Computing History

Catalog description

This course will start with the abacus and ancient stories of machines and will take students through mechanical and electronic computers to the fields of modern computing such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing. While the focus of the course is the technology, the social forces and techno-cultural innovations that shaped the field will also be discussed as critical context to the technology development. Learners will learn about developments in hardware, software, and design through lectures, case studies, guest speakers, media, and hands-on experimentation. Opportunities to deeply explore areas of personal interest are provided at several points throughout the class. Applied AI Integration: This course meets or exceeds MSOE’s Applied AI Integration guidelines for sufficient coverage of Social Responsibility.