Overview
This course will introduce you to the wonderful world of Python programming! We’ll learn about the essential elements of programming and how to construct basic Python programs. We will cover expressions, variables, functions, logic, and conditionals, which are foundational concepts in computer programming. We will also teach you how to use Python modules, which enable you to benefit from the vast array of functionality that is already a part of the Python language. These concepts and skills will help you to begin to think like a computer programmer and to understand how to go about writing Python programs.
By the end of the course, you will be able to write short Python programs that are able to accomplish real, practical tasks. This course is the foundation for building expertise in Python programming. As the first course in a specialization, it provides the necessary building blocks for you to succeed at learning to write more complex Python programs.
This course uses Python 3. While many Python programs continue to use Python 2, Python 3 is the future of the Python programming language. This first course will use a Python 3 version of the CodeSkulptor development environment, which is specifically designed to help beginning programmers learn quickly. CodeSkulptor runs within any modern web browser and does not require you to install any software, allowing you to start writing and running small programs immediately. In the later courses in this specialization, we will help you to move to more sophisticated desktop development environments.
Syllabus
- Python as a Calculator
- This module will expose you to Python so that you can run your first simple programs. You will use Python to compute the results of arithmetic expressions, as you would when using a calculator.
- Functions
- This module will teach you how to define and call functions. Functions allow you to write code once that you can execute repeatedly with different inputs.
- Logic and Conditionals
- This module will teach you how to use logic and conditionals to change the behavior of the program based upon values within the program.
- Python Modules
- This module will introduce you to the concept of modules. Python modules allow code to be divided up into different files and reused in different programs. Python provides many modules that you can use within your programs.