This two-part course is designed to help students with very little or no computing background learn the basics of building simple interactive applications. Our language of choice, Python, is an easy-to learn, high-level computer language that is used in many of the computational courses offered on Coursera. To make learning Python easy, we have developed a new browser-based programming environment that makes developing interactive applications in Python simple. These applications will involve windows whose contents are graphical and respond to buttons, the keyboard and the mouse.
This course is part of the Fundamentals of Computing Specialization
Offered By
Fundamentals of Computing SpecializationRice UniversityAbout this Course
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Learner Career Outcomes
38%
started a new career after completing these courses
33%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Course 2 of 7 in the
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Beginner Level
Approx. 16 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: French, Portuguese (Brazilian), Chinese (Simplified), Korean, Russian, Turkish, English, Spanish
Skills you will gain
Python Syntax And SemanticsLogic ProgrammingPython ProgrammingObject-Oriented Programming (OOP)
Learner Career Outcomes
38%
started a new career after completing these courses
33%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Course 2 of 7 in the
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Beginner Level
Approx. 16 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: French, Portuguese (Brazilian), Chinese (Simplified), Korean, Russian, Turkish, English, Spanish
Offered by
Rice University
Rice University is consistently ranked among the top 20 universities in the U.S. and the top 100 in the world. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
5 hours to complete
Week 5 - Mouse input, list methods, dictionaries
Read mouse input, learn about list methods and dictionaries, draw images
5 hours to complete
10 videos (Total 111 min), 4 readings, 3 quizzes
10 videos
Mouse input12m
List Methods11m
List Examples11m
Iteration12m
Dictionaries12m
Images11m
Visualizing Iteration13m
Programming Tips - 510m
Mini-project Video12m
4 readings
Practice Exercises for Mouse and List Methods (optional)10m
Practice Exercises for Dictionaries and Images (optional)10m
Mini-project Description10m
Code Clinic Tips10m
2 practice exercises
Quiz 5a30m
Quiz 5b30m
4 hours to complete
Week 6 - Classes and object-oriented programming
Learn the basics of object-oriented programming in Python using classes, work with tiled images
4 hours to complete
8 videos (Total 95 min), 5 readings, 3 quizzes
8 videos
Object-oriented Programming - 28m
Working with Objects13m
Classes for Blackjack11m
Tiled Images15m
Visualizing Objects8m
Programming Tips - 613m
Mini-project Video14m
5 readings
Practice Exercises for Classes (part 1) (optional)10m
Practice Exercise for Avatar class (optional)10m
Practice Exercises for Classes (part 2) (optional)10m
Mini-project Description10m
Code Clinic Tips10m
2 practice exercises
Quiz 6a30m
Quiz 6b30m
4 hours to complete
Week 7 - Basic game physics, sprites
Understand the math of acceleration and friction, work with sprites, add sound to your game
4 hours to complete
6 videos (Total 76 min), 3 readings, 3 quizzes
6 videos
Spaceship Class7m
Sound5m
Sprite Class14m
Programming Tips - 720m
Mini-project Video13m
3 readings
Practice Exercises for Sprites and Sound (optional)10m
Mini-project Description10m
Code Clinic Tips10m
2 practice exercises
Quiz 7a30m
Quiz 7b30m
3 hours to complete
Week 8 - Sets and animation
Learn about sets in Python, compute collisions between sprites, animate sprites
3 hours to complete
7 videos (Total 71 min), 3 readings, 2 quizzes
7 videos
Sets11m
Collisions for Sprites13m
Sprite Animation12m
Programming Tips - 84m
Mini-project Video8m
Beyond CodeSkulptor15m
Class Wrap-up4m
3 readings
Practice Exercises for Sets and Collisions (optional)10m
Mini-project Description10m
Code Clinic Tips10m
1 practice exercise
Quiz 830m
Reviews
TOP REVIEWS FROM AN INTRODUCTION TO INTERACTIVE PROGRAMMING IN PYTHON (PART 2)
by ISJun 22, 2016
This course is the best course I have ever taken. It covers all the topics very well. And importantly I love the treat at the end of every week. The ultimate showdown between the two best instructors.
by JGApr 1, 2020
A very elegant yet fun way to explain python. I have used the skills learned here and build very useful scripts and python-based micro-services in my current company that have enabled many use cases.
by NAJun 17, 2016
lectures were pretty clear, and the game projects were a very smart way to keep learning fun and challenging. Code clinics were very useful and gave me the push I needed to do everything on myown.
by MMSep 21, 2017
This was a great course for me. The projects were fun and challenging. The video lectures were a little bit funny and well taught. The progressing level of difficulty was well designed. Thanks!
About the Fundamentals of Computing Specialization
This Specialization covers much of the material that first-year Computer Science students take at Rice University. Students learn sophisticated programming skills in Python from the ground up and apply these skills in building more than 20 fun projects. The Specialization concludes with a Capstone exam that allows the students to demonstrate the range of knowledge that they have acquired in the Specialization.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
- The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
- The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You'll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. You'll need to complete this step for each course in the Specialization, including the Capstone Project. Learn more.
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
