An Introduction to Interactive Programming in Python (Part 2)

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.

( 225 Reviews )

Created by: Joe Warren

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Overall Score : 98 / 100

Course Description

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.In part 2 of this course, we will introduce more elements of programming (such as list, dictionaries, and loops) and then use these elements to create games such as Blackjack. Part 1 of this class will culminate in building a version of the classic arcade game "Asteroids". Upon completing this course, you will be able to write small, but interesting Python programs. The next course in the specialization will begin to introduce a more principled approach to writing programs and solving computational problems that will allow you to write larger and more complex programs.

Time: 25h

Instructor Details

Joe Warren

4.9 Rating
225 Reviews

Joe Warren is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Rice University. His main area of research interest is computer graphics and geometric modeling, where he has published extensively. He is the author of the book Subdivision Methods for Geometric Design. He also has a love for computer gaming, both playing games and teaching students how to build them. He has taught the Department's introduction to game creation course as well as its senior-level game design course in collaboration with Houston game professionals for over a decade. Joe was an undergraduate at Rice from 1979-1983 and received his Ph.D. from Cornell in 1986. He has been a professor at Rice ever since and served as the Chair of the Department from 2008-2013.

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4.9

225 total reviews

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By Scott S on 26-May-19

Great way to improve Python skills. The course teaches object-oriented programming. Instructors are excellent.

By Tang H on 26-May-19

very good class!

By Song S on 26-May-19

I like this series of courses as it takes advantage of various mini-projects to help students completely understand concepts. Those mini-projects are not easy, but if you take previous courses, you can finish it after thinking carefully. I have acquired a lot in those courses, thanks everyone who make efforts to perfect those courses.

By Peyman P on 26-Nov-17

I am a 53 year-old physician with no previous programming experience who took this course purely to fulfill an intellectual curiosity. I was rewarded beyond my expectations. I have been through many educational experiences in my life, both as a student and as a teacher. I recognize good teaching when I see it. These Rice professors are the cream of the crop. They are brilliant, articulate, and amicable. Also, they have created a web-based Python coding environment called CodeSkulptor (complete with its own graphical user interface and detailed documentation) that makes it a snap to get it started with Python. You can keep using CodeSkulptor forever after you have finished this class. I finished parts 1 and 2 of this course in a few short weeks and got hooked on the experience. I plan to keep taking additional courses by these professors in this specialization on Coursera. I give this course my highest recommendation.

By sunwen on 20-Oct-17

good courseÃ¯Â¼ÂWorth the time! The teachers are so nice and funny!

By RAVI R on 6-Jun-17

Best introductory Course available online.

By Lorena D G S on 17-Nov-17

By Sebastien C on 29-Jun-17

Great course for beginners. I really enjoyed it.

By Aaron M on 14-Feb-18

Really well taught and good fun too!

By Tibra A on 8-Jan-18

This is a great course. It builds on the previous course where the student is introduced to event-based programming. In this course the emphasis is on object-oriented programming and the instructors do a great job. They provide a lot of help in terms and the way that they build up the course the assignments almost write themselves. I enjoyed doing this course a lot and learned a lot from it.

By Mini A on 1-Jun-18

A perfect course to learn Python,without facing any trouble.The content is perfect combo of lecture & enough practice.All respected instructors(especially Joe and Scott)are so much energetic and enthusiastic.Their energy has kept me energized and connected throughout the course.The instructors have covered every smallest concept.Content is well structured to guide step by step.And Coursera is always a great platform to learn any subject.

By Igal P on 21-Jul-17