Bits & Bytes - Getting the Concepts Down
Among the beginning materials at the Beginner Developer Learning Center are the Bits & Bytes series of lessons. These lessons which can be read online or listened to as audio files (you can download both text and audio if you want) introduce some of the most basic and important concepts in computer science - no programming required.
- Bits & Bytes: Lesson 1 Problem Solving in Life and Technology
Introduction to Programming Concepts – Understanding problem solving patterns and strategies is the first step to computer program design and development. - Bits & Bytes: Lesson 2 Things, Things, and More Things
Introduction to Programming Concepts – How do we represent the complexity of real-world situations to a computer? This lesson will introduce the idea of Object Oriented Design. - Bits & Bytes: Lesson 3 The Data Game
Introduction to Programming Concepts – This lesson will explore how computers process and store data. - Bits & Bytes: Lesson 4 Computer IQ
Introduction to Programming Concepts – How do computers "think" and make decisions? This lesson will answer this question and see just how "smart" computers actually are. - Bits & Bytes: Lesson 5 Life before Mice
Introduction to Programming Concepts – This lesson explores human-computer interaction and the concept of graphical user interfaces (GUI). You'll learn some best practices for designing GUI applications.
I think these lessons would be good in a computer concepts/literacy course or as starters in a computer programming class. In fact they are probably good for someone who just wants a clue as to what this computer programming stuff is all about. Highly recommended.
[Note: Edited to correct links.]