Is there any open courseware available for online computer science courses?

There is a ton of free and open online computer science courses available and all you need to access them is a decent Internet connection. One of the best resources for open courseware that provides a wide assortment of the best computer science classes online is iTunes U. If you have a computer that can run the free iTunes software you can download hundreds of hours of computer science courses.

Several universities offer open courseware in computer science on iTunes U and other platforms, the most extensive of which is MIT Open Courseware, which offers online computer science classes in computer science and programming, electrical engineering, circuits and electronics and over a dozen different programming languages.

University of Southern Maine offers a comprehensive course in computer networks, including network security and applications. Stanford University also offers several open courseware computer science courses online, including “Developing Apps for iOS”, “Programming Methodology” and “Machine Learning”.

Finally, Utah State University’s OpenCourseWare program offers top computer science online courses for free in several subjects, including “Information Theory”, as part of its electrical and computer engineering department.

What blogs or other online resources might be useful in my computer science courses?

Whether you are enrolled in accredited online classes for computer science or studying at a traditional university, you will have access to nearly unlimited online resources that will supplement the on-campus or online computer science course you are taking. These include open courseware, blogs, podcasts and online magazines focusing on computer science.

One such resource is CompuCast, a free podcast for computer scientists or anyone interested in computer science topics such as programming languages, the Internet, computer viruses and robotics, to name just a few.

There are also many blogs related to computer science. One very popular blog called Blown to Bits is run by several computer science and IT professionals and professors. The blog covers a wide range of topics and is meant as much for the layman interested in computers as for computer science professionals. The blog has even inspired a book of the same name that examines the impact of the digital revolution on society.

Another blog run by a computer science professional and teacher is Daniel Lemire’s blog. A Canadian computer science professor, Lemire explores a variety of computer science topics and makes them accessible to students.

What magazines or journals can I read while I study in my offline or online computer science classes?

Though a computer science online course is likely to feature a current curriculum, it is always best to supplement your online or on-campus computer science classes by reading relevant magazines and journals to stay on top of emerging research and trends. While an on-campus or online computer science class can teach you the fundamentals of the field, magazines and journals will show you how your knowledge can be applied.

One of the leading computer science magazines is Computerworld, which is geared toward those in computer science and IT. It is published every 2 weeks and covers topics such as leading IT companies and new computing technology.

A popular magazine covering computer science is PC Magazine. Though geared toward a wider audience, PC Magazine discusses a range of topics in computer science, robotics and IT.

If you are specializing in Apple computing, there are several magazines geared specifically toward Mac users and professionals, including Macworld and MacUser.

Once you finish taking computer science online classes, you will probably be looking for computer science jobs. You can get a head start on this process by reading specialty magazines written for computer science professionals, which often include job openings and contacts to leading professionals in the field. An example of this type of publication is the Cutter IT Journal, formerly known as American Programmer.