Computer Science is a creative, challenging, and rewarding discipline. Computer
programmers, sometimes called software engineers, solve problems involving data:
computing, moving, and handling large quantities of data are all tasks made easier
or possible by computer programs. Money magazine ranked software engineer as
the number one job in America in terms of flexibility, creativity, low stress levels,
ease of entry, compensation, and job growth within the field [4].
Learning to program a computer is a skill that can bring you great enjoyment
because of the creativity involved in designing and implementing a solution to a
problem. Python is a good first language to learn because there is very little
overhead in learning to write simple programs. Python also has many libraries
available that make it easy to write some very interesting programs including
programs in the areas of Computer Graphics and Graphical User Interfaces: two
topics that are covered in this text.
In this text, students are taught to program by giving them many examples and
practice exercises with solutions that they can work on in an interactive classroom
environment. The interaction can be accomplished using a computer or using pen
and paper. By making the classroom experience active, students reflect on and
apply what they have read and heard in the classroom. By using a skill or concept
right away, students quickly discover if they need more reinforcement of the
concept, while teachers also get immediate feedback. There is a big difference
between seeing a concept demonstrated and using it yourself and this text
encourages applying concepts immediately to test understanding. This is vital in
Computer Science since new skills and concepts build on what we have already
learned
