Foundations of Python Development

This unit establishes foundational skills for beginning Python programmers, focusing on development environments (Google Colab and notebooks), basic language constructs, data representation, and common development workflows (debugging, documentation, QA, and issue tracking). Students will use these skills to create, test, and document simple Python applications, preparing them for more advanced programming and application development in subsequent units.

Learning Objectives

• Demonstrate proficient use of Python development environments and notebooks (Google Colab, IDE features, and magic commands) to create, run, and document code cells and scripts
• Apply fundamental Python constructs—variables, core data types (strings, numbers, collections), operators, and control flow statements (if, if…else, for, while)—to design, implement, and test simple data-processing programs
• Analyze and resolve programming errors by using Python help and online documentation, debugging strategies, QA principles, and issue tracking tools to identify, reproduce, and document bugs
• Evaluate basic data persistence and communication mechanisms (file storage, sending email) and apply introductory security practices (use of cryptographic libraries and secure handling) when constructing a simple, documented application