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- Course name
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A Catholic Introduction to Artificial Intelligence, Part One
- Summary
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Sign up for this introductory AI course to gain practical, industry-ready AI skills you’ll need to increase productivity, innovate, create, and succeed.
Course Description: This course provides a hands-on and critical introduction to Artificial Intelligence, covering its history, foundational concepts, societal impact, and ethical concerns. In Part Two, students will explore advanced, applied AI topics, including local large language models (LLMs), configuring front ends like Open WebUI, and developing basic AI automations using Make.com and agent frameworks. By the end of the year, students will have both conceptual literacy and practical exposure to AI technologies shaping the future.
While no programming background is required, it is highly recommended. A recorded tutorial on Python is part of this course to bring the student up to a level of the required proficiency to be successful for the course.
The Catholic Church views science to explore and comprehend the natural world created by God. Technology is encouraged when it respects ethical principles and upholds the dignity of human life. Catholics recognize the benefits of technological advancements for improving human life and society. Moral discernment is crucial to guide technology to serve humanity ethically and avoid harm or injustice.
This course integrates faith and technology to explore faith, ethics, and AI advancements together. This course will not teach students how to exploit AI concepts that violate academic integrity. Its main goal is to introduce the student AI concepts and the technology that makes it happen. Over the course of the topics, students will understand the so-called truth that AI provides and the truth that it doesn’t provide. And it will cut through the fantasy and hype so often attributed to AI.
Instructor: Mr. Daniel Goddu, BS-CS
TBD
- Course name
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A Catholic Introduction to Artificial Intelligence, Part One
- Instructor
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Dan Goddu
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Fall 2026
- Category
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Computer Science
- Grade levels
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High School
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September 8th, 2026 at 4:00 PM ET
- Course type
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Live
- Price
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$257
- Seats available
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25 seats available
- Seats remaining
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25 seats remaining
- Relative due dates
- Enhanced quiz security
- Enhanced assignment security
Introduction to Computer Science, Parts I and II
Coding with Minecraft
- This material is only to be used for its intended purpose by active subscribers of Homeschool Connections or purchasers of the course. Any other use without explicit permission is in violation of the seventh commandment, and in violation of US and International copyright laws.
- You may print or download to your own storage extracts for your personal homeschool and non-commercial use only. This is not to be used for homeschool co-ops without express written permission from Homeschool Connections.
- Upon completion of the course, you must delete all copies of course materials from any storage on which you saved permissible extracts.
Special notes
This is Part One of a two-part course. Enroll in Part Two for a full year of Computer Science. A programming background is highly recommended, but not required.
Total classes
Class dates
Starting time
Duration
Prerequisites
A programming background is highly recommended, but not required.
Suggested grade level
Suggested credit
Outline
Course Outline:
Part One: AI Overview
Class 1: Course Overview & What is AI?
This class introduces students to the basic concepts of Artificial Intelligence. They will learn the difference between AI, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning, as well as explore real-world AI applications in personal assistants (Siri, Alexa), self-driving cars, and recommendation systems (Netflix, YouTube). The class will also discuss common misconceptions about AI and the different types of AI (narrow, general, and superintelligence).
Class 2: The Early History of AI & Automation
Students will explore the history of automation before computers, including the Jacquard Loom and Henry Ford’s assembly line. The discussion will then transition to early AI theories, such as Alan Turing’s work and the creation of early automated systems. We’ll also examine how automation in factories led to the first wave of robotic manufacturing. The class concludes with a debate on whether automation has helped or hurt job markets.
Class 3: AI in the 20th Century
This class covers the development of early AI programs, including ELIZA (one of the first chatbots) and expert systems used in decision-making. Students will learn about AI’s role in space exploration, the military, and industry. We will also discuss the "AI Winter" periods when enthusiasm and funding for AI declined due to technological limitations. The class will end with group research presentations on early AI applications.
Class 4: Machine Learning & Neural Networks
Students will be introduced to Machine Learning, how AI learns from data, and how neural networks function similarly to the human brain. Concepts like supervised vs. unsupervised learning will be explained. Students will participate in a hands-on activity, using AI tools like Google Teachable Machine to train a simple model and see how it learns patterns.
Class 5: Deep Learning & LLMs
This class explores deep learning, the foundation of powerful AI models like ChatGPT and Bard. Students will learn how LLMs process language and generate responses. Hands-on experiments will involve interacting with LLMs, testing their strengths and weaknesses, and discussing how these systems are trained. The class will also address common misconceptions about AI chatbots.
Class 6: Ethics of AI – Bias & Fairness
Students will learn about how AI can reflect biases found in its training data, leading to discrimination in hiring, policing, and facial recognition. Case studies will highlight real-world examples of AI bias and its consequences. The class will explore ways to make AI more ethical and fairer, followed by a discussion on who is responsible for AI’s actions.
Class 7: AI in Industry – Healthcare, Finance, and More
Students will examine how AI is transforming industries like healthcare (medical diagnosis), finance (fraud detection), and agriculture (crop monitoring). We will analyze case studies of AI improving efficiency while also discussing potential risks (such as job loss and decision-making bias). Groups will research and present how AI is used in a specific industry of their choice.
Class 8: AI in Gaming & Entertainment
This class covers AI’s role in gaming (e.g., NPC behavior, procedural content generation) and entertainment (AI-generated music, deepfake videos). Students will explore how AI tools are used to create digital art and animation. A hands-on activity will allow them to generate AI-created music or images. We will discuss whether AI-created content can be considered "real" creativity.
Class 9: AI and the Future of Work
This session focuses on AI’s impact on employment. We will discuss the types of jobs AI can replace (factory work, data entry) versus those it will enhance (creative fields, engineering). Students will analyze reports on the future job market and predict which careers AI might create. The class ends with a debate on whether AI will create more jobs than it eliminates.
Class 10: The Morality of AI & Autonomous Systems
Can AI be programmed to be ethical? This class will discuss moral dilemmas involving AI, such as its role in the military (autonomous drones) and medical decision-making (AI doctors). We will examine real-world ethical debates, including the controversial topic of AI-powered weapons. A class debate will tackle whether AI should be allowed to make life-and-death decisions.
Class 11: AI & Privacy – Risks & Security
AI-powered surveillance, facial recognition, and data collection present major privacy concerns. Students will explore how AI is used to track online behavior and influence decision-making. We will examine the dangers of AI-generated misinformation (deepfakes, social media manipulation). A hands-on activity will involve testing AI detection tools for spotting deepfakes.
Class 12: AI Policy, Laws & the Future of Regulation
With AI’s rapid advancements, governments are scrambling to create regulations. Students will explore different approaches to AI governance, from strict EU regulations to the more flexible U.S. approach. We will discuss the ethical responsibilities of tech companies and policymakers. A class discussion will focus on whether AI research should be slowed down or left unrestricted.
Class 13: The Future of AI & Final Projects
The final class looks at where AI is headed, including the potential development of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). Students will present their final projects on AI’s future in different fields, exploring both its potential benefits and risks. The course will conclude with a reflection on what students have learned and how they see AI shaping the world.
Materials
Homework
Students should plan to spend about one hour per class on homework.
Assessment Overview
· Participation & Discussions – 20%
· Homework & Reflections – 25%
· Quizzes – 15%
· Midterm Project (Semester 1) – 15%
· Final Project (Semester 2) – 25%
Fees
Fee: For all 13 classes: $237 if you register on or before July 15; $257 if you register after July 15. (Registration closes one week before the first day of class. After that date, registrations are not guaranteed. There is a $25 surcharge for late enrollments after the course is closed.)
Dan Goddu
dgoddu.hsc@gmail.com
About Dan Goddu
Dan Goddu has been blessed to have had a successful software engineering career before retiring in April, 2021. He has successfully held various positions throughout his career as a software quality assurance manager and auditor, a software developer, and a manufacturing test manager. His last full-time job was an IT specialist for a Catholic internet television studio as a network system administrator which included supporting the video production team, the control room, and end-users.
For over 25 years, he served the youth of New Hampshire as a former volunteer director of youth ministries at St. Christopher Parish, Nashua, NH, as a part-time youth ministry coordinator at St. Kathryn Parish in Hudson, NH, and as a volunteer retreat leader for Infant Jesus Parish in Nashua, NH. He most recently established the First Coast Catholic Alliance, a lay group that helps Catholics connect, increase their faith, and develop and take action to resist and reverse the confusion, error, and heresy, that has infiltrated our Church and our culture. He is dedicated to his own, his family, and others salvation; He is 100% faithful to the Magisterium, and is at the service of the Holy Father, the Vicar of Christ.
A graduate of Merrimack College in North Andover, MA where he received a Bachelor’s of Science in Computer Science, he holds a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification. He also has a Certification in Youth Ministries from the Diocese of Manchester, NH. He is married to his wife Joan of 37 years. They have three children and two grandchildren and reside in the Northeast Florida.
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