Learn to Program: The Fundamentals

Learn to Program: The Fundamentals

Instructors: Jennifer Campbell

Access provided by George Mason University

524,862 already enrolled

7 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

6,733 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

3 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

95%

Most learners liked this course

7 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

6,733 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

3 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

95%

Most learners liked this course

Skills you'll gain

Tools you'll learn

Details to know

Shareable certificate

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Assessments

8 assignments

Taught in English

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There are 7 modules in this course

Behind every mouse click and touch-screen tap, there is a computer program that makes things happen. This course introduces the fundamental building blocks of programming and teaches you how to write fun and useful programs using the Python language.

This module gives an overview of the course, the editor we will use to write programs, and an introduction to fundamental concepts in Python including variables, mathematical expressions, and functions.

What's included

8 videos10 readings1 assignment

8 videos Total 39 minutes

Welcome to LTP 1 minute
Installing Python 3 minutes
Python as a Calculator 11 minutes
Python and Computer Memory 3 minutes
Variables 8 minutes
Visualizing Assignment Statements 3 minutes
Built-in Functions 5 minutes
Defining Functions 7 minutes

10 readings Total 100 minutes

Syllabus 10 minutes
Course Logistics 10 minutes
Resources 10 minutes
Installing Python 10 minutes
Python as a Calculator 10 minutes
Python and Computer Memory 10 minutes
Variables 10 minutes
Visualizing Assignment Statements 10 minutes
Built-in Functions 10 minutes
Defining Functions 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Python, Variables, and Functions 30 minutes

This module introduces strings (a Python data type used to represent text), and a process to follow when creating a function.

What's included

6 videos6 readings1 assignment1 programming assignment

6 videos Total 35 minutes

Type str 5 minutes
Input/Output and str Formatting 10 minutes
Docstrings and Function Help 1 minute
Function Design Recipe 6 minutes
Function Reuse 7 minutes
Visualizing Function Calls 6 minutes

6 readings Total 60 minutes

Type str 10 minutes
Input/Output and str Formatting 10 minutes
Docstrings and Function help 10 minutes
Function Design Recipe 10 minutes
Function Reuse 10 minutes
Visualizing Function Calls 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Strings and Designing Functions 30 minutes

1 programming assignment Total 180 minutes

Assignment 1: Time Zones 180 minutes

This module introduces Booleans (logical values True and False), how to convert between types, how to use Boolean expressions in if statements to selectively run code, and the concept of a Python module.

What's included

7 videos7 readings1 assignment

7 videos Total 42 minutes

Functions, Variables, and the Call Stack 5 minutes
Type Bool 9 minutes
Converting Between int, str, and float 3 minutes
Import: Using Non-Built-in Functions 5 minutes
If Statements 9 minutes
No if Required 4 minutes
Structuring if Statements 6 minutes

7 readings Total 70 minutes

Functions, Variables, and the Call Stack 10 minutes
Type Bool 10 minutes
Converting Between int, str, and float 10 minutes
Import: Using Non-Built-in Functions 10 minutes
If Statements 10 minutes
No if Required 10 minutes
Structuring if statements 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Booleans, Import, Namespaces, and if Statements 30 minutes

This module introduces one way to repeat code (using a for loop), how to manipulate strings, and how to use a debugger to watch a program execute step by step.

What's included

5 videos5 readings1 assignment1 programming assignment

5 videos Total 26 minutes

More str Operators 2 minutes
Str: Indexing and Slicing 5 minutes
Str Methods: Functions Inside of Objects 4 minutes
For Loop Over Str 12 minutes
IDLE's Debugger 4 minutes

5 readings Total 50 minutes

More str Operators 10 minutes
Str: Indexing and Slicing 10 minutes
Str Methods: Functions Inside of Objects 10 minutes
For Loop Over Str 10 minutes
IDLE's Debugger 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

For Loops and Fancy String Manipulation 30 minutes

1 programming assignment Total 180 minutes

Assignment 2: DNA Processing 180 minutes

This module introduces another way to repeat code (using a while loop), how to properly document your code to help other programmers understand it, Python's list data type, and the concept of mutation.

What's included

6 videos6 readings1 assignment

6 videos Total 43 minutes

While Loops 12 minutes
Comments 5 minutes
Type list 4 minutes
list Methods 8 minutes
Mutability and Aliasing 10 minutes
range 4 minutes

6 readings Total 60 minutes

While Loops 10 minutes
Comments 10 minutes
Type list 10 minutes
list Methods 10 minutes
Mutability and Aliasing 10 minutes
range 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

While Loops, Lists, and Mutability 30 minutes

This module introduces how to use a for loop over the indexes of a list, how to nest lists, and how to read a write files.

What's included

7 videos6 readings1 assignment1 programming assignment

7 videos Total 82 minutes

For Loop Over Indices 14 minutes
Parallel Lists and Strings 6 minutes
Nested Lists 4 minutes
Nested Loops 14 minutes
Reading Files 5 minutes
Writing Files 5 minutes
Developing a Program 34 minutes

6 readings Total 60 minutes

For Loop Over Indices 10 minutes
Parallel Lists and Strings 10 minutes
Nested Lists 10 minutes
Nested Loops 10 minutes
Reading Files 10 minutes
Writing Files 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 26 minutes

For Loops Over Indices, Parallel Lists and Strings, and Files 26 minutes

1 programming assignment Total 180 minutes

Assignment 3 180 minutes

This module introduces tuples (an immutable version of lists), and Python's dictionary type.

What's included

4 videos3 readings2 assignments

Instructors

Instructor ratings

(1,603 ratings)

Jennifer Campbell

University of Toronto

2 Courses 564,007 learners

Paul Gries

University of Toronto

2 Courses 564,007 learners

Offered by

University of Toronto

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Reviewed on Nov 24, 2024

Great introduction to Python. Some concepts glossed over just a tiny bit quickly so some background reading might be needed for the full learning experience. Otherwise, A+ as to "fundamentals".

Reviewed on Apr 11, 2020

I enjoyed this course very much. The concepts were well explained. I gave only 4 stars because I wish there were more assignments to do instead of the quizzes. All in all great intro into programming.

Reviewed on Apr 6, 2020

The course is interesting. I love that students can access all contents without any paywall and you can submit your code for grading (unlike some certain courses which require you to pay for that)

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