It absolutely has occurred to me that I'm not the target audience. That said, I still think there's a problem with the course in as much as I don't agree with the method selected.
In other words, CS50 is probably great if it is the one and only course a new person would take. This is due to the broad focus on so many concepts.
However, if it is the first out of many courses, I would not choose such broad focus. I would (and have done many times) create a curriculum based on the student's needs and desires.
That's why I don't like CS50. It's not because I'm not the target audience necessarily, it's that CS50 is overhyped and, in my humble opinion, not suited to be the first course for serious self learners.
By not suited, I mean that there are a number of specifications on Coursera that are a) also free, and b) will lead one better to the goal if the goal is known (which is where most newbies need a mentor). I do not mean that CS50 is unsuitable; I mean that it is suboptimal. In my experience, that is.
Thanks for the substantive reply! It's good to get a different perspective.
I think you may be right about it being suboptimal for self learners. It was, after all, not really designed for that. I disagree that the breadth of the course is a flaw.
One major problem I consistently see with self-taught individuals (including myself before college) is that they have major blind spots, places where they don't know what they don't know. A broad introductory course that intentionally doesn't restrict itself to topics the student is already interested in is the best way I know to quickly turn those unknown unknowns into known unknowns. Whether or not the student chooses to fill those gaps in later with further courses, they'll be better for knowing where the gaps are.
In other words, CS50 is probably great if it is the one and only course a new person would take. This is due to the broad focus on so many concepts.
However, if it is the first out of many courses, I would not choose such broad focus. I would (and have done many times) create a curriculum based on the student's needs and desires.
That's why I don't like CS50. It's not because I'm not the target audience necessarily, it's that CS50 is overhyped and, in my humble opinion, not suited to be the first course for serious self learners.
By not suited, I mean that there are a number of specifications on Coursera that are a) also free, and b) will lead one better to the goal if the goal is known (which is where most newbies need a mentor). I do not mean that CS50 is unsuitable; I mean that it is suboptimal. In my experience, that is.