Introduction to computer science and programming using python reddit

Posted byu/[deleted]7 years ago

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level 1

I've tried it once, two years ago, but wasn't able to keep up with the tasks, so dropped. A great course though, good luck to OP.

level 2

I preferred the Harvard one. Same issue for me though, wasn't able to keep up with the pacing and I didn't make it a priority.

Still was a great course though.

level 2

I finished the cs50 and now will give a go at this one, looked through the syllabus and I think it looks doable now.

I wonder if they are going to release the second part as well, cause right now it's locked.

level 2

I agree, it was very good. Sometimes later on you feel "why would I need to know this?" but it's those kinds of fundamentals that can be very useful knowing about later on.

level 2

My experience with other MIT subjects is they have an interesting, yet gentle week 1 but give me a good kick in the teeth in week 2.

level 2

How many hours a week do you think need to be dedicated to be successful?

level 2

I came here to say exactly this. It's an investment of time, but well worth it.

level 2

Just to add my two cents... I've completed it. In the 9 weeks of this course I've learned more computing than most of my life.

One of the best things is that it really goes in depth on the science and logic of computing vs simply building apps. It has protected me against the bad practices of the person who currently "teaches" me computing.

And like everyone else, it took me a huge amount of time and effort to complete it.

level 1

This is awesome, I've been learning Python with Codeacademy. I signed up and chose to audit instead of pay for the certificate. I see that there is an upgrade button, do you know if that means at anytime during the course I could pay for the course college credit & certificate? Or am I limited to do that in the beginning.

level 2

You have until Feb. 9th to decide.

level 2

They give you time to do it. I think until close to half way through the class.

level 1

Should I use this or Harvards cs50?

level 2

I did both. CS50 first and then 6.00.1x. CS50 is nicely paced and gives you a peak under the hood in places and gets you familiar with some core CS concepts by forcing you to use C. Then when you get to 6.00.1x, you learn more powerful/useful computing in python but it moves very fast with little explanation. The foundation i gained in cs50 was critical for my success in 6.00.1x

level 2

They are both great courses to take, and I recommend you do both.

level 2

If you have the time, I would do both cause CS50 teaches C.

level 1

Starting the first two programs in the OSS CS curriculum!

level 2

so am I! Depending on how hard the workload is I'm gonna try to add in from Nand to Tetris and do all 3 at once, since that one is also beginning level.

The course offered by MIT is an introduction to Computer Science as a tool to solve real-world analytical problems using Python 3.5

Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT), one of the most premium technical educational institutes in the world, has recently announced a free online course in Computer Programming using Python. The course is available on the edX e-learning platform and the registrations are open until June 2. Here are the course details.

About course

The course is named " Introduction to Computer Science and Programming using Python". The objective of this course is to provide learners with a brief introduction to many computer programming concepts so as to give them an idea of what is possible when they need to think about how to use computation to accomplish some goal later in their career. That said, this is not a "computation appreciation" course but a challenging and rigorous learning path on which the students spend a lot of time and effort learning to bend the computer to their will.

Python is the most sought-after programming language skill by IT professionals and the demand for skilled Python developers is also very high in the job market. In this course, learners will be taught the nuances of programming using Python 3.5.

Course format

The class will consist of lecture videos, lecture exercises, and problem sets using Python 3.5. The lecture videos are broken into small pieces usually between eight and twelve minutes each. Some of these may contain integrated "check-yourself" questions. Even if you have knowledge of Python 2.7, you will be able to easily transition to Python 3.5 in this course. There will also be programming assignments and standalone exams/quizzes, which are not part of the video lectures.

What is in it for learners

• A Notion of computation

• The Python programming language

• Some simple algorithms

• Testing and debugging

• An informal introduction to algorithmic complexity

• Data structures

Course instructors

The course is instructed by 3 MIT professors:

• John Guttag, Dugald C. Jackson Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at MIT

• Eric Grimson, Bernard Gordon Professor of Medical Engineering, Professor of Computer Science at MIT

• Ana Bell, Lecturer, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at MIT

System requirements

You need to have a computer running one of the following operating systems: Microsoft Windows, version XP or greater (XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7)Apple OSX, version 10.2 or greater.

Linux - most distributions that have been released within the past two years should work

In addition, you will need the ability to download, install, and run software on your computer.

Other important details

• This is an instructor-paced course; however, students can watch the lectures at their leisure and do not need to watch the lectures live or at any set time.

• The course starts on June 2 and will end on August 5. So, you are required to enrol before June 2.

• The course is free.

How to enrol

To enrol in this program, you can visit the MITx course page on edX here.

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