Black Friday 2024: 25+ Ways to Save on Online Learning

Class Central is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Stanford University

Computer Science 101

Stanford University via Coursera

Go to class Write review

This course may be unavailable.

Overview

Save Big on Coursera Plus. 7,000+ courses at $160 off. Limited Time Only!
Grab it

UPDATE: we're doing a live, updated MOOC of this course at stanford-online July-2014 (not this Coursera version). See here: http://cs101.class.stanford.edu/

CS101 teaches the essential ideas of Computer Science for a zero-prior-experience audience. Computers can appear very complicated, but in reality, computers work within just a few, simple patterns. CS101 demystifies and brings those patterns to life, which is useful for anyone using computers today.

In CS101, students play and experiment with short bits of "computer code" to bring to life to the power and limitations of computers. Everything works within the browser, so there is no extra software to download or install. CS101 also provides a general background on computers today: what is a computer, what is hardware, what is software, what is the internet. No previous experience is required other than the ability to use a web browser.

Here is another video Nick created for this class.

Syllabus

CS101 topics are covered with a mixture of video lecture and active lab work, all in the browser:

  • The nature of computers and code, what they can and cannot do
  • How computer hardware works: chips, cpu, memory, disk
  • Necessary jargon: bits, bytes, megabytes, gigabytes
  • How software works: what is a program, what is "running"
  • How digital images work
  • Computer code: loops and logic
  • Big ideas: abstraction, logic, bugs
  • How structured data works
  • How the internet works: ip address, routing, ethernet, wi-fi
  • Computer security: viruses, trojans, and passwords, oh my!
  • Analog vs. digital
  • Digital media, images, sounds, video, compression

Taught by

Nick Parlante

Tags

Reviews

4.1 rating, based on 23 Class Central reviews

Start your review of Computer Science 101

  • Anonymous
    I finished the course in February 2014. I completed one "week" lecture per day over the last six days. I spend about 2-3 hours per lessons. I already knew a lot about computers before taking this course, since I am using them for over 15 years now.…
  • Audrey Watters
    The Coursera class felt very much like a traditional lecture-based class, just one broadcast online. Indeed, some of the videos were Professor Parlante’s lectures at Stanford, although most of them involved him talking into the camera, sharing a split-screen with his lecture notes.

    It covered a lot of fundamentals: bytes, bits, networking, security, variables, strings, Boolean logic. It tied these concepts to manipulating images, sound, and spreadsheets. It covered a lot of material over the 6 weeks.
  • Jose Leal
    I was a complete beginner and this class guided me in a gentle way into the world of programming. The professor does an excellent job of explaining complicated topics in easy to understand terms. If you are a beginner and need a class that is easy to understand and comprehend you must take this class. The professor is excellent.
  • Anonymous
    This class is an introduction to how computer works, if you want to learn programming it's probably not the right class for you. Wasn't exactly what i was looking for, but the teacher is great and material is well presented that's why i'm giving it 4 stars
  • Anonymous
    This is a great introduction to how computers work. As another reviewer noted, this is not really a programming course. It's a very basic introduction to computing concepts. That said, there are some concepts that are presented in a new and interesting manner. Plus, the instructor is great!
  • Profile image for Diana Jackson
    Diana Jackson
    I'm not sure this site is even still working as it is now November 2017. There appears to be no feedback or anyone on line to help with issues.
  • Profile image for Bobby Brady
    Bobby Brady @bob
  • Michael
  • Anonymous
  • Paul Hendrix Trusty
  • John Walsh
  • Anonymous
  • Profile image for Lisa Miller
    Lisa Miller
  • Christopher Pitt
  • Juliano Ignacio
  • Sajid Zaman
  • Dennis B. Mendiola
  • Profile image for Raul Souza
    Raul Souza
  • Shaun Manuel
  • Profile image for Ashlynn Pai
    Ashlynn Pai
Go to class

Never Stop Learning.

Get personalized course recommendations, track subjects and courses with reminders, and more.

Sign up for free
Someone learning on their laptop while sitting on the floor.