The History of Computing OpenCourseWare: MIT's Free Online Undergraduate Class on the History of Computing
'The History of Computing,' a free OpenCourseWare presented by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), centers on the use of the computer as a scientific instrument and a historical perspective of this topic. The original course was a class option in several undergraduate degree programs in the Science, Technology and Society Department at MIT.
The History of Computing: Course Specifics
Degree Level | Free | Audio | Video | Downloads |
---|---|---|---|---|
Undergraduate | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Lectures/Notes | Study Materials | Tests/Quizzes |
---|---|---|
No | Yes | No |
The History of Computing: Course Description
Learn about the significance of computing in the field of science in 'The History of Computing,' a free OpenCourseWare offered through MIT. Professor Slava Gerovitch teaches a class that explores the modern day computer and its purpose in completing various tasks in physics, math, humanities, biology and other disciplines. The original seminar class examined participants' memoirs as well as works by historians, anthropologists and historians to provide various viewpoints on computer usage in assorted fields. The ways in which computers changed science as a practice and the ways scientific application impacted the computing culture are examined in the seminar. Scientists' approach to the areas of proof, expertise and discovery are explored throughout the online content. The original course was a class requirement in various Bachelor of Science degree programs in MIT's Department of Science, Technology and Society.
This free OpenCourseWare includes downloadable class assignments, student work examples and sample final papers. To view these course study materials, visit the computing history course page.