the [CYF Course Platform](https://application-process.codeyourfuture.io/). From faca4bb0fde57e0034ec273567d9aefd9bf98857 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Poonam Rajput Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2026 12:23:40 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 3/8] continued grammar and wording edits --- .../module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md | 41 +++++++++---------- 1 file changed, 19 insertions(+), 22 deletions(-) diff --git a/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md b/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md index ebe78599c..d175ea609 100644 --- a/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md +++ b/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md @@ -8,17 +8,15 @@ time= 90 publishResources = false +++ -You may have heard of, or used, generative AI tools (shortened to AI or AI tools from now on) like ChatGPT, Copilot or Gemini. These are powerful tools that we have seen both disrupt and assist the learning for trainees at {{}}. This page aims to guide you in best practices for AI use in the ITD. +You may have heard of, or used, generative AI tools (shortened to AI or AI tools from now on) like ChatGPT, Copilot or Gemini. These are powerful tools that we have seen both disrupt and assist the learning of trainees at {{}}. This page aims to guide you in best practices for AI use in the ITD. -To read the full AI guidelines for training at {{}} please access the [AI Use Guidelines for Trainees](/ai-use-guidelines). - -At this stage, you may be taking your first step in your tech career. AI can help you orientate yourself, explaining unfamiliar concepts and answering basic questions. It is acceptable to explore AI tools as part of understanding the digital landscape. Let's see how it could affect our learning journey. +To read the full AI guidelines for training at {{}}, please access the [AI Use Guidelines for Trainees](/ai-use-guidelines). ### AI: A predictive word-generator -AI assistants, like those mentioned above, are often large language models (LLMs). LLMs are "trained", on huge amounts of data, to predict what word should come next in a sentence. Because they can read and generate text data, it feels like you're messaging a smart "entity" but it is just a tool that has an algorithm for guessing what words should follow your input ("prompt"). +AI assistants, like those mentioned above, are often large language models (LLMs). LLMs are "trained" on huge amounts of data to predict what word should come next in a sentence. Because they can read and generate text data, it feels like you're messaging a smart "person", but it is just software that has an algorithm for guessing what words should follow your input ({{}} The input we give an AI assistant. {{}}). -Because AI tools "guess" the text to generate, they can make silly mistakes or make up things that don’t exist (_hallucinations_). For instance, a famous hallucination from 2024 was that many AI tools said there were two 'r's in the word strawberry. +Because AI tools "guess" the text to generate, they can make mistakes or make up things that don’t exist (hallucinations). For instance, a famous hallucination from 2024 was that many AI tools said there were two 'r's in the word strawberry. AI hallucinations can be costly to a programmer. For instance, it has been reported that AI can make up names of code packages which don't exist, and direct a programmer to use the package in their code. This comes with a security risk: malicious packages can get created with names often generated by AI to exploit their "predictions" and get coders to import viruses into their code. @@ -26,19 +24,19 @@ This means that all output from AI is potentially untrustworthy, we should keep ### Why do we need to be careful as ITD trainees? -At {{}}, we prioritise building understanding so trainees can be employable in the tech industry. Employability in software engineering involves knowing how to debug broken code, find information you might not already know, and breakdown problems to find a solution. {{}} mentors you encounter during the ITD and beyond will try to help you without finding the answers or writing the code for you - all so that you learn how to overcome hurdles yourself, and apply that skill in the workplace when mentors aren't around. +At {{}}, we prioritise building understanding so trainees can be employable in the tech industry. Employability in software engineering involves knowing how to debug broken code, find information you might not already know, and break down problems to find a solution. {{}} mentors during the ITD and beyond will try to help you without giving away the answers or writing the code for you so you learn how to overcome hurdles yourself and apply that skill in the workplace when mentors aren't around. **Why does it matter how we learn at {{}}? What does it have to do with AI?** -Well, it can be easy for AI tools to do the hard work for us e.g. solving the problem, fixing errors, and writing emails for us. But by making sure we do that work ourselves, we build the skills that will help us in our careers. When AI does the work for us, we may think we're progressing when we're actually not building skills that will make us employable. +Well, it can be easy for AI tools to do the hard work for us, e.g. solving the problem, fixing errors, and writing emails for us. But by making sure we do that work ourselves, we build the skills that will help us in our careers. When AI does the work for us, we may think we're progressing when we're actually not building skills that will make us employable. -AI can make mistakes when it's guessing what output to return to the user, but it can also be led to give incorrect information when a prompt isn't accurate. Which means we need to ask good questions (or {{}} The input we give an AI assistant. {{}}). As learners early in the {{}} journey it might be harder to ask accurate questions to AI chatbots, which means it is more likely AI will give misleading results. It's something to be aware and cautious of - we will discuss this more in later courses. +AI can make mistakes when it's guessing what output to return to the user, but it can also be led to give incorrect information when a prompt isn't accurate. Which means we need to ask good questions (or prompts). As ITD learners, we are early in the {{}} journey, so we are still building our foundational knowledge, which means it is more likely we will ask AI inaccurate questions and AI will give misleading results. It's something to be aware of and cautious about - the accuracy of the questions we ask is important. For now, remember to question and verify what AI tools give us back. If we can't explain it, or verify the information with our own fact-finding, we shouldn't use it. ### What's acceptable AI use in ITD -Generally AI might be a good tool for: +Generally, AI might be a good tool for: - Explaining tech concepts in plain language - Answering "what does this mean?" questions @@ -64,22 +62,22 @@ If the answer is: ##### Question One -A {{}} trainee is assigned coursework on a {{}} course. The assignment is to build a homepage for a library which displays their twenty newest books. It requires that they use CSS Grid (a CSS feature used to display HTML elements in a grid format). They think that ChatGPT could help them complete this task. +A {{}} trainee is assigned coursework on a {{}} course. The assignment is to build a homepage for a library that displays its twenty newest books. It requires that they use CSS Grid (a CSS feature used to display HTML elements in a grid format). They think that ChatGPT could help them complete this task. Which of the prompts below is an appropriate use of AI by the trainee? 1. Generate a webpage to display information about books in a grid format. -2. Use CSS Grid to build a webpage to display twenty digital books -3. Build a homepage for a library website  +2. Use CSS Grid to build a webpage to display twenty digital books. +3. Build a homepage for a library website. 4. I want to learn more about CSS Grid. Please explain the core concepts simply with examples. ##### Question Two A {{}} trainee asks an AI tool to help them understand a complex CSS topic. The information the AI gives doesn't sound right. -Which of the below might be appropriate responses? +Which of the below might be appropriate reactions from the trainee? -1. Googling the topic and look for reliable sources to clarify the point. +1. Googling the topic and looking for reliable sources to clarify the point. 2. Trying to persuade the AI to check again. 3. Accepting this as the truth because the AI seemed to know what it was talking about. 4. Asking a volunteer whether the AI is right. @@ -87,18 +85,17 @@ Which of the below might be appropriate responses? ##### Question Three -A {{}} trainee balances fulltime work and family responsibilities with studying at {{}}. They are struggling to keep up with the course. In particular, they are struggling to understand some fundamental concepts. +A {{}} trainee balances full-time work and family responsibilities with studying at {{}}. They are struggling to keep up with the course. In particular, they are struggling to understand some fundamental concepts. -Which of the below are NOT appropriate responses? +Which of the below are NOT appropriate actions by the trainee? -1. Asking volunteers for guidance at a session -2. Giving an AI tool their assigned problems and ask it to solve them for them. They then copy and paste the output, making no edits. +1. Asking volunteers for guidance at a session. +2. Giving an AI tool their assigned problems and asking it to solve them for them. They then copy and paste the output, making no edits. 3. Asking an AI tool to explain the concepts they find difficult to understand. -4. Attempting to solve the problems, then giving up asking an AI tool to fix their code. Then copying and pasting the answer without understanding the changes it made. +4. Attempting to solve the problems, then giving up and asking an AI tool to fix their code. Then copying and pasting the answer without understanding the changes it made. 5. Using Google to find articles on the topics they are struggling with.  6. Copying another trainee’s answers. -7. Sending a direct message to a active volunteer -8. Giving an AI tool their assigned problems and ask it to solve them for them. They then copy and paste the output, making small edits. +7. Sending a direct message to an active volunteer. ### What Should You Do? From fbc53ad3e1485bc4e64063e1cc442294c406501f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Poonam Rajput Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2026 15:49:29 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 4/8] Update Step 6 to enforce AI less rigidly --- .../en/module/itd/step-6/extend/index.md | 2 +- .../module/itd/step-6/instructions/index.md | 55 +++++++++++-------- 2 files changed, 32 insertions(+), 25 deletions(-) diff --git a/common-content/en/module/itd/step-6/extend/index.md b/common-content/en/module/itd/step-6/extend/index.md index efa402c21..02ea78a11 100644 --- a/common-content/en/module/itd/step-6/extend/index.md +++ b/common-content/en/module/itd/step-6/extend/index.md @@ -12,4 +12,4 @@ time= 60 This step is just for you. You don't need to submit it. -Now that your webpage is live, you can make it even better by adding images and organizing your files like a developer. Try uploading your own images to your repository and updating your HTML so they appear on your site. You can also create folders (for example, `/images` or `/css`) to keep your project tidy. This is how professional developers structure their projects, and it will make your code easier to manage as your website grows. \ No newline at end of file +Now that your webpage is live, you can make it even better by adding images and organising your files like a developer. Try uploading your own images to your repository and updating your HTML so they appear on your site. You can also create folders (for example, `/images` or `/css`) to keep your project tidy. This is how professional developers structure their projects, and it will make your code easier to manage as your website grows. diff --git a/common-content/en/module/itd/step-6/instructions/index.md b/common-content/en/module/itd/step-6/instructions/index.md index 3c112094f..a57f08053 100644 --- a/common-content/en/module/itd/step-6/instructions/index.md +++ b/common-content/en/module/itd/step-6/instructions/index.md @@ -11,36 +11,43 @@ time= 300 ### Overview In this exercise, you will: + - Upload and manage your project files on GitHub - Publish your webpage (from Step 5) using GitHub Pages - + ### What Should You Do? #### 1. Sign up a GitHub account Create a free account on [GitHub](https://github.com/). -{{}} -- Need to choose a **professional GitHub username**? Ask an AI assistant for tips on picking one that's clear, simple, and career-friendly. -- Curious **why a professional username matters**? Let AI explain how it can impact your credibility, discoverability, and personal brand. +{{}} + +- Need to choose a **professional GitHub username**? Ask an AI assistant for tips on picking one that's clear, simple, and career-friendly. (_Does it give a different response if you ask "how to pick a username" vs "how to pick a clear, simple and career-friendly GitHub username" - what is that difference?_) +- Curious **why a professional username matters**? Use a search engine to find out how it can impact your credibility, discoverability, and personal brand. **Tip:** Avoid including your birth year in your username - this information could be misused for discrimination. {{}} > [!IMPORTANT] > -> People sometimes use different names in different contexts (nicknames, shortened versions, or using first and middle names differently). +> People sometimes use different names in different contexts (nicknames, shortened versions, or using first and middle names differently). > -> For professional purposes, **choose one consistent name** for your accounts and CV. It doesn't have to match your legal name, but consistency helps employers recognize you. +> For professional purposes, **choose one consistent name** for your accounts and CV. It doesn't have to match your legal name, but consistency helps employers recognize you. > > Decide on the professional name you will use now and stick with it across all professional contexts. #### 2. Use AI to learn about GitHub -Before you start uploading files, use AI to explore some key concepts and terminology. -Understanding these will make GitHub easier to use. +Before you start uploading files, use AI to explore some key concepts and terminology. Understanding these will make GitHub easier to use. + +> [!CAUTION] +> +> Remember what we mentioned in [Step Three](https://curriculum.codeyourfuture.io/itd/steps/three/)! +> AI output is always worth **verifying** with our own Google searches. See if you can validate the AI's output via internet articles and blogs. Here are some questions you can ask AI: + - What is **GitHub**, and why is it useful for projects like a website? - What is a **repository** (or **repo**), and how is it similar to a project folder on my computer? - What is a **commit** and a **commit message**? @@ -59,13 +66,13 @@ Follow this guide to create your first repository: Follow this guide to make your first edit in GitHub: 👉 [Quickstart for repositories - Commit your first change](https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/creating-and-managing-repositories/quickstart-for-repositories#commit-your-first-change) -{{}} -While editing the `README.md`, ask AI these questions to understand it better: +{{}} +While editing the `README.md`, using a search engine or AI, ask these questions to understand the file better: - What is the purpose of the `README.md` file in a repository? - What information is usually included in `README.md`? - What is **Markdown**, and how is it different from **plain text**? -{{}} + {{}} ##### C. Managing files @@ -73,28 +80,27 @@ Read: [Managing Files -- GitHub Docs](https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/wo This explains how to **add**, **edit**, **rename**, and **delete** files. 👉 Important: - - Follow only the instructions for using the GitHub website. - - Skip anything that involves the command line or the `git` command. + +- Follow only the instructions for using the GitHub website. +- Skip anything that involves the command line or the `git` command. #### 4. Create a repository for your website 1. **Create a repository** and include your name in the repository name. - - The repository name will appear in the link to your webpage. - - This helps identify your work. You can use your first name, last name, or a combination. + - The repository name will appear in the link to your webpage. + - This helps identify your work. You can use your first name, last name, or a combination. 2. **Download your webpage files from CodePen** - - Go to the CodePen page you prepared in Step 5 and **export** your webpage as a ZIP file. - - The **Export** button is located in the lower-right corner of the CodePen page. (See [Exporting Pens](https://blog.codepen.io/documentation/exporting-pens/) for more information.) - + - Go to the CodePen page you prepared in Step 5 and **export** your webpage as a ZIP file. + - The **Export** button is located in the lower-right corner of the CodePen page. (See [Exporting Pens](https://blog.codepen.io/documentation/exporting-pens/) for more information.) + 3. **Unzip the downloaded file** into a local folder on your computer. - 4. **Upload your webpage files to GitHub** - **Important**: Only upload the files in the `dist/` subfolder to your repository. - Optionally, you can add your own images to your repository and edit your code on GitHub to use them. 5. **Add a brief description** of your project in the `README.md` file. - #### 5. Deploy your webpage on GitHub Pages ![Configuring Github Page settings](github-pages-settings.png) @@ -109,12 +115,13 @@ This explains how to **add**, **edit**, **rename**, and **delete** files. For detailed instructions, see: [Configuring a publishing source for your GitHub Pages site](https://docs.github.com/en/pages/getting-started-with-github-pages/configuring-a-publishing-source-for-your-github-pages-site) -#### 6. Submit your webpage link +#### 6. Submit your webpage link Submit the link to your deployed webpage in Step 6 on the [CYF Course Platform](https://application-process.codeyourfuture.io/). -{{}} -If you're not sure where to find your links, try asking AI: +{{}} +If you're not sure where to find your links, try finding out with a search engine or AI: + - How do I find out the link to my repository? - How do I find out the link to my webpage deployed on GitHub Pages? -{{}} + {{}} From 6e5bf5757a60a994ec72283839d42d07cc5498e4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Poonam Rajput Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2026 15:59:36 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 5/8] step seven aligning closer to ai guidance --- .../module/itd/step-7/instructions/index.md | 35 +++++++++++++------ 1 file changed, 25 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-) diff --git a/common-content/en/module/itd/step-7/instructions/index.md b/common-content/en/module/itd/step-7/instructions/index.md index 55dc5b4ae..bd181a555 100644 --- a/common-content/en/module/itd/step-7/instructions/index.md +++ b/common-content/en/module/itd/step-7/instructions/index.md @@ -9,9 +9,11 @@ time= 90 +++ ### Overview -As covered in step 3, generative AI tools such as ChatGPT can be a great help in your studies with CodeYourFuture. However, the way you use them is very important. These tools can just as easily be a great obstacle to your learning if you let them do your thinking for you. + +As covered in [step three](https://curriculum.codeyourfuture.io/itd/steps/three/), generative AI tools such as ChatGPT can be a great help in your studies with CodeYourFuture. However, the way you use them is very important. These tools can just as easily be a great obstacle to your learning if you let them do your thinking for you. This step is an opportunity to practice this with a practical task which is outside your current knowledge of CSS and HTML. We have provided a **[CodePen](https://codepen.io/Ara225/pen/JoYbRVd)** which contains some HTML code. Your task is to use CSS to style the HTML so that: + - The element with the class of "parent" has a dotted border. - The element with the class of "parent" is centred on the page even if the screen size changes. - The div elements with the class "child" have background colors, borders, rounded corners and margins between them. @@ -25,8 +27,11 @@ You may use any colours you like - they aren't the important bit in this task. Here are some visual examples: #### On a large screen + ![alt text](animals-larger-screen.png) + #### On a much smaller screen + ![alt text](animals-smaller-screen.png) Assuming you were new to HTML and CSS when you started this course, this task is outside your current knowledge. This makes it an excellent candidate for AI assistance, as you can use AI to help you understand the new concepts. @@ -36,31 +41,38 @@ Assuming you were new to HTML and CSS when you started this course, this task is **You are not allowed to have AI write code for you. You must write your own code.** #### 1. Fork the CodePen -Fork the **[exercise CodePen](https://codepen.io/Ara225/pen/JoYbRVd)** into the CodePen account you created in step 5. -#### 2. Make a Plan +Fork the **[exercise CodePen](https://codepen.io/Ara225/pen/JoYbRVd)** into the CodePen account you created in step 5. + +#### 2. Make a Plan + Start by thinking about what you need to know to solve this problem. What might be a good first question to ask the AI? How can you avoid having the AI do your thinking for you? #### 3. Interact with the AI -Use an AI tool to help you solve the problem. This can mean asking it to explain concepts, provide examples, explain code, etc. It must not mean copying code from the AI or blindly following its advice without understanding why. You may wish to look at step 3 again and/or search resources for using AI appropriately. If you're stuck, Google or ask in the #step-7-questions-support channel on Slack. + +Use an AI tool to help you solve the problem. This can mean asking it to explain concepts, provide examples, explain code, etc. It must not mean copying code from the AI or blindly following its advice without understanding why. You may wish to look at [step three](https://curriculum.codeyourfuture.io/itd/steps/three/) again and search resources for using AI appropriately. If you're stuck, Google or ask in the #step-7-questions-support channel on Slack. > [!NOTE] -> You will need to submit a link to your AI chat, so please use an AI tool which allows for chats to be shared by link, such as ChatGPT or Gemini. +> You will need to submit a link to your AI chat, so please use an AI tool which allows for chats to be shared by link, such as ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini. +> **Never share sensitive information within a AI chat** #### 4. Self Check -Look over the code you have written. -1. Do you understand it all? -1. Has any been pasted from an AI tool or elsewhere? +Look over the code you have written. + +1. Do you understand it all? Can you explain it out loud? +1. Has any code been pasted from an AI tool or elsewhere? 1. What worked and what didn’t work when prompting the AI? #### 5. Create a Google Doc + Create a Google Doc. > [!NOTE] > If you are new to Google Docs, you may find this [guide on what Google Docs is and how to use it](https://support.google.com/docs/answer/7068618?hl=en-GB&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop) useful. -#### 6. Put your name in the document name +#### 6. Put your name in the document name + Include your given name or your family name in the title of the Google Doc. {{}} @@ -68,6 +80,7 @@ Include your given name or your family name in the title of the Google Doc. {{}} #### 7. Make your Google Doc public + Change the sharing settings of your Google Doc to "Anyone with the link can view". {{}} @@ -75,11 +88,13 @@ Change the sharing settings of your Google Doc to "Anyone with the link can view {{}} #### 8. Fill out your Doc + Please add the following to your google doc: + - A link to your CodePen (please note that volunteers probably won't give you a full code review but this is useful context for them) - A link to your chat with the AI - Instructions to share links [to Gemini chats are here](https://support.google.com/gemini/answer/13743730) and [to ChatGPT chats are here](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/7925741-chatgpt-shared-links-faq) - A screenshot of the output in CodePen -- Your answers to the questions in the '4. Self Check' section above +- Your answers to the questions in the '4. Self Check' section above #### 9. Submit the Google Doc link From 5d39aa65e77d4f3496525da7293fa2066fce2b9f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Poonam <61753159+Poonam-raj@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2026 16:24:45 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 6/8] rewording warning when AI does the work Co-authored-by: Daniel Wagner-Hall --- common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md | 2 +- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md b/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md index d175ea609..96261aec5 100644 --- a/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md +++ b/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md @@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ At {{}}, we prioritise building understanding so trainees can be emplo **Why does it matter how we learn at {{}}? What does it have to do with AI?** -Well, it can be easy for AI tools to do the hard work for us, e.g. solving the problem, fixing errors, and writing emails for us. But by making sure we do that work ourselves, we build the skills that will help us in our careers. When AI does the work for us, we may think we're progressing when we're actually not building skills that will make us employable. +Well, it can be easy for AI tools to do the hard work for us, e.g. solving the problem, fixing errors, and writing emails for us. But when AI does the work for us, we may think we're making progress and learning when we're not. We're actually not building skills that will make us employable. Instead we need to make sure we do that work ourselves, so that we build the skills that will help us in our careers. AI can make mistakes when it's guessing what output to return to the user, but it can also be led to give incorrect information when a prompt isn't accurate. Which means we need to ask good questions (or prompts). As ITD learners, we are early in the {{}} journey, so we are still building our foundational knowledge, which means it is more likely we will ask AI inaccurate questions and AI will give misleading results. It's something to be aware of and cautious about - the accuracy of the questions we ask is important. From 42bbb8dde5d71f1ee339c0142252690ec2efb60d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Poonam Rajput Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2026 17:58:55 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 7/8] restructuring and expanding ai guidance to explain how AI can make mistakes and how we should prioritise understanding --- .../module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md | 112 ++++++++++-------- 1 file changed, 61 insertions(+), 51 deletions(-) diff --git a/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md b/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md index 96261aec5..7a4c8c98a 100644 --- a/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md +++ b/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md @@ -10,92 +10,102 @@ time= 90 You may have heard of, or used, generative AI tools (shortened to AI or AI tools from now on) like ChatGPT, Copilot or Gemini. These are powerful tools that we have seen both disrupt and assist the learning of trainees at {{}}. This page aims to guide you in best practices for AI use in the ITD. -To read the full AI guidelines for training at {{}}, please access the [AI Use Guidelines for Trainees](/ai-use-guidelines). +To read the full AI guidelines for education at {{}}, please access the [AI Use Guidelines for Trainees](/ai-use-guidelines). + +> [!WARNING] +> Protect sensitive information: Never paste personal data, private project code, or information belonging to organisations into public AI tools. This includes anything related to your employer or work placement. ### AI: A predictive word-generator AI assistants, like those mentioned above, are often large language models (LLMs). LLMs are "trained" on huge amounts of data to predict what word should come next in a sentence. Because they can read and generate text data, it feels like you're messaging a smart "person", but it is just software that has an algorithm for guessing what words should follow your input ({{}} The input we give an AI assistant. {{}}). -Because AI tools "guess" the text to generate, they can make mistakes or make up things that don’t exist (hallucinations). For instance, a famous hallucination from 2024 was that many AI tools said there were two 'r's in the word strawberry. +### Why do we need to be careful as ITD trainees? -AI hallucinations can be costly to a programmer. For instance, it has been reported that AI can make up names of code packages which don't exist, and direct a programmer to use the package in their code. This comes with a security risk: malicious packages can get created with names often generated by AI to exploit their "predictions" and get coders to import viruses into their code. +#### Our priority is building understanding -This means that all output from AI is potentially untrustworthy, we should keep a critical eye on the output of AI tools. +At {{}}, we prioritise building understanding so our trainees can be employable in the tech industry. Employability in software engineering involves knowing how to debug broken code, find information you might not already know, and break down problems to find a solution. {{}} mentors during the ITD and beyond will try to help you without giving away the answers or writing the code for you so you learn how to overcome hurdles yourself and apply that skill in the workplace. -### Why do we need to be careful as ITD trainees? +It can be easy for AI tools to do the hard work for us, e.g. solving the problem, fixing errors, or even writing emails and messages for us. When AI does the work for us, we may think we're making progress and learning when we're not. We're actually not building skills that will make us employable. We're not understanding why we do certain things and what happens when we do them incorrectly. Instead, we need to do that work ourselves, so that **we build the deeper skills that will help us in our careers**. -At {{}}, we prioritise building understanding so trainees can be employable in the tech industry. Employability in software engineering involves knowing how to debug broken code, find information you might not already know, and break down problems to find a solution. {{}} mentors during the ITD and beyond will try to help you without giving away the answers or writing the code for you so you learn how to overcome hurdles yourself and apply that skill in the workplace when mentors aren't around. +##### How do we use AI to build understanding? -**Why does it matter how we learn at {{}}? What does it have to do with AI?** +###### 1. Ask "why" not "how" -Well, it can be easy for AI tools to do the hard work for us, e.g. solving the problem, fixing errors, and writing emails for us. But when AI does the work for us, we may think we're making progress and learning when we're not. We're actually not building skills that will make us employable. Instead we need to make sure we do that work ourselves, so that we build the skills that will help us in our careers. +AI is very good at answering "how do I do X?". It is less good at explaining the deeper principles. Develop the habit of following up: "Why does this approach work? What are the alternatives? When would this not work?" -AI can make mistakes when it's guessing what output to return to the user, but it can also be led to give incorrect information when a prompt isn't accurate. Which means we need to ask good questions (or prompts). As ITD learners, we are early in the {{}} journey, so we are still building our foundational knowledge, which means it is more likely we will ask AI inaccurate questions and AI will give misleading results. It's something to be aware of and cautious about - the accuracy of the questions we ask is important. +###### 2. Check if you've learnt something -For now, remember to question and verify what AI tools give us back. If we can't explain it, or verify the information with our own fact-finding, we shouldn't use it. +There is a meaningful difference between "I used AI to help me understand this concept" and "I used AI to avoid engaging with this concept." -### What's acceptable AI use in ITD +The first makes you stronger. The second leaves a gap that will show itself later, often at the worst moment like a job interview. **Ask yourself: “Will I need to ask AI the same question tomorrow?”** If yes, you're using it to do the work rather than to build your understanding. That's going to lead to you needing to do the learning again rather than learning the first time. -Generally, AI might be a good tool for: +**Challenge yourself:** check you have learnt by deleting the AI output and rewriting it yourself. You should know how to write it without AI assistance if you have picked up the knowledge. -- Explaining tech concepts in plain language -- Answering "what does this mean?" questions -- Getting a starting point for research +If you don't know how - go back to the learning material, ask "why" to AI instead of "how" and use alternative resources like articles, YouTube, documentation and volunteer insights to get more insight. -You need to exercise CAUTION and avoid the following situations: +#### AI makes mistakes -- Letting AI write your CV -- Copying AI explanations without checking your understanding -- Just accepting the AI answer without exploring further +Because AI tools "guess" the text to generate, they can make mistakes or make up things that don’t exist (hallucinations). For instance, a famous hallucination from 2024 was that many AI tools said there were two 'r's in the word strawberry. Data AI is trained on could be out of date or not accurate itself. + +**AI hallucinations can be costly to a programmer.** For instance, it has been reported that AI can make up names of code packages which don't exist, and direct a programmer to use the package in their code. This comes with a security risk: malicious packages can get created with names often generated by AI to exploit their "predictions" and get coders to import viruses into their code. + +This means that all output from AI is potentially untrustworthy, we should **keep a critical eye on the output of AI tools**. -#### How to check if you're using AI right +Being able to spot issues with AI output will become more and more of a key skill in technical fields, especially fields where AI is increasingly used as a core tool. To thrive as a professional you need to have good judgement of what is a correct output. This skill builds over time with feedback, discussion, insight from people with more experience than you, and constant questioning of "why" things are built the way they are. -Ask yourself: **Will you need to ask AI this question again the next time you face this task?** +##### 1. Challenge output -If the answer is: +Volunteers and staff have observed that more experienced developers interact with AI very differently from novices: they push back, ask for alternatives, cross-check against documentation, and spot when something is wrong. -- No - you've learned the skill and can demonstrate it without AI. -- Yes - you didn't understand and have to ask again, try to recap this question with less AI assistance. -- Depends - did you learn the research skill to help you find answers in the future without AI help? +Build this habit early. Don't just defer to AI output without questioning it. -#### Questions +Ask AI for a different approach. Ask it to defend its answer. Ask it what could go wrong. -##### Question One +##### 2. Always Verify -A {{}} trainee is assigned coursework on a {{}} course. The assignment is to build a homepage for a library that displays its twenty newest books. It requires that they use CSS Grid (a CSS feature used to display HTML elements in a grid format). They think that ChatGPT could help them complete this task. +AI makes mistakes. It can produce code that looks correct but contains subtle errors, outdated practices, or security vulnerabilities. It can confidently state things that are wrong. Your job is always to check against documentation, against your own understanding, by running tests. -Which of the prompts below is an appropriate use of AI by the trainee? +Look for **verified sources**: -1. Generate a webpage to display information about books in a grid format. -2. Use CSS Grid to build a webpage to display twenty digital books. -3. Build a homepage for a library website. -4. I want to learn more about CSS Grid. Please explain the core concepts simply with examples. +- Ask AI to cite it's sources, where has it found it's information? +- Cross-check what you're reading with real documentation straight from the creators of the library/language/software we're using. This is a key skill in software engineering. +- Use Slack to ask questions to your ITD peers and volunteers, what insights can you gain from the community. We're here to support your learning. -##### Question Two +##### Our prompts can create bad AI output -A {{}} trainee asks an AI tool to help them understand a complex CSS topic. The information the AI gives doesn't sound right. +AI can also be led to give incorrect information when a prompt isn't accurate. Which means we need to **ask good questions** (or prompts). As ITD learners, we are early in the {{}} journey, so we are still building our foundational knowledge. This means it is more likely we will ask AI inaccurate questions and AI will give misleading results. It's something to be aware of and cautious about - the accuracy of the questions we ask is important. -Which of the below might be appropriate reactions from the trainee? +For now, remember to question and verify what AI tools give us back. If we can't explain it, or verify the information with our own fact-finding, we shouldn't use it. + +### What's acceptable AI use in ITD + +Generally, AI might be a good tool for: + +- Explaining tech concepts in plain language +- Answering "what does this mean?" questions +- Getting a starting point for research + +You need to exercise CAUTION and avoid the following situations: + +- Letting AI write something for you (e.g. your CV) +- Copying AI explanations without checking your understanding +- Just accepting the AI answer without exploring further -1. Googling the topic and looking for reliable sources to clarify the point. -2. Trying to persuade the AI to check again. -3. Accepting this as the truth because the AI seemed to know what it was talking about. -4. Asking a volunteer whether the AI is right. -5. Asking another AI tool.  +**Why is it bad for AI to write for us?** -##### Question Three +Let's take the example of a CV. We ask you to write your CV and keep it updated. This has the following knock on effects: -A {{}} trainee balances full-time work and family responsibilities with studying at {{}}. They are struggling to keep up with the course. In particular, they are struggling to understand some fundamental concepts. +- You improve your written English skills. +- You are forced to think about your skills history and create your own narrative about your skills. +- By writing it yourself you will remember your CV content more, which helps with interview technique (recall of your skills). +- By writing it yourself you understand the structure and content of the CV, making it easier to make quick edits and updates. -Which of the below are NOT appropriate actions by the trainee? +And what happens when AI writes a CV for us: -1. Asking volunteers for guidance at a session. -2. Giving an AI tool their assigned problems and asking it to solve them for them. They then copy and paste the output, making no edits. -3. Asking an AI tool to explain the concepts they find difficult to understand. -4. Attempting to solve the problems, then giving up and asking an AI tool to fix their code. Then copying and pasting the answer without understanding the changes it made. -5. Using Google to find articles on the topics they are struggling with.  -6. Copying another trainee’s answers. -7. Sending a direct message to an active volunteer. +- You don't build English language instincts, you only read an example of written English. You don't make your own mistakes so you don't learn what is right or wrong. If you get a perfect instance of English generated in the first go, you are less likely to know what mistakes to correct in the future when you write your own words. +- You don't build a mental map of your CV through structuring it yourself. Harder to recall your own CV in interviews naturally. +- Your CV lacks personalised tone of voice that reflects how you write. CV comes out generic. Harder to catch the eye of recruiters, easier for recruiters to spot AI generation as it will sound like AI model output, easier for the recruiter to discount your CV. +- Big risk of AI making things up about your background - remember AI hallucinates. ### What Should You Do? From 3f4c9ebdd191faf6011879834e9fb7b728ebbe94 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Poonam Rajput Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2026 18:00:15 +0100 Subject: [PATCH 8/8] attempt to add CV comparison to show drawbacks of AI to generate written work like CV --- .../module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md | 311 ++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 311 insertions(+) diff --git a/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md b/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md index 7a4c8c98a..c8352c458 100644 --- a/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md +++ b/common-content/en/module/itd/step-3/instructions/index.md @@ -107,6 +107,317 @@ And what happens when AI writes a CV for us: - Your CV lacks personalised tone of voice that reflects how you write. CV comes out generic. Harder to catch the eye of recruiters, easier for recruiters to spot AI generation as it will sound like AI model output, easier for the recruiter to discount your CV. - Big risk of AI making things up about your background - remember AI hallucinates. +### CV writing: Human vs AI + +Let's compare three CVs, one made by a human, and two made by ChatGPT using different kinds of prompts. + +{{}} +===[[Human Written CV]]=== +**Jaya Shankar** + +London | jaya.shankar@generic_email.com | https://www.linkedin.com/ | www.github.com | 07123456789 + +**Summary** + +A keen software engineer with a particular strength in testing, security and quality assurance to maintain robust applications. Recently completed an internship with Microsoft, achieved full test coverage and strong QA practices across a full-stack application redirecting customer queries, and prevented 5 production-critical bugs in one month, saving the team 1 week of total downtime in that month. + +**Experience** + +QA and Testing Intern, Microsoft, June 2026 - August 2026: + +- Implemented and maintained test pipelines to ensure test coverage and security of the application before the production environment. +- Led agile ceremonies with the QA team. +- Spotted and intervened on 5 occurrences of critical bugs, communicated intervention to stakeholders and the team. +- Saved the customer service team 1 week in downtime through my work implementing a new test pipeline. + +Shop assistant, Tesco, May 2024 - February 2026: + +- Communication and relationship building across store team, delegating tasks to relevant departments. +- Quickly upskilling in self-checkout management, picking duties, and stock management to allow cover for store manager. +- Took on team leadership responsibilities as management cover for the holiday period, managed leave for the team, payroll, and rota. + +**Projects** + +To-do list for engineers, www.github.com: + +- Learnt React in 4 days to spin up this app in one week +- Full-coverage testing and lint check +- Working GitHub pipeline for automated testing and QA processes. +- Prisma backend with TypeScript. + +**Education** + +A levels, College, June 2024: Maths, English, Music (ABB) +GCSEs, School, July 2022 + +**Interests** + +- Languages: English (fluent), Gujarati (fluent), Swahili (intermediate), Hindi (intermediate) +- Volunteers as a magistrate (2024 - Present) +- Clarinet player for an amateur theatre company + +**References available upon request** + +===[[Prompt 1: ChatGPT generated CV]]=== + +#### Prompt given to ChatGPT + +Make a cv for me, I'm Jaya Shankar, I want to be a software enegineer, particularly testing, security, quality. I'm in London and worked for Microsoft as a a QA intern, and tescos as a shop assistant. I've done a levels and gcses and I'm a magistrate + +What employment details should I include? Provide dates and key achievements +What are your key technical skills? Programming languages +What programming languages do you know? JavaScript + +#### Generated CV + +**Jaya Shankar** + +**Location:** London, United Kingdom +**Email:** [your.email@example.com](mailto:your.email@example.com) | **Phone:** your phone number +**LinkedIn:** linkedin.com/in/yourprofile | **GitHub:** github.com/yourusername + +**Professional Profile** + +Motivated and detail-oriented aspiring Software Engineer with a strong interest in Software Testing, Quality Assurance, and Cyber Security. Experience gained through a QA internship at Microsoft and customer-facing retail work at Tesco has developed my analytical thinking, attention to detail, communication, and problem-solving skills. Passionate about delivering high-quality software and building a career in software quality, testing, and security. + +**Technical Skills** + +- **Programming:** JavaScript +- Software Testing +- Quality Assurance +- Bug Identification and Reporting +- Problem Solving +- Attention to Detail +- Microsoft Office + +**Professional Experience** + +**QA Intern | Microsoft** + +**[Month Year] – [Month Year]** + +- Assisted the Quality Assurance team in testing software applications. +- Identified, documented, and tracked software defects. +- Performed manual testing to verify application functionality and quality. +- Worked with developers to help reproduce and resolve issues. +- Contributed to improving software reliability before release. + +**Shop Assistant | Tesco** + +**[Month Year] – Present (or Month Year)** + +- Delivered excellent customer service in a fast-paced retail environment. +- Handled stock replenishment and maintained store presentation. +- Processed customer transactions accurately. +- Worked collaboratively with colleagues to meet daily operational targets. +- Developed strong communication, teamwork, and time management skills. + +**Education** + +**A Levels** + +**[School/College Name]** +Completed A Levels. + +**GCSEs** + +**[School Name]** +Completed GCSE qualifications. + +**Additional Experience** + +**Magistrate** + +- Serve as a Magistrate, demonstrating integrity, impartiality, sound judgement, and responsibility. +- Assess evidence and contribute to fair legal decisions. +- Apply critical thinking and communicate effectively while working as part of a judicial panel. + +**Key Strengths** + +- Software Testing +- Quality Assurance +- Security-focused mindset +- Analytical Thinking +- Attention to Detail +- Teamwork +- Communication +- Problem Solving +- Adaptability +- Customer Service + +**Career Objective** + +To begin a career as a Software Engineer with a focus on Software Testing, Quality Assurance, or Cyber Security, where I can continue developing my technical skills while contributing to the delivery of secure, reliable, and high-quality software. + +===[[Prompt 2: ChatGPT generated CV]]=== + +#### Prompt given to ChatGPT + +Build a CV following this brief: + +- Jaya Shankar, London, GitHub and LinkedIn links needed for profile +- Education up to A levels (maths, eng, music, ABB) (A levels completed June 2024, GCSEs completed July 2022) +- Work experience as QA and Testing Intern, Microsoft, June 2026 - August 2026. Key skills: implemented test pipelines for test coverage and security checks. Led agile ceremonies for qa team. Spotted and intervened in 5 critical bugs, communicated intervention to stakeholders. Saved 1 week of downtime for the team. +- Work experience: Shop assistant, Tesco, May 2024 - February 2026. Key skills: communication and relationship building, delegating tasks, upskilling quickly to self-checkout management, picking, stock management to cover for manager. Team lead responsibilities for holiday management cover, managed leave, payroll and rota. +- Project -> todo list for engineers: React, Prisma, TypeScript. Learnt React in 4 days, 1-week project. Full coverage testing and lint checks, GitHub pipeline for automated testing and qa processes. +- volunteered as a magistrate (20224 to current) +- Languages: English (fluent), Gujarati (fluent), Swahili (intermediate), Hindi (intermediate) +- Clarinet player for an amateur theatre company tech interest +- Testing, security, quality. + +#### Generated CV + +**Jaya Shankar** + +London, UK +Email: [your.email@example.com](mailto:your.email@example.com) | Phone: +44 XXXX XXX XXX +LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/yourprofile +GitHub: https://github.com/yourusername + +**Profile** + +Aspiring Software Quality Assurance and Test Engineer with hands-on experience in automated testing, quality processes, and Agile delivery through a QA internship at Microsoft. Passionate about software testing, security, and building reliable applications with strong automated quality pipelines. Recognised for quickly learning new technologies, identifying critical defects, and communicating effectively with both technical teams and stakeholders. Brings additional leadership and customer service experience from retail management responsibilities. + +**Technical Skills** + +- Testing & QA: Test automation, test pipelines, test coverage, quality assurance, security checks +- Languages: TypeScript, JavaScript +- Frameworks & Tools: React, Prisma, Git, GitHub Actions +- Methodologies: Agile, Scrum, CI/CD, Code Reviews +- Additional: Linting, automated testing, stakeholder communication + +**Professional Experience** + +**QA & Testing Intern** + +**Microsoft** | June 2026 – August 2026 + +- Implemented automated test pipelines to improve test coverage and integrate security checks into the development workflow. +- Led Agile QA ceremonies, coordinating testing priorities and improving team collaboration. +- Identified and intervened on five critical software defects before release. +- Communicated testing outcomes and risk assessments effectively to technical and business stakeholders. +- Prevented approximately one week of potential team downtime through proactive quality assurance and issue resolution. + +**Shop Assistant** + +**Tesco** | May 2024 – February 2026 + +- Delivered excellent customer service through strong communication and relationship-building skills. +- Quickly progressed to managing self-checkout operations and supporting wider store operations. +- Assisted with stock management, order picking, and managerial duties during periods of absence. +- Coordinated holiday cover, managed staff leave requests, payroll support, and rota planning. +- Delegated tasks effectively while supporting team performance in a fast-paced retail environment. + +**Projects** + +**Todo List for Engineers** + +**React • TypeScript • Prisma** + +- Designed and built a full-stack engineering task management application within one week. +- Self-taught React in four days before delivering the completed application. +- Implemented comprehensive automated test coverage and linting throughout the project. +- Built a GitHub Actions CI pipeline to automate testing and quality assurance processes. +- Applied software engineering best practices with a strong focus on maintainability and code quality. + +**Education** + +**A Levels** + +Completed June 2024 + +- Mathematics – A +- English – B +- Music – B + +**GCSEs** + +Completed July 2022 + +**Volunteering** + +**Magistrate** + +2024 – Present + +- Contribute to the justice system through fair, impartial decision-making and community service. +- Develop strong analytical thinking, communication, and professional judgement. + +**Additional Information** + +**Languages** + +- English – Fluent +- Gujarati – Fluent +- Swahili – Intermediate +- Hindi – Intermediate + +**Interests** + +- Software testing +- Application security +- Software quality engineering +- Continuous improvement and automation + +**Extracurricular Activities** + +- Clarinet player for an amateur theatre company. + +{{< /tabs >}} + + + +### How to check if you're using AI right + +Ask yourself: **Will you need to ask AI this question again the next time you face this task?** + +If the answer is: + +- No - you've learned the skill and can demonstrate it without AI. +- Yes - you didn't understand and have to ask again, try to recap this question with less AI assistance. +- Depends - did you learn the research skill to help you find answers in the future without AI help? + +### Questions + +#### Question One + +A {{}} trainee is assigned coursework on a {{}} course. The assignment is to build a homepage for a library that displays its twenty newest books. It requires that they use CSS Grid (a CSS feature used to display HTML elements in a grid format). They think that ChatGPT could help them complete this task. + +Which of the prompts below is an appropriate use of AI by the trainee? + +1. Generate a webpage to display information about books in a grid format. +2. Use CSS Grid to build a webpage to display twenty digital books. +3. Build a homepage for a library website. +4. I want to learn more about CSS Grid. Please explain the core concepts simply with examples. + +#### Question Two + +A {{}} trainee asks an AI tool to help them understand a complex CSS topic. The information the AI gives doesn't sound right. + +Which of the below might be appropriate reactions from the trainee? + +1. Googling the topic and looking for reliable sources to clarify the point. +2. Trying to persuade the AI to check again. +3. Accepting this as the truth because the AI seemed to know what it was talking about. +4. Asking a volunteer whether the AI is right. +5. Asking another AI tool.  + +#### Question Three + +A {{}} trainee balances full-time work and family responsibilities with studying at {{}}. They are struggling to keep up with the course. In particular, they are struggling to understand some fundamental concepts. + +Which of the below are NOT appropriate actions by the trainee? + +1. Asking volunteers for guidance at a session. +2. Giving an AI tool their assigned problems and asking it to solve them for them. They then copy and paste the output, making no edits. +3. Asking an AI tool to explain the concepts they find difficult to understand. +4. Attempting to solve the problems, then giving up and asking an AI tool to fix their code. Then copying and pasting the answer without understanding the changes it made. +5. Using Google to find articles on the topics they are struggling with.  +6. Copying another trainee’s answers. +7. Sending a direct message to an active volunteer. + ### What Should You Do? #### 1. Create a Google Doc