Table of contents
  1. Overview
  2. This is not your usual project
  3. Group Formation
  4. Logistics
  5. Project Components
    1. HW 1: Understanding the problem and existing solutions
      1. Report Components
      2. Submission Logistics / Grading
    2. HW 2: Identifying your subproblem and beginning to think solution
      1. Report Components
      2. Submission Logistics / Grading
    3. Individual Score
      1. Survey Details
      2. Peer Survey
      3. Submitting the survey
      4. How the individual score will be calculated

Overview

The goal of your group-based, semester-long course project is to end global inequality.

Do we have your attention now? 🙂

The project structure is inspired by Prof. Caraballo Muller’s Impossible Project framework, where the goal is to work on projects whose “stated goals” are, well, impossible. Why address an impossible problem? We’ll discuss this at length in the course, but the overarching idea is to tackle a long-standing problem in our current world and then to think of, as Prof. Caraballo Muller likes to say, “your new point of departure.”

Last year, students took on the task of ending structural racism. You can see some of their work here, although we’ll note that the project structure will be different this year (due, in part, to input from you all!)

At a high level, though, your project will address the following questions (and more):

  • What is global inequality, and why is it important?
  • What aspect, or subproblem, of global inequality does your project focus on, and why? Put another way - global inequality is a massive problem, comprised of many, many smaller ones. What smaller problem are you going to bite off to solve, and why did you pick this one? And how will solving this smaller problem lead to a world where there is no global inequality?
  • What role will Generative AI play, both in helping you to solve global inequality and in potentially exacerbating it in ways that will have to be accounted for?
  • Which non-profit organizations already exist that most closely address the aspect of global inequality that your group has chosen to tackle? How does the work you are doing support their existing efforts? What do you think they might, or actually, say about your work?
  • What in the existing academic literature suggests to you that your solution will work?
  • What are goals for your project in the short, medium, and long term?

You’ll address these problems throughout the semester, as you submit intermittent progress on your project. In the next few sections, we’ll detail these submissions as well as what the final project will look like. Note: this is all subject to change, because we intend to be responsive to your feedback throughout the semester!

This is not your usual project

Most of you are probably used to assignments and projects with a well defined goal and outcome. Specifically, there is always a right or wrong answer and at the end of the project, you are expected to come up with a functioning artifact. Not so here.

It is the Impossible Project!

As the name suggests, your project (to end global inequality) is in some sense impossible. It certain is impossible to achieve (at least in its letter) in a semester. So in some sense you are expected to “fail.” Or more precisely, you are very likely to fail if you use the same metric of success that you are used to in your other classes.

This uncertainty can be scary: embrace this open endedness of the Impossible Project! We will definitely help y’all along the way but you do need this mindset shift to succeed uni (each of your) classes.

What if we “fail” at the end of the semester?

As mentioned above, your group is more likely to fail to produce a “result” (at least in the traditional sense) by the end of the semester. So you might be worried about what happens to your project grade then?

First of all, take a close look at the requirements of various components of the Impossible Project in the rest of this webpage. You would notice that most of the emphasis in grading is on the PROCESS and not the results.

More importantly, for us, you “failing” in the traditional sense is more than fine. We learn more when we fail than when we succeed. We are hoping that this experience will help you go forward and work on ending global inequality (to the extend that you can/want to). More pragmatically, for the grading as long as your group carefully documents how and why your proposed solution failed and what would be your group’s next steps if you could work on this project after the semester is done, you will be fine!

Group Formation

We expect to form groups of size three (or four depending on class size). Kenny and Atri will form the groups as stated on the course schedule.

Logistics

Contribution of your project score to final grade

The project in total is worth $50\%$ of your final grade.

Here is how the $50\%$ weightage for the project will be further divided down:

Project Component $\%$ of FINAL course grade
Group HW 1 Submission $5+5=10\%$
Group HW 2 Submission $5+5=10\%$
Group HW 3 Submission $5+5=10\%$
Group Final Submission / Finale presentation $10+10=20\%$

Group Score vs. Individual score

For each of the four components of the Impossible problem is divided $50\%$ into groups score and $50\%$ for individual score.

Everyone in the group will get the same score for the group score for HWs 1-3 and the final presentation. Note that this is worth $25\%$ of the total grade and for future reference, we will refer to these points as group score.

We will talk about the individual score (which is based on peer surveys) later on.

Project Components

Listed below are the various components of the project. Note that all of this is subject to change, but we’ll be clear on these changes, and allow you to provide input on those changes, throughout the semester!

HW 1: Understanding the problem and existing solutions

Your goal in the first part of the project is not to solve the problem, but to understand the problem of global inequality and, more specifically, to understand what other people already know about the problem and what they are currently doing to try to solve it.

Too often, technologists jump into problems they don’t understand and try to solve them. At best, these solutions rarely work. At worst, they often cause more problems than they solve. There will always be unintended consequences of technology. One of the most important parts of your semester-long project (and thus your grade on it) is that you show us you’ve done your homework and at least understand the potential for these kinds of unintended consequences. That work starts now!

OK, enough yammering, let’s get to what you have to do! There are two graded parts to Part 1 of the project:

  • 75% of your grade will come from your submitted report:
    • You will submit a PDF report that addresses everything below. The report has to be at most six (6) pages long for groups of 3, or (7) pages long for groups of 4 (not counting references, any appendices, or your Team Participation statement, which we cannot promise to read).
  • 25% of your grade will come from your peer feedback. In class, we’ll ask groups to swap projects (randomly assigned) and then provide, via a two minute presentation, constructive feedback on another group’s project. This feedback will be graded by us based on what you present in class.

Report Components

In your report, we want you to tell us about:

A. What global inequality is and what causes it.
B. Specific subproblems that contribute to global inequality, and non-profit organizations that are working to address this sub-problem.

For Part A, you need to do the following:

  1. (15 points) Each team member should review one academic paper that helps to explain what global inequality is and what causes it. For each paper you should:
    1. Tell us how you found the paper and provide the APA citation of the paper. We encourage you to use Google Scholar to do so. (1 point)
    2. Tell us why you selected this paper and what it tells you about what global inequality is and what causes it. (4 points)
    3. Provide one Thought, one Question, and one Epiphany from the paper [note, this has to be brief!] using the TQE format. (5 points)
    4. As a group, compare and contrast what was most similar across the papers you looked at, as well as what was most different. (5 points)
  2. (15 points) Each team member should review one popular press article, YouTube video, or podcast that helps to explain what global inequality is and what causes it. Summarize them as follows:
    1. Tell us how you found the artifact and provide a link. (1 point)
    2. Tell us why you selected this artifact and what it tells you about what global inequality is and what causes it. (4 points)
    3. Provide one Thought, one Question, and one Epiphany from the artifact [note, this has to be brief!] using the TQE format. (5 points)
    4. As a group, compare and contrast what was most similar across the artifacts you looked at, as well as what was most different. (5 points)
  3. (10 points) Each team member should have a discussion with an LLM of their choice about global inequality
    1. Tell us which LLM you used. (1 point)
    2. Summarize your discussion (in your own words) - what did the LLM tell you about global inequality and its causes. (4 points)
    3. As a group, compare and contrast what was most similar across the conversations you had with an LLM, as well as what was most different. (5 points)

Individual vs. Group grading for part A

In each of the parts above sub-parts that group members have to do on their own (e.g subparts 1a, 1b, 1c for part 1) will be graded individually for each group member but common group response (e.g. sub-part 1d for part 1) will be graded as a group (i.e. every group member will receive the same score for the group response).

For Part B, we want you to do the following:

  1. (15 points) Each team member should review one academic paper that identifies (what you consider to be) a subproblem of global inequality. For each paper you should:
    1. Tell us how you found the paper and provide the APA citation of the paper. We encourage you to use Google Scholar to do so (1 point)
    2. Tell us why you selected this paper, what subproblem of global inequality it talks about, and what it says about that subproblem. (5 points)
    3. Provide one Thought, one Question, and one Epiphany from the paper [note, this has to be brief!] using the TQE format. (5 points)
    4. As a group, compare and contrast what was most similar across the papers you looked at, as well as what was most different. (4 points)
  2. (15 points) Each team member should review one popular press article, YouTube video, or podcast that identifies (what you consider to be) a subproblem of global inequality. This does not need to be the same problem as you picked for Part B.1, although it can be! For each, you should:
    1. Tell us how you found the artifact and provide a link. (1 point)
    2. Tell us why you selected this artifact, what subproblem of global inequality it talks about, and what it says about that subproblem. (5 points)
    3. Provide one Thought, one Question, and one Epiphany from the artifact [note, this has to be brief!] using the TQE format. (5 points)
    4. As a group, compare and contrast what was most similar across the artifacts you looked at, as well as what was most different. (4 points)
  3. (20 points) Each team member should identify one non-profit organization working on one of the problems identified in B.1 or B.2. For each non-profit:
    1. Explain how your chosen non-profit organization is working in your chosen aspect of global inequality. (8 points)
    2. Categorize the work the non-profit organization is doing in at least two of the following roles (6 points, 3 each):
      1. Helpers
      2. Change Agents
      3. Rebels
      4. Advocates
    3. For two of the roles above that you did not pick for the above question, what is the organization not doing that you think it should or could be doing? (6 points, 3 each)
  4. (10 points) Based on what we’ve learned thus far in class, what can you as a group say about the role generative AI play in your chosen aspects of global inequality in general?

Individual vs. Group grading for part B

In each of the parts above sub-parts that group members have to do on their own (e.g subparts 1a, 1b, 1c for part 1) will be graded individually for each group member but common group response (e.g. sub-part 1d for part 1 or part 4) will be graded as a group (i.e. every group member will receive the same score for the group response).

* Part C (No points awarded without this)*

Please provide a Team Participation Statement. To receive any credit for the (entire) assignment, the team participation statement should have the following:

  • Information on the specific parts of the assignment that each team member contributed to. This should cover all questions. Note that we do not need significant details, a few sentences should be enough
  • A statement by each team member that expresses their explicit agreement for the above. I.e. something like “I agree that this statement reflects the distribution of work in our group. -Your Name”.

Team Participation Statement does not count towards the page limit

The Team Participation Statement will not count towards the page limit (which is 6 for groups of size 3 and 7 for groups of size 4.

Submission Logistics / Grading

  • Deadline: 11:59pm on Friday, Feb 14.
  • All submissions must be made on Autolab

Everyone in the group needs to submit

Everyone in the group will need to individually submit the same PDF. I.e. there will be one document per group but everyone in the group has to submit individually.

Don’t forget to fill in the peer survey

Don’t forget to the Peer Survey 1, which is due 11:59pm on Monday, Feb 17.

HW 2: Identifying your subproblem and beginning to think solution

Grading

75% of your grade will come from your submitted report: You will submit a PDF report that addresses everything below. The report has to be at most three (3) pages long (not counting references, any appendices, or your Team Participation statement, which we cannot promise to read).

25% of your grade will come from your peer feedback. In class, we’ll ask groups to swap projects (randomly assigned) and then provide, via a two minute presentation, constructive feedback on another group’s project. This feedback will be graded by us based on what you present in class.

Report Components

This is a group assignment, there is no individual responses or submission (unlike HW1)!!!

Part A [15 points]

In HW1, you defined a number of potential subproblems your project could address. In class, we talked more about what amounts to a “good” subproblem (and what constitutes a bad one). Using both what we learned in class and, if you’d like, your responses in Part 1:

  1. [5 points] Tell us what the subproblem your group (at least currently plans to) address is
  2. [10 points] Tell us why you picked this subproblem, and/or why you think this is a “good” subproblem to solve

Part B [40 points]

Now, provide us with some details about why this subproblem/form of inequality exists, and what is known about what causes it. Your response should be cohesive (i.e. do not give us three paragraphs each written by a different team member), (relatively) comprehensive, and include:

  • [10 points] 3-5 references to prior academic work
  • [20 points] Clear indicators that your response was informed by what you learned in Prof. Muller’s lecture
  • [10 points] 2-3 open questions left for your team (e.g. on causes you don’t quite understand, or concepts you learned about but need to dig deeper on)

Part C [15 points]

Identify one (1) non-profit organization working on the chosen sub-problem identified in Part A. Then answer the following questions:

  1. [3 points] Explain how your chosen non-profit organization is working in your chosen aspect of global inequality.
  2. [4 points, 1 point each] Explain the roles that the chosen non-profit is currently doing in the context of the chosen subproblem in each of the following roles (if your chosen non-profit is not doing something in one of these roles, explicitly say so):
    • Helpers
    • Change Agents
    • Rebels
    • Advocates
  3. [8 points, 2 points each] Explain the roles that the chosen non-profit is should be doing in the context of the chosen subproblem in each of the following roles:
    • Helpers
    • Change Agents
    • Rebels
    • Advocates

Your answer to part 3 above

Note that your answer to part 3 above will form the foundation of what your final project will be so think carefully through what you propose your chosen non-profit should be doing.

Part D [30 points]

Tell us how you see generative AI playing a part in the aspect of global inequality chosen by your group.

  1. [15 points] - In D.1, we want to understand how you see Generative AI as being part of the problem.
  2. [15 points] - In D.2, we want to understand how you see Generative AI as being part of the solution.

For both Part D.1 and D.2, a response that receives full credit will:

  • Be coherent and (relatively) comprehensive
  • Include direct references to and uses of concepts covered in the course lecture slides, in particular content from Lectures
  • Include direct references to and uses of concepts covered in course discussions and the associated readings

Part E (No points awarded without this)

Please provide a Team Participation Statement. To receive any credit for the (entire) assignment, the team participation statement should have the following:

  • Information on the specific parts of the assignment that each team member contributed to. This should cover all questions. Note that we do not need significant details, a few sentences should be enough
  • A statement by each team member that expresses their explicit agreement for the above. I.e. something like “I agree that this statement reflects the distribution of work in our group. -Your Name”.

Team Participation Statement does not count towards the page limit

The Team Participation Statement will not count towards the page limit of 3 pages.

Submission Logistics / Grading

  • Deadline: 11:59pm on Friday, March 7th.
  • All submissions must be made on Autolab

Only one person in the group needs to submit this time!

Don’t forget to fill in the peer survey

Don’t forget to the Peer Survey 2, which is due 11:59pm on Monday, March 10th.

Individual Score

Survey Details

Each group member will fill in a survey rating their own and their other group member’s contribution to the impossible project.

Peer Survey

Peer Survey Questions

Each group member will rate their group mates (including themselves) under the four categories below. These scores will then be used to divide the team’s points so that individual students’ survey grades reflect how well they contributed to the overall result. The table below explains what the different numerical values for various categories mean.

Category0 points
(Strongly Disagree)		1 points
(Disagree)		2 points
(Agree)		3 points
(Strongly Agree)
This team member was reliable This team member missed all meetings and did not contribute deliverables This team member missed some meetings and turned in poor quality work While this team member may have missed a meeting, they provided useful contributions This team member was consistently present and prepared, delivering quality work
This team member contributed in a way that respected other group members N/A: This team member did not interact with the group in any capacity This team member was unkind or regularly disagreed disrespectfully This team member was mostly courteous and respectful This team member was always courteous, or made others feel welcomed and valued
This team member was open to feedback and compromise N/A: This team member did not interact with the group in any capacity This team member was unwilling to listen to others and did not compromise This team member often collaborated but could sometimes be dismissive of other viewpoints This team member consistently collaborated and incorporated feedback
This team member's participation was important to the success of the group This team member did not contribute, or contributed in a way that undermined the group This team member contributed but their contributions lacked quality or relevance to the group's success This team member often contributed in a way that advanced the group This team member frequently contributed, or their contributions were essential

Submitting the survey

The peer evaluation survey will have to be filled on https://cse.buffalo.edu/teamwork . You will evaluate yourself and your group mates in all the categories in the final rubric.

You will submit the peer-survey four times. They are due by 11:59pm on the following dates:

DeliverablePeer-Survey Due Date
Group HW 1 February 17
Group HW 2 March 10
Group HW 3 April 7
Finale presentation May 14

The workflow

Here is the workflow for each of the four peer survey submissions:

  1. Between 11:00am three days before the deadline and 11:59pm on deadline date the website above will be ready for you.
  2. Log in with your UB login credentials.
  3. You will then fill in the survey: the website will ask you to evaluate yourself and your group mates.

For what time is the peer survey for?

Since there are multiple peer survey, for each peer survey rate yourself and your group mates for the work done since the last peer survey.

How the individual score will be calculated

Survey part of the Impossible Project grade

Each of your peer survey scores will be converted into a fractional score $\rho\in [0,2]$. We will reveal the exact algorithm after the surveys are submitted but roughly if everyone in the group did equal work (as reflected by the survey responses), then all group members will have $\rho=1$. Otherwise, those that did more work will have a $\rho$ value closer to $2$ and those that did less will have $\rho$ value closer to $0$.

For each of the four submissions, the individual score part of the grade will be calculated as $\rho\cdot$group score.

What if all the individual scores exceed $25\%$ of the grade?

It is possible that the total of all the four indivudual scores in total exceeds $25\%$– the excess will contribute to the Bonus part of the grade.