Welcome to CS101: Introduction to Computer Science I

Specific information about this course and its requirements can be found below. For more general information about taking Saylor Academy courses, including information about Community and Academic Codes of Conduct, please read the Student Handbook.

Course Description

Explore the basic concepts, nomenclature, and historical perspective of computers and computing, and principles of software development and Object-Oriented Programming.

Course Introduction

[p]This course will introduce you to the field of computer science and the fundamentals of computer programming. CS101 is specifically designed for students with no prior programming experience and touches upon a variety of fundamental topics. This course uses Java to demonstrate those topics. Java is a high-level, portable, and well-constructed computer programming language developed by Sun Microsystems (now Oracle).[/p] [p]We begin this course with a brief history of software development and show how human thought and computer programming are related. We build upon these general concepts to cover object-oriented programming terminology such as objects, classes, inheritance, and polymorphism. During this process, we use Java to show how those fundamentals are implemented in a real programming language. We do this by demonstrating Java's primitive data types, relational operators, control statements, exception handling, and file input/output.[/p] [p]By the end of the course, you will understand the basics of computer science and the Java programming language. The principles you learn here will be developed further as you progress through the computer science discipline.[/p]

This course includes the following units:

Unit 1: Introduction; Unit 2: Object-Oriented Programming; Unit 3: Java in Practice; Unit 4: Relational and Logical Operators in Java; Unit 5: Control Structures; Unit 6: User-Defined Methods; Unit 7: Arrays; Unit 8: Java I/O and Exception Handling;

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

[1] describe the history of computing. [2] describe fundamental hardware and software concepts. [3] describe how computers enable the application of human logic. [4] explain how the JVM translates Java code into executable code. [5] explain Object-Oriented Programming concepts such as objects, classes, inheritance, and polymorphism. [6] write simple programs using basic Java concepts. [7] describe and use primitive data types in Java. [8] describe and use logical and relational operators and compare Boolean expressions. [9] explain and use various control structures such as methods, decision statements, and loops. [10] use the Java input/output class hierarchy to read and write data to and from external files. [11] use the exception handling mechanism.

Throughout this course, you will also see learning outcomes in each unit. You can use those learning outcomes to help organize your studies and gauge your progress.

Course Materials

The primary learning materials for this course are articles, lectures, and videos.

All course materials are free to access and can be found in each unit of the course. Pay close attention to the notes that accompany these course materials, as they will tell you what to focus on in each resource and will help you understand how the learning materials fit into the course as a whole. You can also see a list of all the learning materials in this course by clicking on Resources in the navigation bar.

Evaluation and Minimum Passing Score

Only the final examination is considered when awarding you a grade for this course. To pass this course, you will need to earn 70% or higher on the final exam. The exam will be password-protected and requires a proctor.

Your score on the exam will be calculated as soon as you complete it. There is a 14 days waiting period between each attempt. You may only attempt the final exam a maximum of 3 times. Be sure to study in between each attempt! If you do not pass the exam after 3 attempts, you will not complete this course.

There is also a practice exam that you may take as many times as you want to help you prepare for the final exam. The course also contains end-of-unit assessments in this course. The end-of-unit assessments are designed to help you study and do not factor into your final course grade. You can take these as many times as you want to until you understand the concepts and material covered. You can see all of these assessments by clicking on Quizzes in the course's navigation bar.

Tips for Success

CS101: Introduction to Computer Science I is a self-paced course, meaning you can decide when to start and complete the course. We estimate the "average" student will take 52 hours to complete. We recommend studying at a comfortable pace and scheduling your study time in advance.

Learning new material can be challenging, so here are a few study strategies to help you succeed:

  • Take notes on terms, practices, and theories. This helps you understand each concept in context and provides a refresher for later study.
  • Test yourself on what you remember and how well you understand the concepts. Reflecting on what you've learned improves long-term memory retention.

Technical Requirements

This course is delivered entirely online. You will need access to a computer or web-capable mobile device and consistent internet access to view or download resources and complete auto-graded assessments and the final exam.

To access the full course, including assessments and the final exam, log into your Saylor Academy account and enroll in the course. If you don’t have an account, you can create one for free here. Note that tracking progress and taking assessments require login.

For additional guidance, check out Saylor Academy's FAQ.

Optional Saylor Academy Mobile App

You can access all course features directly from your mobile browser, but if you have limited internet connectivity, the Saylor Academy mobile app provides an option to download course content for offline use. The app is available for iOS and Android devices.

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Fees

This course is entirely free to enroll in and access. All course materials, including textbooks, videos, webpages, and activities, are available at no charge. This course also contains a free final exam and course completion certificate.

Last modified: Wednesday, 6 November 2024, 9:57 PM