Free online class offered by MITx
sup kids, take this class with me (or not, just check it out):
https://www.edx.org/courses/MITx/6.00x/2012_Fall/about
ABOUT 6.00X
Introduction to Computer Science and Programming
6.00x is an introduction to using computation to solve real problems. The course is aimed at students with little or no prior programming experience who have a desire (or at least a need) to understand computational approaches to problem solving. Some of the people taking the course will use it as a stepping stone to more advanced computer science courses, but for many, it will be their first and last computer science course.
Since the course will be the only formal computer science course many of the students take, we have chosen to focus on breadth rather than depth. The goal is to provide students with a brief introduction to many topics so they will have an idea of what is possible when they need to think about how to use computation to accomplish some goal later in their career. That said, it is not a “computation appreciation” course. It is a challenging and rigorous course in which the students spend a lot of time and effort learning to bend the computer to their will.
Those who earn a passing grade will get an honor code certificate from MITx. Please see the edX FAQ for more information about certificates.
A textbook for 6.00x is now available for purchase ($24.99) - expect the book to take at least 10 days to arrive (North America; rest of the world may take longer). The book and the course lectures parallel each other, though there is more detail in the book about some topics. The book is NOT required. We will not be referring to it in assignments or depending upon it to cover holes in the lectures. If you choose not to purchase this book, you will probably find it useful to buy or borrow another book that covers Python - you might check your local public library’s resources, or search online for a free Python text, such as this one.
