A Survey of Instructors of Introductory Artificial Intelligence

This report presents findings from a survey of instructors of the introductory Artificial Intelligence course at colleges and universities throughout the United States. We asked respondents about their students, the syllabus, homework given and textbooks used, classroom teaching techniques, course organization and motivation, and their own backgrounds. Particularly notable results were seen in the syllabus and teaching techniques sections. Comparing responses from Research-Extensive universities with other responses, the latter group sometimes tends to teach a syllabus that seems out-of-date relative to current AI research trends. In general, participants endorsed in-class activities to supplement lectures, and the use of programming homework, group projects, and an agent-themed syllabus.