Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python)

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/python

Introduction

**Course Review: Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python)** **Overview** In today’s technology-driven world, learning to code has become a vital skill, and Coursera’s course, **Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python)**, serves as an excellent foundation for anyone eager to embark on their programming journey. Facilitated by Dr. Charles Severance, this course breaks down Python programming into digestible components, making it accessible for students with varied backgrounds. The course emphasizes building a strong understanding of programming concepts through simple instructions, rather than relying heavily on complicated mathematics. **Course Structure and Content** The course is structured around five pivotal chapters sourced from the textbook *Python for Everybody*. The syllabus includes: 1. **Why We Program?** - This introductory chapter provides a broad overview of programming’s significance and lays the groundwork for the topics that will follow. The early focus on understanding the “big picture” helps students develop a conceptual framework essential for grasping more advanced principles later in the course. 2. **Installing Python** - Setting up Python is the first practical step, enabling learners to write their own programs. The module provides essential instructions, ensuring that students are technically prepared to dive into coding. 3. **Variables and Expressions** - This chapter covers the fundamental concepts of memory usage in programming. Students learn how to store, retrieve, and manipulate information, which is a cornerstone of effective programming. 4. **Conditional Code** - Here, learners are introduced to decision-making in programming. The course explains how to implement conditional logic, allowing for more sophisticated and interactive software solutions. 5. **Functions** - Functions enable code reuse and organization. In this chapter, learners explore the importance of functions and how they facilitate larger, more complex programming projects. 6. **Loops and Iteration** - The final chapter discusses loops, a crucial mechanism for performing repetitive tasks in code. Understanding iteration is vital for tackling problems that require consistent and repeated actions. **Learning Experience** The course offers a combination of instructional video lectures, quizzes, and assignments, facilitating a flexible learning environment. The video content is engaging and approachable, catering to learners who might be hesitant or anxious about programming. Each section builds upon the previous ones, reinforcing knowledge through practical applications and real-world examples. Students can expect to dedicate approximately three weeks to cover the initial content fully, with the design of the course encouraging revisiting material for better retention. The course also fosters a community atmosphere, allowing learners to engage with peers and instructors to resolve doubts and enhance understanding. **Recommendation** I highly recommend **Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python)** for anyone looking to strengthen their programming skills. This course is perfect for beginners, professionals looking to pivot their careers, or anyone curious about the world of coding. The lack of prerequisites means that even those with minimal computer experience can succeed and gain confidence in their abilities. Despite its simplicity, the course does not underestimate the importance of foundational knowledge, which will serve students well as they pursue further studies in more advanced programming concepts. Completing this course also prepares students for the next steps in their programming journey, whether that be through more specialized Python courses or diverse applications in data science, web development, or automation. In summary, the commitment to making programming accessible resonates throughout the course content and delivery. For those ready to explore the dynamic field of programming, this course is undoubtedly a commendable choice.

Syllabus

Chapter One - Why we Program?

These are the course-wide materials as well as the first part of Chapter One where we explore what it means to write programs. We finished Chapter One and had the quiz and first assignment in the third week of the class. Throughout the course, you may want to come back and look at these materials. This section should not take you an entire week.

In this module you will set things up so you can write Python programs. Not all activities in this module are required for this class so please read the "Using Python in this Class" material for details.

In the first chapter, we try to cover the "big picture" of programming so you get a "table of contents" of the rest of the book. Don't worry if not everything makes perfect sense the first time you hear it. This chapter is quite broad and you would benefit from reading the chapter in the book in addition to watching the lectures to help it all sink in. You might want to come back and re-watch these lectures after you have finished a few more chapters.

In this chapter we cover how a program uses the computer's memory to store, retrieve and calculate information.

In this section we move from sequential code that simply runs one line of code after another to conditional code where some steps are skipped. It is a very simple concept - but it is how computer software makes "choices".

This is a relatively short chapter. We will learn about what functions are and how we can use them. The programs in the first chapters of the book are not large enough to require us to develop functions, but as the book moves into more and more complex programs, functions will be an essential way for us to make sense of our code.

Loops and iteration complete our four basic programming patterns. Loops are the way we tell Python to do something over and over. Loops are the way we build programs that stay with a problem until the problem is solved.