Peer Review

Computer Science

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Jan 6, 2022 by Computer Science

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:

This course is based on introductory college-level material as well as the AP Computer Science Principles guidelines. By the end of this course, you will be able to: (1) Outline the history of computers and the design decisions that gave us modern computers. (2) Describe the basic elements of programming and software. (3) Identify the basic components of computer hardware and what they do. (4) Describe how computers are used and how that has evolved over time. (5) Appreciate how far computers have come and how far they might take us.

Type of Material:

Video presentations

Recommended Uses:

Self-paced introduction to basic concepts in computer science.

Technical Requirements:

Web browser with video media capability and YouTube access.

Identify Major Learning Goals:

Upon the completion of this OER, the learner will be able to:

describe some basic concepts of computer science;
explain some common terminlogies in computer science;
describe the use computer science technology in daily life.

Target Student Population:

Junior undergraduate students.

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

Basic computer knowledge

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: The content is very comprehensive and informative. There are 40 videos, covering a lot of different areas in computer science like basic computer components, networks, programming, machine learning etc. The videos are professional and of high quality. The information is quite fundamental and it can largely raise learners' interest to computer science. According to YouTube, there are over 10 million views as well as 10 million subscribers to the channel. The content quality can be reflected by these statistics.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:

Strengths:

The episodes are categorized into different topics with different learning objectives. It is easy for learners to choose a particular topic and learn the content. It can effectively help learners to acquire the concept and understand different terminologies used in computer science. As the duration of each video is around 10 minutes, the videos are well-suited for playing in a lecture to complement other teaching materials. Furthermore, they provide good reference for students (e.g., watching after a class).

In summary, the following key points highlight the effectiveness:

High-level and detailed outlines provided
Modality is appealing to some learners
Visualizations promote conceptual understanding

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:

Strengths:

As YouTube videos, learners can watch the videos through a web browser or a mobile phone. In other words, it is relatively easy to use. For example, learners can learn some interesting computing concepts anywhere and anytime. The videos are interesting and visually appealing.

In summary, the following key points highlight the ease of use:

Standard YouTube medium
Material is divided into identified units
Interesting and visual appealing

Other Issues and Comments:

It does not provide any interaction and practise. It is suggested that a better label such as "Crash Course Computer Science" (instead of Computer Science) be used.

Creative Commons: