Lecture Archive

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Aug. 25 › 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.   More ›

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Aug. 27 › 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   More ›

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Sep. 1 › 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.   More ›

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Sep. 3 › User-Defined Functions
In this lecture we introduce how to define our own functions. We also develop a mental model for executing functions.   More ›

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Sep. 8 › Strings
In this lecture we introduce how to process text in Python. These techniques will be used in the first assignment.   More ›

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Sep. 10 › Specifications and Testing
In this lecture we introduce the concept of testing as a formal process. This material forms the basis of software engineering.   More ›

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Sep. 15 › 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.   More ›

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Sep. 17 › 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.   More ›

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Sep. 22 › 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.   More ›

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Sep. 24 › Memory in Python
The last lecture pulled back the curtain on what is really happening with memory in Python. Today we put everything back together.   More ›

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Sep. 29 › Asserts and Debugging
In this lecture we do a deeper dive in the principles of debugging. We learn how to how to search a program for errors. We also show how to create our own errors, and why this might aid debugging.   More ›

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Oct. 1 › 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.   More ›

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