Ever wondered what, exactly, an IP address is, or how wireless internet works?
Code.org, a nonprofit that focuses on expanding access to computer science courses, wants to help: The organization released a six-part series of short, very clear videos this month in which tech leaders and experts describe how the Internet works.
The videos go along with Computer Science Principles, a course being piloted by Code.org that will be released as a new Advanced Placement course in 2016.
But the videos are online now, and Code.org says they’re intended to be used in classrooms across the country or just by anyone who wants a clear explanation of Internet operations. This installment, for instance, describes how songs and photos are encoded:
Contrast that explanation to this less-informative answer from a ‘90s “Today Show” video on the topic:
Code.org is responsible for a number of computer science education initiatives, including Computer Science Education Week. In late 2014, the organization pledged to prepare 25,000 teachers to teach computer science by the fall of 2016.
Computer science is having a moment:
- New Federal Law Means Computer Science Is Officially Part of STEM
- New Advanced Placement Computer Science Course Planned for 2016