Major Curriculum Updates with Chris

In this session, we covered three big updates happening at Launch School.

First, we introduced the new LSBot feature, which provides code reviews for exercies to help fill in support gaps. Chris touches on interesting questions surrounding both LSBot and AI in general, like if LSBot is intended to replace human TAs.

Next, we talked about the shift away from written assessments. Instead, students will now complete quizzes and interview-style assessments, to better prepare for real-world interviews and to adapt to the rise of AI tools. This also brings up the discussion of how AI will change the culture around getting jobs as SWEs.

Finally, we explained the split of the JS230 course into two separate courses: one focused on DOM manipulation, and the other on asynchronous JavaScript. These two courses will make the material more approachable, and the assessment course, JS239, will cover content from both.

We also touched on the future — including the possibility of adding AI education like prompt engineering into the curriculum — and encouraged students to view AI as a positive learning tool rather than something to be skeptical of.