Below is a detailed lesson plan for **Week 14, Session 1 (Session 27)** of the Prompt Engineering
Specialization course, based on the provided course outline. This session falls under **Part 3: Advanced
Prompt Engineering and Capstone**, specifically within the "Capstone Development" phase. The topic
for this session is **"Refinement and Troubleshooting"**, designed to fit a 1.5-2 hour class duration. The
plan emphasizes hands-on refinement of capstone prototypes, structured troubleshooting, and
collaborative problem-solving to prepare students for their final presentations.
---
### Lesson Plan: Week 14, Session 1 (Session 27)
**Topic**: Refinement and Troubleshooting
**Duration**: 1.5-2 hours (90-120 minutes)
**Date**: Assuming a semester start in late August 2025, this session would occur around early
December 2025 (e.g., December 1, 2025), but aligns with the current date context of February 26, 2025,
if adapted for a different schedule.
**Location**: Classroom or hybrid (in-person with online access to AI platforms)
**Materials Needed**:
- Access to generative AI platforms (e.g., ChatGPT, Grok, or multimodal-capable tools)
- Laptops for students
- Projector/slides for brief intro
- Students’ revised prototypes and homework updates (submitted prior or brought to class)
- Whiteboard or digital collaboration tool (e.g., Miro, Jamboard) for troubleshooting notes
- Handout: "Troubleshooting Guide" (optional, prepared by instructor)
---
### Session Objectives
By the end of this session, students will be able to:
1. Identify and diagnose issues in their capstone prompt systems (e.g., inconsistent outputs, errors).
2. Apply refinement techniques to improve the functionality and reliability of their prototypes.
3. Collaborate with peers to troubleshoot specific challenges in their projects.
4. Plan actionable steps to finalize their capstone for presentation in Week 15.
---
### Session Agenda
#### 1. Warm-Up and Introduction (10-15 minutes)
**Objective**: Review progress and frame the session’s focus.
- **Activity**: Quick reflection (5-7 minutes)
- Ask: "Last session, you built prototypes and got feedback. What’s one improvement you made in your
homework, and what’s still tricky?"
- Invite 2-3 students to share briefly (focus on homework updates).
- **Overview** (5-8 minutes):
- Recap Session 26: Prototyping and peer feedback.
- Set today’s goal: "This is about polishing your projects—fixing bugs, enhancing outputs, and making
them presentation-ready. We’ll troubleshoot together and refine your work."
- Distribute "Troubleshooting Guide" (if used): e.g., “Check context retention, test edge cases, clarify
instructions.”
---
#### 2. Mini-Lecture: Refinement and Troubleshooting Strategies (15-20 minutes)
**Objective**: Equip students with practical tools to improve their projects.
- **Content Breakdown**:
1. **Refinement Basics** (5-7 minutes)
- Goal: Enhance clarity, efficiency, and usability.
- Techniques:
- Simplify prompts for consistency.
- Add validation steps (e.g., “Summarize this output to confirm accuracy”).
- Integrate user-friendly outputs (e.g., formatted text, visuals).
- Example: Turn “Write a story” into “Write a 200-word story with a clear beginning, middle, and end.”
2. **Troubleshooting Common Issues** (7-10 minutes)
- Issues and fixes:
- Inconsistent outputs: Test with varied inputs, tighten instructions.
- Context loss: Use multi-step handoffs (e.g., “Refer to the previous answer”).
- Errors/hallucinations: Add constraints (e.g., “Stick to facts, no speculation”).
- Process: Test → Diagnose → Adjust → Retest.
3. **Preparing for Presentation** (3-5 minutes)
- Tips: Ensure it’s demoable (works live), document process, anticipate questions.
- **Delivery**:
- Slides with before/after prompt examples (e.g., vague vs. refined).
- Quick poll: “What’s the biggest issue you’re facing right now?” (e.g., raise hands for “consistency” or
“errors”).
---
#### 3. Hands-On Refinement: Improving Prototypes (40-45 minutes)
**Objective**: Apply refinement and troubleshooting to capstone projects.
- **Setup** (5 minutes):
- Explain: “Use the next 35-40 minutes to refine your prototype based on your homework and today’s
strategies. Focus on fixing one major issue and enhancing one strength.”
- Encourage use of course skills (e.g., multimodal inputs, automation).
- **Task**: "Refine and Test Your System" (35-40 minutes)
- Steps:
1. **Identify Issues** (10-15 minutes): Review prototype outputs, note problems (e.g., “Quiz answers
are too vague”).
2. **Refine Prompts** (15-20 minutes): Adjust prompts or add steps (e.g., “Provide concise, 20-word
answers”).
3. **Retest** (5-10 minutes): Run the updated system, record improvements or new issues.
- Deliverable: A more polished prototype (e.g., updated prompt sequence, sample outputs).
- **Tools**:
- Students use AI platforms to test changes.
- Optional: Scripting tools for automation (if applicable).
- **Support**: Instructor circulates to help diagnose issues (e.g., “Let’s test this with an edge case”) or
suggest enhancements (e.g., “Could you add a data input here?”).
---
#### 4. Peer Troubleshooting: Collaborative Problem-Solving (25-30 minutes)
**Objective**: Leverage group wisdom to tackle specific challenges.
- **Setup** (5 minutes):
- Form pairs or small groups (2-3 students each).
- Instructions: “Share one specific issue you’re still facing. Spend 5-7 minutes per person
troubleshooting together—suggest fixes and test if time allows.”
- **Activity**: Troubleshooting Rounds (20-25 minutes)
- Each student:
- Presents: Describe the issue (e.g., “My AI tutor gives inconsistent quiz questions”) and show an
example (2-3 minutes).
- Gets help: Group brainstorms solutions (e.g., “Add a prompt to standardize format”) and tests if
feasible (3-4 minutes).
- Notes: Jot down ideas to implement later.
- Rotate based on group size (e.g., 2 rounds in pairs).
- **Tools**: Whiteboard or digital tool for groups to sketch solutions.
- **Support**: Instructor joins groups to guide troubleshooting (e.g., “Try breaking this into two steps”).
---
#### 5. Wrap-Up and Homework Assignment (10-15 minutes)
- **Summary** (5-7 minutes):
- Recap: “You’ve refined your prototypes and tackled key issues—now it’s about final polish and
documentation.”
- Preview next session: “Next time, we’ll finalize your projects and prep for presentations.”
- **Homework** (5-8 minutes):
- Task: “Implement feedback from today. Finalize your prompt system (fully functional) and draft a 1-2
page report section on your design process (e.g., problem, solution, challenges). Bring both next
session.”
- Due: Next session (Week 14, Session 28).
- Submission: Upload to course platform.
---
### Teaching Strategies
- **Practical Focus**: Refinement time prioritizes actionable progress.
- **Collaborative Support**: Peer troubleshooting fosters shared problem-solving.
- **Iterative Approach**: Emphasis on test-and-adjust builds resilience.
- **Preparation**: Links refinements to presentation readiness.
---
### Assessment
- **Participation (10% of grade)**: Engagement in refinement and troubleshooting.
- **Homework (part of Capstone 40%)**: Prototype and report draft graded for progress and clarity
(rubric: 1-5 points, formative feedback).
---
### Potential Adjustments
- **If Time Is Short**: Shorten peer troubleshooting to 15-20 minutes (one round).
- **If Students Struggle**: Provide a troubleshooting template (e.g., “Issue, Test, Fix”) during mini-
lecture.
- **For Advanced Students**: Challenge them to automate testing (e.g., script multiple inputs).
---
This lesson plan advances students’ capstone projects by focusing on refinement and troubleshooting,
ensuring they’re on track for polished, functional deliverables in Week 15. It balances individual work
with peer support, preparing them for the final push. Let me know if you’d like to adjust the
troubleshooting focus, add more examples, or tweak any section!
