Lecture Archive

Click on a title to expand a lecture.

Aug. 27 › Types and Expressions

In this class we give an overview of the course and its expectations. We also also talk about setting up Python to get started on the first lab.   Watch ›

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Aug. 29 › Variables and Assignments

In this class we build a mental model to understand how Python works. This will be our first class where we use the iClickers   Watch ›

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Sep. 3 › Functions and Modules

In this class we talk about how to import optional features into Python. We also show how to make program files we can run.   Watch ›

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Sep. 5 › User-Defined Functions

In this lecture we introduce how to define our own functions. We also develop a mental model for executing functions.   Watch ›

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Sep. 10 › Strings

In this lecture we introduce how to process text in Python. These techniques will be used in the first assignment.   Watch ›

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Sep. 12 › Specifications and Testing

In this lecture we introduce the concept of testing as a formal process. This material forms the basis of software engineering.   Watch ›

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Sep. 17 › Conditionals and Program Flow

In this lecture, we demonstrate the difference between program structure and program flow. We also introduce our first control structure: the conditional.   Watch ›

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Sep. 19 › Algorithm Design

Your first assignment was very much do-this/do-that. Today we step back and see how we would design a complex program from the beginning.   Watch ›

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Sep. 24 › Objects

This lecture introduces the notion of objects, a new type of data. It will also force us to question what we know about Python.   Watch ›

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Sep. 26 › Memory in Python

The last lecture pulled back the curtain on what really is happenind with memory in Python. Today we put everything back together.   Watch ›

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Oct. 1 › Asserts and Error Handling

In this lecture we show how to use our understanding of Python memory to read error messages. We also show how to create our own error messages and why.   Watch ›

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Oct. 3 › Lists (and Sequences)

Today we introduce another sliceable data type: lists. They are similar to strings, except that they can contain data other than text.   Watch ›

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Oct. 8 › For-Loops

Lists (and sequences) come with their own special control structure: the for-loop. This is the last traditional control structure we will see for a while.   Watch ›

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Oct. 10 › Nested Lists

This lecture explores lists in greater depth, both literally and metaphorically, As lists can contain any object, they can also contain other lsits.   Watch ›

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Oct. 17 › Recursion

Recursion is a powerful programming tool and one of the fundamental principles of computer science. It is used in many advanced algorithms.   Watch ›

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Oct. 22 › More Recursion

The divide-and-conquer examples we saw in the previous session were on the easy side. In this session we look at some much more challenging examples.   Watch ›

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Oct. 24 › Dictionaries

This presentation explores the last built-in (as opposed to user-defined) type in this course. We also show how to store this data in files.   Watch ›

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Oct. 29 › Classes

Up until now, if we wanted to use objects, we imported a module that provided the class. In this lecture we finally learn how to create our own classes.   Watch ›

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Oct. 31 › Object-Oriented Design

In the lecture on algorithm design, we talked about how to properly implement a function definition. In this lecture we do the same for classes.   Watch ›

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Nov. 5 › Inheritance

This lecture introduces subclasses, which can add extra functionality to an existing class. Subclasses and inheritance important parts of object-oriented programming.   Watch ›

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Nov. 7 › Operators and Abstraction

Now that we have covered everything we need for Assignment 6, it is time to return to classes. In this lecture we will talk about the mysterious double-underscore methods that we keep seeing in Python.   Watch ›

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Nov. 12 › While Loops

While there is still much to say about classes, today we take a break to cover one last form of iteration: the while-loop. We need to cover this in order for you to complete the current assignment.   Watch ›

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Nov. 14 › GUI Applications

This lecture combines while-loops and classes to show how to make complex graphical applications. This lecture will provide you all that you need to know to get started on the last assignment.   Watch ›

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Nov. 19 › Advanced Error Handling

We saw how to handle errors in previous lecture. But now that we have classes, we can do so much more. This is why we are going to revist the topic.   Watch ›

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Nov. 21 › Searching and Sorting

In this lecture we end with a preview of what higher-level computer science courses look like. We talk about the concept of sorting, and given an in-depth look at some of the algorithms available.   Watch ›

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Nov. 26 › Advanced Sorting

In the previous lecture, we talked about sorting, but the algorithms we introduced were pretty slow. In this lecture we show how to use recursion to create better sorting algorithms.   Watch ›

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Dec. 3 › Generators

In this lecture we introduce generators, which are a very “Pythonic” feature. They give us a way to speed up for-loops, and introduce us to an entirely new way of thinking about programs.   Watch ›

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Dec. 5 › Course Wrap-Up

Hopefully you have enjoyed this course. Assuming that you have, today we discuss your options about what to do next in computer science.   Watch ›

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