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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python) by University of Michigan

4.8
stars
226,322 ratings

About the Course

This course aims to teach everyone the basics of programming computers using Python. We cover the basics of how one constructs a program from a series of simple instructions in Python. The course has no pre-requisites and avoids all but the simplest mathematics. Anyone with moderate computer experience should be able to master the materials in this course. This course will cover Chapters 1-5 of the textbook “Python for Everybody”. Once a student completes this course, they will be ready to take more advanced programming courses. This course covers Python 3....
Highlights
High quality instructor

(1484 Reviews)

Introductory course

(4203 Reviews)

Top reviews

GL

Feb 28, 2016

Excellent for a beginner!! Professor Severance follows a very smooth and efficient method of teaching that reduces anxiety and increases passion for learning!! Recommended to anyone starting Python!!!

DJ

Oct 19, 2017

Dr. Chuck has a special ability to teach programming to people who doesn't necessarily have programming background. This is rare among programming teachers, and shows that he is an excellent educator.

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351 - 375 of 10,000 Reviews for Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python)

By Sofia G

Jun 4, 2017

Python is not my first programming language, so for me this course was mostly about learning Python syntax and semantics, getting prepared for the next courses in the same Python specialization (working with data structures, etc). I really enjoyed the course, especially the way Dr. Chuck explains the attitude you should approach programming with; it's also nice that the lectures have a bit of personal touch, not only the dry material, but also interesting interviews, videos of office hours, introduction of the university of Michigan, fun moments and other: it all makes you feel you are present in the classroom with the lecturer. Overall, very happy with my first Coursera course and can't wait to proceed to the next one!

By Radu-Iulian A

Jun 2, 2018

I finished this course faster than expected with no prior knowledge about programming and I recommend it for anybody who wants to start with programming as it is very well structured with many helpful videos and step-by-step instructions on how to start programming in Python 3.0 and quickly understand the fundamentals of coding.Tip1: Buy the papercopy of the book too and read there all the extra bits as it will come really helpful later (for quick search just use the free pdf of the same book).Tip2: Write down in your text editor all the codes and try to run-test every example to faster understand how things work and don´t be afraid to ask for help as it will just speed up the learning process.Totally recommend! :)

By Nashla F

Oct 30, 2020

I have always been very intimidated by computer programming, but to my surprise, Prof. Severance actually made learning python fun! I loved his teaching style, which included just the right amount of lecture alongside meaningful examples and interactive questions (I answered back to him through my computer screen, although I don't think he heard). The quizzes and assignments were the perfect level of difficulty (not too easy, not too hard); although I did struggle with the assignments in the last two chapters. I enjoyed the monty python references in examples and injections of humor-- especially re: traceback errors (which I will forever refer to as "blowing up"). Looking forward to the second part of his course!

By Mark G

Jul 21, 2020

It's a great course where as they say it's the nutshell. It's somehow a slow-paced course, but if you walk through it with your own pace it would be a great course for you. I've got the basics of programming with python language in nearly a week as as this course has a lot of content as it's easy to go through it especially if you've already have another programming language like c or c++ or whatever. As the instructor said, it's only the first baby steps or I quote "a part of two main parts" to get to know who really a programmer is and what he can do with coding. So, thanks for this great course I hope everyone gets the chance to study it as it will help a lot in a programming or a computer scientist career.

By Olanrewaju O A

Sep 1, 2019

Learning the basics of programming computers using Python has been fun in the past few weeks. Though I wasn't completely new to Python and programming as such, it was an exciting experience being though the nitty-gritty details that make the knowledge stronger.

Charles Russell Severance (Ph.D.) of the prestigious University of Michigan made brought it down as low as it could get in order to build a firm foundation in programming.

I will recommend this course to anyone who needs to dive into programming and contemplating where to start from. The course has no pre-requisites and avoids all but the simplest mathematics. Anyone with moderate computer experience should be able to master the materials in this course.

By Suresh K G N

Oct 5, 2016

For those who all are thinking of how and where to start learning Python, this is the right place. This introductory course is excellent course. I hope i need not say that a course don't become excellent on its own it need people to make it excellent and Prof. Charles and his team have indeed done an excellent job.

I wish to continue learning with Prof. Charles and am looking forward for the advance my learning of Python and if possible other programming languages.

This is the best time to be alive for those who want to continously learn and advance in life, thanks to platform like Coursera and the people involved in their mission to bring this vast amount to knowledge to the general public at large.

Thank you

By Ryan Y

Jun 14, 2016

This course is a well-introduced course for all ages and professions. With the modern world expanding and discoveries made every day, its important that people understand some form of computer science or programming. The teacher, Charles Severance, stresses this point as this course is ONLY centered toward future programmers or rather as common people and professions from astronauts to bankers through a variety of puns, jokes, and fun music. Overall, this course is very helpful and impactful, as the instruction is very thorough and simple with LITTLE AMOUNTS OF TIME REQUIRED. By the end of this course, one with completely no background with programming should be sufficient in creating his or her own program.

By Muhammad A ( w A

Mar 19, 2021

This course will teach all the basics of Python programming computers. We discuss how to build a program from a series of simple Python instructions. The course does not have preconditions and prevents everything, except the simplest math. Anyone with moderate computer experience in this course should be able to control the materials. This course covers Chapters 1-5 of the Python for Everyone textbook. Once a student finishes his/her course, he/she will be prepared to follow further programs. Python 3 is included in the course.

So don't wait if you want to learn this course from Charles Russell Severance.

I am extremely thankful for the beautiful way I was taught by my instructor Charles Russell Severance.

By Mohsin M K

Apr 6, 2020

I am very fortunate to take this course. I am really passionate about programming and I was learning programming concepts from YouTube but never found such a detailed and very basic course which really removed lots of confusions in my mind. After taking this course I got the right understanding of control flow of the Python programming language and I am sure because now I do understand the basics of programming and how they actually work at the back-end I am sure I can learn other programming languages with ease and at much faster pace. I also request Coursera community, team and the management to please let me take this complete series for free as I really want to learn but I can't afford any fee. Thanks

By Alberto C

May 25, 2022

What I appreciate most from this course was the well-paced explanations, the storytelling involved in delivering the concepts, It just really resonated with me. Especially the take on the perspective that we're trying to explain things to someone that has no understanding at all, from scratch, in order to achieve clarity as to what we're expecting with our arguments. It's quite a humbling experience, some parts actually feel like teaching someone a language that is new to them. After some axioms have been understood, you are aware of the possibilities and are motivated to pursue the understanding for elaborating projects and to seek examples of other projects in order to fulfill one's own. 10 out of 10.

By Kim G

Jul 29, 2021

This was such a amazing opportunity , I'm thankful to Dr. Charles Severance for the wonderful structure and the perfect examples and assignments. This course taught me the basics and now hopefully I will have the chance to learn more and be able to use Python better and achieve other skills which would help me in AI . I am grateful to Coursera for making it possible to learn from Iran and helping me to become a more successful medical student. I am confident that this skill will help me to become a such Radiologist in the future . The timeline and the deadlines were great. I would totally recommend this course to everyone who want to start working with Python. This is the must before any other source .

By Marcus A G

Jan 22, 2021

I want to start by thanking Dr. Charles(Chuck)Serverance for a very thorough explanation of this course. Having been the very first time that I've taken a course of this level of difficulty for me were very challenging. Dr. Chuck talks about understanding as you go along and true to form I did not understand until the very end. I did make it through after months of challenges and trying my hardest to actually understand. I almost gave up on myself at the very end but thanks to coursera I was able to finish strong. I'm so proud to have experienced something totally out of my norm. I've learned so much more than expected! Thanks Dr. Chuck and all of your helpful staff as well as those in countless forums.

By bryan G

Feb 15, 2019

I started Coursera with a course in AI and Machine learning only to find out that I was in way over my head. realizing I needed some basic programming skills, I headed over to this course knowing that Python is one of the most use languages right now in programming. As a non-programmer/software engineer-type, this has been an amazing course. Dr. Chuck breaks things down for the average person so you can start understanding how things are done but also WHY they are done (which is more important in the beginning IMO). I'm now walking through the entire section (6 courses) with the end goal to make it back to that AI and Machine learning course and understand it far better. Thanks, Coursera! (and Dr Chuck!)

By Ashmita G

Jul 8, 2020

My favorite part was the approach taken in this course. You checked a solid issue I had faced as a beginner in programming back in the day, which was the perspective with which one must approach the syntax errors any programming language (in this case Python) throws at you. One must be positive, understand that the language is, as stated in the course, truly 'lost', and we must make the instruction a bit more clearer to retrieve the desired output. Also, the structure is very friendly for anyone from a non CSE background as well. So proud to have taken your course, there is a learning on an academic as well on a personal front. Thank you for sharing how one must approach a subject one intends to teach.

By Dan H

Sep 29, 2017

Really an exceptional course. Instructor did a great job, and by taking good notes I managed to complete every assignment on my own, without help - which is unusual for online courses. The automated graded system is accurate but brutally exact, so be careful when submitting because something as simple as an extra space in one of the responses is enough to trigger an error (but fortunately usually very easy to fix). Another perk is that for people coming from a background in R, like myself, the latest version of Python - 3 - is closer to R than previous versions in terms of syntax, so it's a pretty easy transition. For everybody else this is a great starting point. Highly recommend this course!

By Daniil B

Apr 13, 2018

This course is very useful and astonishing for people who are starting or want to start programming on Python. It contains basic information and does not require any knowledge about programming. So, classes are brilliant for beginners! Furthermore, Dr. Chuck is a significant teacher and his lectures are able to inspire almost anybody. Additional materials inside the course are interesting and give listener an opportunity to think about programming in general, about an essential role of programming in modern age of technology. Exercises are exciting and helpful. I am strongly recommending this course for everybody who wants to get started with programming or just get new useful skills.

By Dennis S

Jul 25, 2022

I have never gave a 5-Star review on anything that I can recall because nothing is perfect, but this course on Python, which was taught by Charles Severance on Coursera, was the best programming course that I have taken by far. The way Charles Severance approach and explains the details about Python, allows anyone to understand Python and coding regardless of the person's background or experience. I look forward to continue my learning in Python and any other course(s) offered by the University of Michigan and Charles Severance. I thank both Mr. Severance and the University of Michigan for contributing and assisting others in learning this awesome programming language. Thanks, Dennis Swinford

By Cammillius J

Oct 2, 2017

First Time A Programming Course is This Interesting!

Most of my previous tries to learn Python have hit a dead end as at some point, I lost interest. I felt that the previous courses I had taken before were talking to someone behind me. In some cases, the course was too easy. It left no room to think. Some times, the courses were too hard. As in, the instructor teach something very easy and expect you to do something 10x hard.

This course was of the right pace. Dr. Charles Severance gives you all the tools you need. I felt like riding the "Python bike". I fell, yes, but knew what to do to do better next try. Thanks a lot to the course! Will definitely continue with the rest of the modules. . .

By Sivaditya K

Jul 9, 2020

It is one of the best online courses,I have ever taken.Our instructor Dr.Charles is a spectacular person with his awesome knowledge and versatility.Sir's teaching style was soo lucid and simple. This course is one of the best basic Python course for beginners without any basic stuff.

I highly recommend everyone especially beginners who doesn't have a knowledge of programming and can assure them that at the end of the course they will be ready to tackle the world of programming languages with a new confidence level. Its really a worthy course.Just give it a try and see the changes in the perspective of programming that one adopts during the course time,which is really mind blowing.

By VISHNU N

Apr 5, 2020

It is a great course for beginners, Dr. Chuck is highly enthusiastic in his approach. The course starts from the basics, the explanation to install the software and starting with python was explained very well. The course covers each topic we need to start with Python. The way professor makes things interesting is really commendable. I highly encourage students to take this course who are just starting to program, this course gives a flavor of all the important topics required to start python.

The bonus videos were also interesting. I feel that there should be more assignments. Apart from that this course was really helpful for me to start programming and motivated me to study further.

By Siddhi K

May 6, 2020

This course gives a perfect start if one is new to python. The video lectures are perfectly explained by Charles Russell Serverance and the best part of this course was the bonus associated with every chapters in which students get to know more about many great people about whom we used to study, here i got opportunity to listen to them and get many more industrial knowledge through them and the assignments and the assignment tool to execute the code was also a very perfect part of the course and moreover finantial aid is available for this course so that anyone who wants to learn get an opportunity to learn, this is a very great initiative took by Coursera it is the best part of Coursera.

By Arnab M

Nov 24, 2019

This course was presented in a very interesting way, some of the basic concepts were discussed in various depth.The instructor is very good at teaching programming. With well structured assignments and quiz this course is perfect for the beginners and intermediate level leaning of Python.The bonus materials like interview with Guido, CEO of Coursera, Pizza, Arduino etc are extremely entertaining and gives an overview of the current state of technology and entrepreneurship.The course contains various examples and tips to perform different tasks using Python - which without a doubt shall be useful in the future.Overall this course is very informative, conceptual, motivating for the learners.

By Stefan M

Sep 5, 2016

Great intro to python for non programmers.

I have experience with programming and Python; was looking for a refresher, so I ended up finding this remedial (not surprising). Ended up breezing through the content in a weekend on 2x speed.

With that said, this class is an excellent introduction to programming and python. Anyone should be able to pick Python up from this class.

However, the only downside to this course in my opinion is that the programming assignments are trivial. In order to start thinking in terms of algorithms, you need to program. If you supplement this class with some programming challenges (which should be easy to find online), this will be a great way to get into Python.

By Edwina H

Jun 20, 2020

It would have been better instead of watching the lectures first, then doing the exercises or assignments, we can code at the same time the lecturer is speaking. It is hard to concentrate on a talking head, when the subject matter is coding. We also need to know what are the correct answers to the quiz questions that we got wrong so as to be able to learn from it. Other than that, the course is taught in a logical way, pitched at the right level for beginner coders, and in general, enjoyable. Thank you very much to Prof. Severance and the team at the University of Michigan for creating the course. I am still torn between whether I should move on to the next lecture series in the course.

By Roee F

Jul 27, 2019

This is an excellent course to learn the very basic of programming. If you have any previous programming background and just want to learn Python syntax and grammer you will be able to go quickly through the lectures and focus on excercising the code.

If you don't have previous experience, you might struggle a little bit to figure out the basics - in that case make sure you don't only watch the lectures but also read the class' book as you progress.

The instructor, Prof. Severence, is absolutely brilliant! The lectures are carefully constructed to take you step by step along the way and his way of teaching really makes you feel comfortable and clears up even the more complicated subjects.