Onlines courses through Coursera

I think Riceme mentioned this a while back, but I thought I'd throw it out there again. Coursera has some really good course offerings online. They are all free, unless you want to sign up for their "signature track", which permits you to display, via a website, the transcription of all of the courses you have completed to a potential employer.

I'm not interested in college credit or employment. I'm just in it for the fun of learning. I'll be taking a course in program design starting on June 3.

https://www.coursera.org/course/programdesign

Thank you! What a great idea!

Yeah, Coursera was listed as one of the top 50 websites of 2012... I posted it in the computer section and I noted Coursera was particularly one of the particularly cool ones.

Yep, I thought it was you, Riceme! Neko, have you checked out their courses? They have some excellent offerings. The list of participating institutions is impressive, too.

I was all signed up to take a course in computer networking last winter, but I wasn't able to complete it due to work. I plan to take it again in October.

I've always wanted to learn programming, even on a basic level. This is a bucket list thingy for me. I'm hoping Coursera will eventually offer an advanced course on HTML/CSS/HTML5.

Coursera is offering an intriguing course about malicious programming, but you have to have some programming experience before you take it.

I did look through some of them. They offer a pretty wide range of subjects.

I keep adding links to places like this, but I'm afraid my attention span is too short to stick to taking an online course. I WILL sit through tutorials on how to take photos with my camera, tutorials on how to use software I purchased and tutorials on how to do something that I really want to do.

I never did real well in school and probably have ADD.

I'm not going to delete the links to online courses, because I have the greatest of intentions to broaden my knowledge... but my attention is easily diverted... wazzat? Squirrel?

Hahahahaha!!! That's what hubby says about me. He's probably right, too.

I tried to take a course on HTML5 that I found online, but there were no deadlines. It was a course for those who are totally self-motivated. I have to have deadlines, or I don't function well. The only exception to this was the self-studying I did on HTML and website development way back in '98. I was so immersed in that for about six months that I didn't do much else.

The good thing about the Coursera classes is you have homework to do every week as well as a midterm and a final exam. Also, there is a forum for each individual class. That will keep me motivated and engaged.....I hope. Unless a butterfly flits past my window, then all is lost.

Anyhow, I've downloaded the appropriate software and I'm set to go. In truth, the forums for the class are already lighting up with good info. I think this will be fun!

I am interested in how it goes for you.

Particularly, what useful stuff will you be able to do at course completion that you couldn't do before.

Eric wrote:

I am interested in how it goes for you.

Particularly, what useful stuff will you be able to do at course completion that you couldn't do before.

Oh heck, didn't you know? I'm going to compose my own computer language. Heard of C++? Mine will be PB++. I shall become rich and famous.

Cool article!

How and Why to Teach Your Kids to Code
http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/how-why-teach-your-kids-code-6C10153222

In the early 1980's I wrote a simple program in Atari-Basic that made a Marquis-like effect with lights blinking at the perimeter of the screen. I had a small video editing business going and used it to enhance intros and such.

When I saved the file, it took up more space than the DOS that came with the Atari. Of course, the DOS was compiled and my program was not... but I was amazed at how big my little program was when compared to the DOS.

That Atari booted from a 5.25" floppy. No hard drive. Forty-eight K RAM.

The only work I've ever done on computers is website development, and that was 14 years ago. This coding and program development thing is entirely new to me.

My class officially starts tomorrow. I'm going to go in today and see if I can get a head start on the videos.

I am soooo disappointed. The class information clearly stated a strong background in mathematics was not necessary, yet the first set of videos deal with algebraic functions. It has been decades since I've been exposed to algebra. Bummer. I can't even do the first assignments.

It may be I won't be able to complete this course, but I'm trying. Ugh. I hate math.

Aww, I'm so sorry to hear that, PB.

While Algebra is not considered to be a "strong" mathematical background, if you don't use it, you lose it. I am a perfect example of that... I have a minor in Mathematics, but I probably couldn't struggle through the quadratic equation at this point (which is pretty embarrassing to me) because I have never used math since I graduated.

Work is very slow for me right now (thank you, US Government!), so if you want to you can email me some of your problems and we can struggle through it together. I would love to try to exercise my mathematical muscle. Not promising I can help, but would love to try.

I was all mixed up by the end of the first set of videos.

Instructor: "As you know, this cancels this, and that cancels that, and this paren (that's what he calls parentheses) means do this first with this number and then use that one, and then you will come up the correct number for the answer. This will help you learn how to program."

PB: "Whhhaaa......?????"

I was lost. I may hit it again tomorrow. I still remember how hard algebra was for me in junior high, followed by geometry. I studied really hard and did get good grades, but it was tough for me.

Finally, when I was in my mid-20s, I took a college Algebra class at PJC in Milton. The instructor, Mr. Sanders, made it all so easy! For the first time, I understood algebra. But that was 34 years ago.

Thanks for the offer of help, Riceme. If I can get past this first week, I may make it. We shall see!

I know what you mean, Ricey. My minor is in chemistry (Biology major), and I remember very little about chemistry.

I was even a manager of DEP's chemistry lab, but it was more of a personnel manager thing. Hell, I had a chemistry supervisor that was a Mensa nerd. He didn't need me in there gettin' in the way. At the same time, I was manager over the Biology Lab and managed enforcement for Industrial and Domestic Waste programs, so I stayed busy.

My son Shaun is an electrician and he wasn't into school, but he sure appreciates math now.