Code Yourself! An Introduction to Programming

Seize the savings! Get 40% off 3 months of Coursera Plus and full access to thousands of courses.

Code Yourself! An Introduction to Programming

Instructors: Dr Areti Manataki

464,102 already enrolled

Included with

Learn more

5 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

3,774 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

5 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

3,774 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

5 assignments

Taught in English

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

logos of Petrobras, TATA, Danone, Capgemini, P&G and L'Oreal

There are 5 modules in this course

Have you ever wished you knew how to program, but had no idea where to start from? This course will teach you how to program in Scratch, an easy to use visual programming language. More importantly, it will introduce you to the fundamental principles of computing and it will help you think like a software engineer.

In this unit you’ll create your very first computer program! You’ll be introduced to basic programming concepts and you’ll familiarise yourself with Scratch.

What's included

19 videos6 readings1 assignment

19 videos Total 65 minutes

Welcome to Code Yourself! 2 minutes
About the Course 2 minutes
Algorithms and Sequence 3 minutes
Representation of Algorithms 2 minutes
Precision and Assumptions 4 minutes
Introduction to Scratch 2 minutes
Options for Using Scratch 1 minute
Programming in Scratch 5 minutes
Selection 2 minutes
Selection in Scratch 3 minutes
Conditions within Selection 2 minutes
Iteration: Infinite Loops 3 minutes
Balloon Party! Changing the Looks of our Sprites 5 minutes
Modifying Programs in Scratch 3 minutes
Blow the Clouds Away! 5 minutes
A Movie with Two Characters 3 minutes
Summary 1 minute
Interview with an Informatics Researcher 9 minutes
Interview with an Audiovisual Producer (Spanish with English subtitles) 8 minutes

6 readings Total 60 minutes

Syllabus 10 minutes
Course Logistics 10 minutes
How to use the Discussion Forums 10 minutes
Course Team 10 minutes
Copyright 10 minutes
Resources for Unit 1 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Quiz 1 30 minutes

In this unit you’ll keep working with control structures, you’ll find out how to use events in your programs and how to incorporate visual and sound effects in Scratch. You’ll also start thinking about the requirements and the design of your program.

What's included

19 videos1 reading1 assignment

19 videos Total 79 minutes

Introduction 1 minute
Count-controlled Loops 2 minutes
Condition-controlled Loops 2 minutes
Recreating a Tune 3 minutes
Music Video 4 minutes
Drawing Squares 5 minutes
Birthday Card - Butterfly Behaviour 5 minutes
Birthday Card - Cake Behaviour 3 minutes
Birthday Card - Extend with If-then-else 4 minutes
Birthday Card - Extend with Sounds 2 minutes
Face Effects with Event-driven Programming 6 minutes
Software Design 4 minutes
Cut the Fruit! 6 minutes
Software Requirements 3 minutes
Helicopter Game Design 3 minutes
Helicopter Game Implementation 7 minutes
Summary 1 minute
Interview with a Software Engineer (Spanish with English subtitles) 8 minutes
Interview with an Architect 9 minutes

1 reading Total 10 minutes

Resources for Unit 2 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Quiz 2 30 minutes

In this unit you’ll have a go at modifying and extending existing games to create new versions. You’ll also learn about software engineering practices for testing and documenting your programs.

What's included

11 videos2 readings1 assignment1 peer review

11 videos Total 63 minutes

Introduction 1 minute
Helicopter Game Extension with Variables 7 minutes
Analysing the Pong Game 4 minutes
Modifying Pong with Complex Conditions 7 minutes
Modifying Pong into Pizza Pong 9 minutes
Modifying Pong into a Penalty Shootout Game 7 minutes
Guess the Number! 8 minutes
A Flower Garden with Nested Loops 5 minutes
Summary 1 minute
Interview on Football-playing Robots 9 minutes
Interview with a Biotechnologist (Spanish with English subtitles) 6 minutes

2 readings Total 20 minutes

Resources for Unit 3 10 minutes
How-to guide for peer-reviewed projects 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Quiz 3 30 minutes

1 peer review Total 60 minutes

Project 1 60 minutes

In this unit you’ll be introduced to procedures and cloning in Scratch, and you’ll apply these ideas to reuse your code.

What's included

11 videos1 reading1 assignment

11 videos Total 61 minutes

Introduction 1 minute
Catch the Mouse with Procedures 10 minutes
Generalising a Program for Drawing Squares 7 minutes
Staircase 4 minutes
Hunting Ghosts with Cloning 7 minutes
Fireworks 7 minutes
A Modular Program for Bursting Bubbles 5 minutes
Wave 5 minutes
Summary 1 minute
Interview on Entrepreneurship and Programming (Spanish with English subtitles) 9 minutes
Interview with a Jewelry Designer 5 minutes

1 reading Total 10 minutes

Resources for Unit 4 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Quiz 4 30 minutes

In this unit you’ll follow all the steps of software development to create a fun computer game. You’ll also learn about message broadcasting and concurrency.

What's included

11 videos2 readings1 assignment1 peer review

11 videos Total 61 minutes

Introduction 1 minute
Zombie Game: Requirements and Interface Design 5 minutes
Zombie Game: Code Design 7 minutes
Zombie Game: Implementation of the Interface, Broom and Zombie 6 minutes
Zombie Game: Implementation of the Zombie Clones & Message Broadcasting 4 minutes
Zombie Game: Implementation of the Backdrop and Flower 7 minutes
Zombie Game: Implementation of Invasion and Extensions 7 minutes
Sharing your Projects in Scratch & Links with Python 4 minutes
Summary 2 minutes
Interview with a Computer Science Student 6 minutes
Interview with a Game Developer (Spanish with English subtitles) 13 minutes

2 readings Total 20 minutes

Resources for Unit 5 10 minutes
Post-Course Survey 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Quiz 5 30 minutes

1 peer review Total 60 minutes

Project 2 60 minutes

Instructors

Instructor ratings

(1,089 ratings)

Dr Areti Manataki

The University of Edinburgh

4 Courses 675,209 learners

Inés Friss de Kereki

Universidad ORT Uruguay

3 Courses 645,955 learners

Offered by

The University of Edinburgh

Universidad ORT Uruguay

Explore more from Software Development

Status: Preview
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Programming with Scratch
Course
Coursera
Introduction to Basic Game Development using Scratch
Guided Project
Status: Free Trial
University of London
Introduction to Computer Programming
Course
Packt
Computer Programming for Absolute Beginners
Course

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Learner since 2018

"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."

Jennifer J.

Learner since 2020

"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."

Larry W.

Learner since 2021

"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."

Chaitanya A.

"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."

Learner reviews

5 stars
80.96%
4 stars
14.16%
3 stars
2.17%
2 stars
0.84%
1 star
1.85%

Showing 3 of 3774

Reviewed on Sep 19, 2015

I love the way this course is designed! It's a really wonderful breath of fresh air.Scratch is a wonderful tool for understanding programming before jumping into courses in programming languages.

Reviewed on Mar 5, 2018

Really good beginner course that has led me to want to learn more and got me thinking about things that are possible through computer programming. Thank you to all involved in this course!

Reviewed on Sep 19, 2021

Very fun and engaging course. Allows you to interact with your peers and gain valuable feedback. The interviews were also very useful as they showed how concepts could be utilized in other fields.

View more reviews

Open new doors with Coursera Plus

Unlimited access to 10,000+ world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programs - all included in your subscription

Learn more

Advance your career with an online degree

Earn a degree from world-class universities - 100% online

Explore degrees

Join over 3,400 global companies that choose Coursera for Business

Upskill your employees to excel in the digital economy

Learn more

Frequently asked questions

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. 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.

When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.