The sessions are usually recorded
I usually record the sessions, so a student who misses a class can watch it later. Treat it as a safety net for a class you genuinely cannot attend, not as the main way to take the course.
The Recordings Are Not the Course
I usually record the sessions so that a student who misses a class can watch it later. But treat the recording as a safety net, not the reason to enroll: the real value of the course is in the room, not in the playback.
Where the value actually is
Why the lectures are the least important part, and when the course is not a fit.
Watching the lectures is the least important part
Most of the material can also be found on YouTube, Coursera, elsewhere online, or through AI tools. The lectures are useful, but they are not where the course’s unique value lives.
The value comes from interaction
Asking questions, presenting your project’s progress, discussing ideas, and receiving feedback. That exchange happens live, with me and with your peers, and a recording cannot give it back to you.
You present in class three times
Every project group is required to present in class three times during the semester: the project proposal, the midterm progress, and the final presentation.
Reconsider if you mainly plan to watch the recordings
If your plan is mostly to watch the Zoom recordings, this may not be the right course for you. You would miss much of its value while still investing the full effort the project demands.