History of Computing

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• The commercial, political and social contexts that have shaped the development of the computer
• The impact of computing on society
• Major technological developments in computing and information technology

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Define and develop a research topic on the history of computing

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Communicate effectively with technical and non-technical audiences in both written and oral form
• Locate and analyse appropriate sources of information in order to develop and support a small research project
• Lead group discussions effectively

• Early calculation tools
• Mechanical computing from Pascal to Zuse
• Analogue computing from Kelvin to MONIAC
• Theoretical foundations: Gödel, Turing and Church
• The development of the electronic computer
• The evolution of computer networking
• The evolution of desktop computing
• Information management from Dewey to the Web
• Computers and commerce
• Computers in aeronautics and defence
• Computers and education
• Computer culture
• Artificial intelligence
• The gendering of computing

The content of this module is delivered through lectures, the module website, directed reading and pre-recorded materials.

Students work on their understanding through a combination of independent study and preparation for timetabled activities, along with formative assessments in the form of coursework assignments.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.