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⇱ An Introduction to Interactive Programming in Python (Part 1) | Coursera


An Introduction to Interactive Programming in Python (Part 1)

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An Introduction to Interactive Programming in Python (Part 1)

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Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.8

3,319 reviews

2 weeks to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
95%
Most learners liked this course

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.8

3,319 reviews

2 weeks to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
95%
Most learners liked this course

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Fundamentals of Computing Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
  • Learn new concepts from industry experts
  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
  • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
  • Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 5 modules in this course

This two-part course is designed to help students with very little or no computing background learn the basics of building simple interactive applications. Our language of choice, Python, is an easy-to learn, high-level computer language that is used in many of the computational courses offered on Coursera. To make learning Python easy, we have developed a new browser-based programming environment that makes developing interactive applications in Python simple. These applications will involve windows whose contents are graphical and respond to buttons, the keyboard and the mouse.

In part 1 of this course, we will introduce the basic elements of programming (such as expressions, conditionals, and functions) and then use these elements to create simple interactive applications such as a digital stopwatch. Part 1 of this class will culminate in building a version of the classic arcade game "Pong".

Understand the structure of this class, explore Python as a calculator

What's included

6 videos4 readings1 assignment1 peer review

6 videosTotal 71 minutes
  • Introduction15 minutes
  • CodeSkulptor11 minutes
  • Arithmetic Expressions13 minutes
  • Variables11 minutes
  • Saving in CodeSkulptor10 minutes
  • Mini-project Video11 minutes
4 readingsTotal 40 minutes
  • Practice Exercises for Expressions (optional)10 minutes
  • Practice Exercises for Variables and Assignments (optional)10 minutes
  • Mini-project Description10 minutes
  • Code Clinic Tips10 minutes
1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes
  • Quiz 030 minutes
1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes
  • "We want... a shrubbery!"60 minutes

Learn the basic constructs of Python programming, create a program that plays a variant of Rock-Paper-Scissors

What's included

7 videos5 readings1 assignment1 peer review

7 videosTotal 98 minutes
  • Functions16 minutes
  • Visualizing Functions12 minutes
  • More Operations17 minutes
  • Logic and Comparisons10 minutes
  • Conditionals11 minutes
  • Programming Tips - 116 minutes
  • Mini-project Video16 minutes
5 readingsTotal 50 minutes
  • Practice Exercises for Functions (optional)10 minutes
  • Practice Exercises for Logic and Conditionals (optional)10 minutes
  • Mini-project Description10 minutes
  • Practice Mini-project: Mystical Octosphere (optional)10 minutes
  • Code Clinic Tips10 minutes
1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes
  • Quiz 130 minutes
1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes
  • Rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock60 minutes

Learn the basics of event-driven programming, understand difference between local and global variables, create an interactive program that plays a simple guessing game

What's included

8 videos5 readings2 assignments1 peer review

8 videosTotal 83 minutes
  • Event-Driven Programming13 minutes
  • Local vs. Global Variables11 minutes
  • SimpleGUI11 minutes
  • Buttons11 minutes
  • Input Fields10 minutes
  • Visualizing Events6 minutes
  • Programming Tips - 214 minutes
  • Mini-project Video7 minutes
5 readingsTotal 50 minutes
  • Practice Exercises for Interactive Applications (optional)10 minutes
  • Practice Exercises for Button and Input Fields (optional)10 minutes
  • Mini-project Description10 minutes
  • Practice Mini-project: Magical Octosphere Reloaded (optional)10 minutes
  • Code Clinic Tips10 minutes
2 assignmentsTotal 60 minutes
  • Quiz 2a30 minutes
  • Quiz 2b30 minutes
1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes
  • "Guess the Number!"60 minutes

Create a canvas in Python, learn how to draw on the canvas, create a digital stopwatch

What's included

7 videos4 readings2 assignments1 peer review

7 videosTotal 71 minutes
  • Canvas and Drawing13 minutes
  • String Processing12 minutes
  • Interactive Drawing13 minutes
  • Timers10 minutes
  • Visualizing Drawing and Timers6 minutes
  • Programming Tips - 37 minutes
  • Mini-project Video10 minutes
4 readingsTotal 40 minutes
  • Practice Exercises for Drawing (optional)10 minutes
  • Practice Exercises for Timers (optional)10 minutes
  • Mini-project Description10 minutes
  • Code Clinic Tips10 minutes
2 assignmentsTotal 60 minutes
  • Quiz 3a30 minutes
  • Quiz 3b30 minutes
1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes
  • Stopwatch: The Game60 minutes

Learn the basics of lists in Python, model moving objects in Python, recreate the classic arcade game "Pong"

What's included

8 videos4 readings2 assignments1 peer review

8 videosTotal 77 minutes
  • Lists11 minutes
  • Keyboard Input9 minutes
  • Motion14 minutes
  • Collisions and Reflections12 minutes
  • Velocity Control9 minutes
  • Visualizing Lists and Mutation6 minutes
  • Programming Tips - 44 minutes
  • Mini-project Video12 minutes
4 readingsTotal 40 minutes
  • Practice Exercises for Lists (optional)10 minutes
  • Practice Exercises for Keyboard (optional)10 minutes
  • Mini-project Description10 minutes
  • Code Clinic Tips10 minutes
2 assignmentsTotal 60 minutes
  • Quiz 4a30 minutes
  • Quiz 4b30 minutes
1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes
  • Pong60 minutes

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Instructors

Instructor ratings
4.8 (290 ratings)
Rice University
2 Courses232,664 learners
Rice University
2 Courses232,664 learners

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Learner reviews

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Showing 3 of 3319

FT
·

Reviewed on Mar 2, 2021

The course is really practical and you learn Python playing the games you develop, It is such a great course for those who already know how to code and want to know more about Python syntax.

VG
·

Reviewed on Apr 24, 2020

it is really a good, and interesting course offered by coursers. the teaching staff and the proffers exp land in a detailed and understandable way and made the course essay to understand and workout.

MM
·

Reviewed on Oct 3, 2017

This was a fun and convenient course, and it was a great start to learning programming for me. There must have been lots of thought and talent put into it to make it that way.Thank you!

Frequently asked questions

You'll learn how to think through basic Python programs and turn them into simple interactive applications. It starts with core coding ideas, then builds into event-driven programs that respond to user input and draw on screen. Along the way, you'll create small projects such as a digital stopwatch and a basic version of Pong.

No, you don't need prior Python or computing experience for this course. It begins with expressions, variables, and simple syntax in a browser-based coding environment before moving into functions and interactive behavior. If you're completely new, the main thing to expect is that you'll start writing code early rather than spending a long time on setup.

Yes, it's beginner-friendly if you want a true introduction and are comfortable learning by coding as you go. The course starts with very basic Python ideas and builds them into small graphical programs and games step by step. It may feel less suitable if you want a no-code overview, because you'll be writing and testing your own programs throughout.

Expect about 19 hours in total, or roughly two weeks at around 10 hours a week. The workload mixes short lessons with coding practice, quizzes, and readings, and the later part of the course adds more time for mini-projects. You'll move through lessons, optional exercises, quizzes, readings, and peer-reviewed project work.

Yes, there's regular hands-on work throughout the course. Most of it is guided coding: you'll use CodeSkulptor for exercises and mini-projects, and you'll build programs such as Guess the Number and Stopwatch: The Game. That practice helps you apply each new idea right away instead of only reading about it.

You'll cover core Python programming, simple graphics, and the logic behind interactive applications. That means writing functions, making decisions in code, and using lists as your programs become more dynamic. By the end, you'll understand how small programs keep track of state and respond to buttons, timers, and keyboard input.

After finishing, you should be able to write and debug small Python programs that react to user input and update what appears on screen. For example, you could build a simple guessing game, a stopwatch game, or a basic arcade-style program with moving objects and scoring. The scope stays introductory, but it moves you beyond one-off scripts into complete interactive programs.

It's more hands-on than theory-heavy, but the practice is clearly guided. Lessons explain each idea first, then you reinforce it through exercises, quizzes, and mini-projects. It's a good fit if you want explanations and regular coding practice in the same course.

Choose this course if you want to learn Python through visible, interactive results rather than only text-based exercises. It moves from core syntax into graphics, events, and mini-projects like Pong, so you can see how your code changes what happens on screen. If that learn-by-building approach appeals to you, this course is a stronger fit than a more text-only introduction.

Financial aid available,