Take UNSW Computing 1 with Richard Buckland online for free, starting soon!

[skyrockets1530]

Hi All,

UNSW Computing will be running a university level computing course online for high school students starting on October 15th. It includes lectures from famous lecturer Richard Buckland, goes for 12 weeks and will give you a taste of what it's like to be a developer / software engineer.

Full description is here: https://www.openlearning.com/courses/unsw/computing1

It's free and no computing experience is required but the course will move quickly and promises to be a lot of fun. I'm working with UNSW and Richard to put the course together, feel free to let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks

[Beaconite]

is that you in the DP?

[skyrockets1530]

Yes, although to be fair it is a much younger me.

[Beaconite]

Yes, although to be fair it is a much younger me.

What nash are you? I think I know you .... not sure though

[skyrockets1530]

Italian, Spanish, Dutch and French. That won't be relevant to the Computing course, but I highly recommend taking the course anyway

[Beaconite]

Italian, Spanish, Dutch and French. That won't be relevant to the Computing course, but I highly recommend taking the course anyway

lol I am not doing Software Eng anyways

[MrBrightside]

Italian, Spanish, Dutch and French. That won't be relevant to the Computing course, but I highly recommend taking the course anyway

Nice post, and nice mix of backgrounds Looks like a basic introduction course to programming. Should be great for any beginners out there.

*I highly recommend trying it out if you're planning to take a degree or do any further study in IT, comp sci, software/comp/telecom/ICT engineering.

[SpiralFlex]

I heard lots of good things about Mr Buckland. I believe he uses the forum.

[D94]

I recommend doing this if you have any remote interest in programming or know a bit about C. Richard is fantastic, very engaging, even via YT! If you intend on doing engineering, it will count towards your degree so I guess that means you'll be doing 1 less course during your time at uni (as in after high school).

[skyrockets1530]

Thanks Mr Brightside, SpiralFlex and D94, it's shaping up to be a really cool course. Richard has some of his older lecturers on youtube but this is the first time you'll be able to do the activities and interact with other people.

Just to clarify, this is a special version of the first year computing course so it probably won't count towards your degree. But if you really enjoy it and do well, then you can contact UNSW COMPUTING and they might be able to do something.

[D94]

Thanks Mr Brightside, SpiralFlex and D94, it's shaping up to be a really cool course. Richard has some of his older lecturers on youtube but this is the first time you'll be able to do the activities and interact with other people.

Just to clarify, this is a special version of the first year computing course so it probably won't count towards your degree. But if you really enjoy it and do well, then you can contact UNSW COMPUTING and they might be able to do something.

Is this the HS1917?

[SpiralFlex]

Will he be teaching Python?

[Shazer2]

Will he be teaching Python?

C, I believe.

[SpiralFlex]

Haven't touched C yet, should be fun.

[Shazer2]

Haven't touched C yet, should be fun.

It's pretty hard stuff.

[SpiralFlex]

It's pretty hard stuff.

Sounds fun then.

[skyrockets1530]

Nah this is different. HS1917 is the full semester computing 1 course where you have to attend tutorials and labs at UNSW, then take the exam in person at UNSW. This course covers half the content in the same amount of time, so it moves at a slower pace. It's also completely online and anyone can enrol and try it out. If you do well in this online course then you'll be well placed to go on and complete HS1917 / COMP1917 (as it's called at uni).

[D94]

Ah, makes sense now. Yeah, this seems like a good place to begin for those intending on doing computing/engineering degrees, and are somewhat interested in programming.

[skyrockets1530]

Ah, makes sense now. Yeah, this seems like a good place to begin for those intending on doing computing/engineering degrees, and are somewhat interested in programming.

Yea the entire course can be a bit full on (although still exciting). This one will still teach you a lot and have some cool activities but you can do it in 5 hours a week or even at your own pace.

[kaz1]

Yeah I hear all my CSE friends always saying good things about Richard Buckland. Definetly worth it if you are interested in doing a computer degree.

[karnbmx]

can you join on a date later than october 15th?

[skyrockets1530]

can you join on a date later than october 15th?

Part of the fun of this course is that you are taking it with lots of other people and you'll form a community and help each other. For that to work well, everyone needs to go at reasonably the same pace. If it goes well then we'll look to run it again and more regularly but you can always drop in and do the activities when you have time.

I'd recommend enrolling in it now and then keeping an eye on it until you more time to spend on it.

[karnbmx]

Part of the fun of this course is that you are taking it with lots of other people and you'll form a community and help each other. For that to work well, everyone needs to go at reasonably the same pace. If it goes well then we'll look to run it again and more regularly but you can always drop in and do the activities when you have time.

I'd recommend enrolling in it now and then keeping an eye on it until you more time to spend on it.

I am really interested, but I am busy with HSC exams during that time (15th October to 6th November). I understand it is a long time, and a LOT of material would be covered by then, but I would still be willing in getting a head start on a course that I will eventually end up doing in uni (I want to do Engineering next year).

[skyrockets1530]

I am really interested, but I am busy with HSC exams during that time (15th October to 6th November). I understand it is a long time, and a LOT of material would be covered by then, but I would still be willing in getting a head start on a course that I will eventually end up doing in uni (I want to do Engineering next year).

Cool, obviously the HSC is the thing to focus on. There is no requirement that you have to finish it at the same time as everyone else and you'll be able to access the course long after everyone else has finished.

So you could actually enrol and just start when you finish the HSC - so it might take you 12 weeks from Nov 6th instead of from October 15. It's pretty flexible, being free and online and all

[Demise]

Something I'm really interested in. People were saying that this means you don't enter a course next year if you finish this, is that true?

Also, funnily enough I'm also doing the free Harvard Intro to Comp Sci over the holidays, same with this. Hopefully it'll give me a boost for next year.