Book and other resources

Materials Overview

• Lecture recordings: lots of context and background for what's going on, technical summary and demonstrations

• Lecture notes: less context, more technical details for reference

• Book: a good balance of context and technical details, but covering more than what you need for the homework

• Synchronous labs (offered during the actual session times of your section): open time to ask questions, ask for additional demos, discuss topics, etc.

Assigned textbook

Available for free via the library online. Link is here: https://i-share-uiu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CARLI_UIU/q1ojeg/alma99946979612205899

Suggestions on how to read this book: As experienced programmers, many of these concepts should be familiar to you.

• Some of the syntax should immediately make sense to you, and some won't. As you read, watch for this and make a note of things that do and don't make sense.

• Read strategically to focus on the areas that are most confusing to you.

• Skim over information on the concepts that you already know, but read through the explanation on syntax.

• Spend some focused experimental time with all syntax, even if conceptually it isn't new.

This will be different for everyone here, since everyone has a different set of experiences with languages and with Python. Everyone will have different needs for this focus time. As you read the book, pay attention to areas where you have uncertainties and doubts. Spend more time on those sections, and skim through the others.

You will be tested on your ability to use these tools rather than memorization of facts. Please study accordingly.

What are the lecture notes?

Right now, the lecture notes are mostly the code examples and important details I want to cover during class. There isn't a ton of extra prose around things, other than the technical details you will need to know. The non technical details about things are added during the presentations of this.

Eventually these documents will become more like book chapters, but we aren't there yet.

How the book will be used

I have my own lectures that are based around what is being asked of you in the homework, plus there are readings in the book.

• The book: should be your first exposure. Read before watching the lectures, or at least skim so you know what's coming. Take a note of things that are confusing, etc. and have a list going.

• Lectures and lectures notes: You may find that watching the video first is helpful or reading the lecture notes first is helpful. The lectures are meant to be shorter demonstrations of the things you will be using and will highlight the most important details. I presume that you will read through the lecture notes at some point, either before or after. This means that there will be details within the lectures notes that are important for the homework but not available within the lecture. I will try to highlight when this is the case within the recordings, but expect to at least skim the lecture notes to be fully prepared for the homework.

My suggested studying order

These are just suggestions! But they are how I design the materials to be used together.

1. Read/skim through the homework problems. Look for the core activities and keywords for what you will be doing. This will give you an idea for what to focus on in your reading and watching the lectures.

2. Read the assigned book chapters for the week, using the strategies outlined in the previous section.

3. Watch the lecture recording with a copy of the lectures notes open to reference as you go, or read the lecture notes first before watching the recording.

4. As you watch the lecture recordings, type in and execute the code on your own computer. Make comments in your code as needed. Protips: keep notes on which video and the timestamps for where certain topics are covered and note which examples seem related or relevant to which homework problems.