Schedule and course structure

First Steps with Python: course schedule and structure

Schedule

• Day 1, 9h-12h, 13h-17h:

  • Short intro to Python and programming.
  • Intro to Jupyter Notebooks [notebook 0].
  • Python basics [notebook 1].
  • Structuring code [notebook 2].

• Day 2, 9h-12h, 13h-17h:

  • Structuring code [notebook 2] - continued.
  • Reading and writing files [notebook 3].

• Day 3, 9h-12h, 13h-17h:

  • Python modules [notebook 4].
  • Optional modules: Numpy/Scipy, Matplotlib, Pandas and Biopython [notebook 5-8].

• Breaks:

  • There will be a 1h lunch break everyday around noon.
  • We will have at least one break of 15 minutes per half day of the course. Don't hesitate to remind us about it if we get carried-away by our teaching!

Course material structure

The course is primarily taught through Jupyter Notebooks (you will learn all about them at the start of the course). All of the course material is available on the course homepage, whose link and login credentials you should have received via email.

Each module of the course consists of one or two notebooks that contain the following sections:

• Theory + Mini Exercises: the first part of each notebook is composes of theory - which is presented in the class by the teachers - and a few "Mini Exercises". The "Mini Exercises" are designed to provide short hand-on "breaks" from the theory and allow you to put the elements that you just learned into practice. For each Mini Exercise section, you will be given a few minutes to work on your own, before we correct them together in the class.

• Exercises: following each theory session, a number of exercises will put your newly gained Python knowledge to the test! During these exercise sessions, teachers are at your disposal to answer any questions you might have. At the end of each exercise session, corrections are done in class. We understand that some of you might not need these corrections, so please remember that now everyone in the class has the same level - doing the corrections together ensures that no-one gets left behind and we can progress as a group.

• Additional Theory: this section contains additional reading material that is not formally presented during the course. It is here so that you can optionally read through it, if you wish to. You can read it during the lecture (e.g. if finished the exercises early), or later at your own pace. You are of course welcome to ask questions about this material during the class. Note that this section might not be present in all notebooks.

• Additional Exercises: this section contains additional exercises, that are a bit more challenging than the regular exercises, or are about material covered in the "Additional Theory" section. These exercises will not be corrected in class, but you will find a correction for them in the solution notebook of each course module. Note that this section might not be present in all notebooks.

Solutions to the exercises will be provided in a separate notebook at the end of each day on the course homepage.

Feel free to ask questions

• Remember that you are welcome to interrupt us at any time to ask questions. So don't be shy!