Apply a structured problem-solving process and core computational thinking principles to real-world challenges.
Write and execute Python programs using variables, conditionals, loops, strings, functions, and modules.
Read, manipulate, and process text files, including internationalized text and Unicode.
Design clear, modular solutions using abstraction, state tracking, testing, and debugging techniques.
Use generative AI chatbots effectively to help explain, write, and troubleshoot Python code.
Build the skills to solve real-world problems with computation, even if you have no prior programming experience. This introductory course takes a problem-first approach to computational thinking, guiding you through a series of approachable challenges that develop practical skills in problem solving, Python programming, and generative AI.
You’ll learn how to break down problems into manageable parts, design computational solutions, and translate those solutions into Python code. Along the way, you’ll work with text files, loops, character encodings, and abstraction. You’ll also explore how generative AI chatbots can support computational work by helping you write, understand, and troubleshoot simple code.
Rather than focusing on memorizing programming syntax in isolation, the course uses hands-on challenges to introduce the concepts and techniques you’ll need to become a more confident and capable computational problem-solver.
