CS50's Understanding Technology

Harvard University via edX

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Details

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Provider

edX
Pricing

Free Online Course (Audit)
Languages

English
Duration & workload

6 weeks, 2-6 hours a week
Sessions

On-Demand
Level

Beginner
Subtitles

English

Found in

Part of

CS50's AP® Computer Science Principles

Overview

This is CS50's introduction to technology for students who don’t (yet) consider themselves computer persons. Designed for those who work with technology every day but don’t necessarily understand how it all works underneath the hood or how to solve problems when something goes wrong, this course fills in the gaps, empowering you to use and troubleshoot technology more effectively. Through lectures on hardware, the Internet, multimedia, security, programming, and web development, this course equips you for today’s technology and prepares you for tomorrow’s as well.

Taught by

David J. Malan

Reviews

4.4 rating, based on 15 Class Central reviews

4.5 rating at edX based on 16 ratings

Start your review of CS50's Understanding Technology

Kohei I @Kohei

My main goal of taking CS50T was to build a good foundation to better understand the latest developments in information technology (IT). For example, I wasn’t sure if the artificial intelligence (AI), which is supposed to replace many of our jobs, i…

My main goal of taking CS50T was to build a good foundation to better understand the latest developments in information technology (IT). For example, I wasn’t sure if the artificial intelligence (AI), which is supposed to replace many of our jobs, is a simple extension of programing, which I learned in the early 90s, or not. So, my hope was that this course will help me prepare to demystify the recent leapfrog developments in IT.

This course covered a broad range of topics such as the hardware, internet, multimedia, security, web development and programing. Each topic was discussed in depth with great examples. The lectures were engaging and did an excellent job in explaining the basic ideas behind the technology. After completing this course, I have a better grasp and intuition on IT.

The open book assignments were relatively challenging. A common question was to explain an IT terminology with your own words. Furthermore, the projects on web development using HTML/CSS and programming with Scratch were quite interesting. Our answers were graded by the staff with a rigorous grading system requiring a thorough answer.

One of the problem I found with the course was that we were not provided with correct answers, after receiving a passing grade on each assignment. This was a bit disappointing as learning from our mistakes is an important part of the learning process.

All in all, while the CS50T is an entry level course of the CS50, it was not easy. The lectures went well beyond scratching the surface, by explaining the mechanism behind the technology using plain English. I found the course material very interesting accessible for beginners. So, if you are looking for a course to learn more than how to use IT, CS50T will be a great course for you.
Anonymous

I was under the impression I would be taking a class for a free certificate. Why on earth would I pay 300 for a piece of paper when the class is free? Do they have a magic printer? Don't need gold embossing on my certificate so I'm not sure why it would cost this much.
Anonymous

I am really satisfied about this course and I highly recommend it.

It is well explained and easy to follow for a beginner. Lessons last about an hour and are well organized. They give a useful overview on hardwares, softwares, multimedia, web development and programming and leave you with the desire to discover more about technology. Can't wait to go ahead and enroll to more classes!

I think he is a very good communicator and teacher. He is able to keep you focussed on the object of the lesson with a simple but effective language without redundancies or difficult terms.

Thank you!
Sagar Ladhwani

True to its name, the course was really for beginners. If you've ever had computer science as a subject or have a general understanding of technology, the course material will seem a lot familiar. But, if you are a complete newbie to tech, must go for this course. The way David teaches is quite engaging and you'd really enjoy it.
Babatunde Akande

wow! its very interesting it got everything I was expecting and even gives beyond the course worth the the time...thanks to people behind this
Md. Ranak Ahsan

"CS50's Understanding Technology" is a gem of a course that demystifies the complexities of technology, providing learners with a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental concepts that underpin our digital world.

The course, an offering from the renowned CS50 team, excels in breaking down intricate technological topics into accessible and engaging modules. The instructors' approach is both informative and entertaining, making complex subjects approachable for learners of all backgrounds. This accessibility is especially valuable for those without a strong technical background, as it bridges the gap between novice and expert seamlessly.
Bryan Sanchez Sandoya

It is incredible, you learn a lot and there are specialized guides so that nothing becomes difficult, I recommend it as it is a platform that gives the opportunity to many students from all over the world. Since they have different topics, there are didactic guides where we can support each other, it is a very complete and interesting course.
Anonymous

Some of the technologies that I have does give me some problems but I don't know what's happening to it an it will be a waste if I have to go an pay someone to fix it for me an the problem isn't bad. So with this course it will help me understand some of the technologies properly and give me some ideas on how to fix an technology if there are any problems and this will let me save more money. In the future to come for this skills will let me have a better job and make more money to assist my parents because they did a lot for me when I was growing up so this will be my time to help them. So with this course it will be the best luck I ever have in my life.
Anonymous

I already have brief knowledge of tech. I have already completed googles fundamentals of technology course but I wasn't engaged with it enough which is why I decided to take harvards course as well. I also chose to do this course just because a certificate from harvard would probably look a bit better on my resume too.
Comparing to the google course, this course is great! The prof teaches very well and knows how to keep the student engaged. He also has great analogies that help the student understand better. If you're deciding between this course and the google course. I would recommend both. this harvard course in particular is great if you're a newbie to tech and want to learn the basics in all areas of IT.
May Constance

It is basic. I think the title should be basics to computing instead of understanding technology. This is like understanding what makes your computer works and what are the key items in your computer. When it reached 40+mins I stopped the course. I was expecting briefs to new technology and what functions they may serve.
Anonymous

Perfect place to start for every beginner learning Computer Science. After you finish this course, you can start working on original CS50 and beyond
Anonymous

Best Understanding Technology
found better review and corses
must be more clear than this but is the most better courses
Alex Osei Yeboah

This is a very excellent course to undertake. I'll recommend it to all beginners, intermediate and advanced students and tutors as well to all do well to partake in this course and am sure it will have a positive impact on your life. Thank you all very much
Malik Ahmed

good job
well done
keep it up
what a course
i am happy
what about you
hello
any body there
where are you from
Anonymous

Some of the technologies that I have does give me some problems but I don't know what's happening to it an it will be a waste if I have to go an pay someone to fix it for me an the problem isn't bad. So with this course it will help me understand some of the technologies properly and give me some ideas on how to fix an technology if there are any problems and this will let me save more money. In the future to come for this skills will let me have a better job and make more money to assist my parents because they did a lot for me when I was growing up so this will be my time to help them. So with this course it will be the best luck I ever have in my life.