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

4.8
stars
229,642 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

KK

Jun 26, 2020

Great introduction to Python and programming as a whole. Everything is broken down making it easy to understand. Had zero programming experience before and this class made it easy and fun to get into.

DU

Apr 26, 2021

Excellent, although, even without having any programming experience except some Visual Basic at school about ten years ago, in my opinion the course could have bee more difficult and the pace quicker.

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276 - 300 of 10,000 Reviews for Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python)

By Sofia A

Jun 21, 2018

Dr Chuck is amazing! He can make you understand all you need to know without any previous knowledge. All the open-sourced material is very helpful too and the exercises are spot-on, perfect for revision and for testing your knowledge. I read several comments from people who were already familiar with programming, saying that for them this course is pretty basic. I would like to share my understanding of the matter, having finished the first part of the specialisation. This course is an introduction to programming, for EVERYONE. This means that it has to build up from scratch assuming that the student has no idea even what is inside a computer! And it achieves it perfectly. So, I recommend this course for everyone that want's to get started on Python; don't be intimidated, you can learn how to do this because this is an excellent step-by-step approach. You will learn same as you learned how to speak English. And I also recommend it for everyone who knows how to program already and would like to touch-base and put things back into context.

By Luke L

Jun 10, 2017

This introductory course in Python was great, overall I found the instructor (Charles Severance) to be an excellent Lecturer. He has a wealth of experience and a great personality which helped motivate me a lot.

If I think back throughout the 7 weeks, knowing what I had ahead of me from one week to the next, it sometimes felt daunting not knowing what might be expected of me in the next class or section of the course. Then..before you know it..Charles is back and at a click of a button..explaining everything you need to know with excellent examples of code (what to do, what not do do etc) and reference to additional resources to dip in and out of, to help bolster my understanding, push me out of my comfort zone and complete the assignments.

This really is one of the best software engineering classes I could find. Charles is an excellent lecturer, mentor and coach and really knows how to help get you started and most of all, get you through it!

I seriously can't wait to start my next Coursera course "Python Data Structures" - Enjoy!

By Hui C H J

Jan 7, 2021

I have greatly enjoyed learning python with Prof Chuck. The videos and textbook provide examples that are easy for me to follow. I can go at my own pace and just have to make sure to submit quizzes and homework assignments on time. The quizzes were a good way for me to gauge my understanding of the weekly lessons. As long as you understand the material then the homework assignments aren't too bad. Also, reading the chapter after watching all the weekly videos plus doing the exercises at the end of each chapter was a great way to prep for the quizzes.

I wasn't sure if I would understand python since I had trouble learning C++ in the past and thought this might be too hard to learn. I was pleasantly surprised how quickly I started to understand things and put the pieces together to create my programs. I plan to complete the remaining 4 classes to get the python certification.

This was a very good learning experience and I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to learn python. Thank you Prof Chuck.

By Nikolay K

Aug 20, 2020

Charles Severance is a truly magician.

All my life I evaded programming, always had negative experience throughout the entire School and University, achieved only C's and hated it.

But Charles took it all and put upside down — programming is Fun! The course is ideally clear and so well structured and balanced, so it is not an iota worse than your favourite TV show! Albeit with one little, but a very crucial difference — you learn REALLY USEFUL THINGS.

And anyone can learn it, for sure. The course requires no special talent or knowledge, it just gives you them both, if you honestly complete all tasks with full dedication. It inspires you to create and program.

It's absolutely true that in the middle of the XXI century there will be two types of people — algorithm makers and algorithm executes. So if you want to have an impact in your future life, ENROLL!

P.S. But the real fruits await you after the completion of the course.

Dr Nikolay Kondratyev (a 10 year-experienced chemist, who decided to learn to program)

By Ashraful A

Jun 11, 2020

by Md. completed this course, spending 1 hours a week on it and found the course difficulty to be easy.

I loved this course.With so many glowing reviews, I don't think mine matters, but here it is anyway: This course is amazing.

This course is so amazing that a) I realized I threw away way too much money on a different "introduction to python" course that had live instructors and one-on-one access to mentors because this class was free and far more beneficial; and b) when I'm done writing this review, I'm going to sign up for the whole Coursera Python for Everybody specialization.

The amazing thing is that so much is crammed into such short lectures, and yet the material is still accessible.

Speaking of accessibility: the lectures have captions AND interactive transcripts. The audio is crisp and clear, as is the video-- without background noise or distractions. The dedication to accessibility has blown me away and is another big reason I plan to support Coursera by paying for the specialization path.

By AKSHAJ K

Aug 21, 2020

This was my first online course ever. New to the world of online courses, I immediately fell in love with it within the first 2-3 weeks (which I completed within a day) of the course. I am really starting to see the potential of online learning and how this particular course makes it so easy for students from any background whatsoever to get starter with Python programming. I myself being a student of computer science and having learnt C++ found it very lucrative to speed through some of the portions of the course (the playback speed feature is really handy) and at the end of each week I could reinforce my learning through the assignments and reviews. Also liked the concept of Peer Graded Assignments and how it boosts the peer learning process in some ways. The video lectures by Dr. Charles Severance are really good and on-point, guiding the student across various circumstances of a particular topic. Will continue with the specialisation courses offered by University of Michigan on PY4E. 10/10.

By Claude R

Feb 8, 2024

I just finished this course a couple of hours ago and I'm happy to provide a review. I must admit that I'm not a beginning programmer. I've been writing computer programs professionally and for fun since I was a kid in the late 1960's, so I've been around the "block" a few times, but I never spent any time with Python. I'm currently retired and I recently started pursuing an interest in statistical learning theory. I wanted to get a rapid but solid understanding of Python, found "Dr. Chuck's" course through Coursera, and started it three days ago. Now certainly one of the reasons I could zip through the material so quickly was having a lifetime of experience to draw on. But my experience wouldn't have been nearly as useful if the course weren't so well designed and delivered. No matter what your background is, I think you'll benefit from Dr. Chuck's clarity and enjoy his humor as you watch the videos and read the textbook. I can't wait to start the next course in the specialization...

By Madhan K

Jun 13, 2019

I started this course having zero knowledge about python software. I had learnt c++ in my school days so i started to grasp the concepts quickly without much difficulty. I am really happy that this online course has proper assignments and quizzes to test our knowledge instead of just having to learn the concepts. A huge thanks to Prof. Charles Severance for making this course seem easy to learn. His way of teaching is very unique and i feel lucky to have got him as the instructor in an online learning platform. Anybody without a prior knowledge about programming can learn this course by taking their time. This course has been planned correctly and adequately instead of rushing with loads of concepts. In a way this course provides time for the individuals to learn, practice, and correct their mistakes while programming. In case of any difficulties, there are forums where we can discuss about the problems and get a solution. I eagerly look forward for my upcoming courses on this specialization.

By Neel C

Mar 19, 2018

Programmers using complex lingo in your life making you feel lost when they explain something to you?

This is the course for you!

Other resources you tried on how to program are too complicated, and sound like an alien is speaking to you?

This is the course for you!

Why?

Everything is explained so "Everybody" (anybody!) can learn! Plus, everything is communicated slowly, and compared to things in everyday life (of that of the "99%" of the population) so that "Everybody" can understand.

Note: Great for LEARNING the basics. Not for PRACTICING. I used this course alongside "Learning Python the Hard Way" since that is an exercise only focused book, and this course is strong in terms of it's ability to communicate complicated concepts.

Also, if you are someone in the tech industry who thinks his explanations are too "dumbed down", take this as a chance to learn and improve your own communication skills by watching someone who is able to communicate "complex ideas" so that "Everybody" can understand.

By Meytal ( V

Oct 23, 2017

The perfect course for beginners.If you, like me, have been over thinking about giving programming a try for a few years now and been too afraid, this is the course for you.From any reason that you might be interested in programming, or from any previous knowledge or experience prof. Charles Severance is a marvelous teacher! I felt as he really understood where am I coming from as a non-technical student that never touched a piece of code before. And that shouldn't be forgotten! The course progress is nice and in a good paste (some might say even too slow) giving you the time to deal with this new world as it's not letting you feel that you are too slow to learn. I know that I acquired the most basic understanding of Python. Which was exactly what I wanted! With that knowledge, I believe I have the infrastructure to keep learning independently or at list was encouraged to deal with my fears. Now, I feel much more confident and sure I will continue to learn. Thank you so much!

By Hank E

Nov 29, 2020

Course is easy to understand and Dr. Chuck works the examples in such as way as to make the solution appear obvious. There are many ways to write a program to solve a problem. Efficiently writing the program such that it actually takes less computer time is something that is difficult to each. Computers work well doing iterative tasks that with fast processors, we do consider how efficient our coding is. In the old days of the cold war when processing power was a competitive and under export control, the Soviet Union which lacked equivalent processor power learned to write code that was very efficient. Hence when the Soviet Union fell, Soviet (Russian) programmer were in high demand by western software companies. Some western software companies even set up research labs in Russia to take advantage of the pool of talented programmers.

I will take a bit of time to think in programming language again to write efficient code in Python. Thank you for this first course.

By Syed F S

Oct 11, 2020

Greetings!

RECOMMENDED to all, specially NEWBIES wishing and willing to learn PYTHON.

First of all, I would like to extend my heartful thanks to the course instructor Dr. Charles, Coursera and all the supporting team members who contributed immensely in creating such a wonderfully planned Course structure for Newbies like me.

I really loved:

1. The simple way in which the content was explained.

2. The additional videos (be it of Dr. Charles office hours or with Mr. Python (Guido van Rossum Sir) or others like the Co-Founder of Coursera and the Piazza one were quite inspiring). All these provided an insight and sparked that you need to be more passionate and even more dedicated towards transforming your passion into your profession.

3. I was aware of the basics of C++. However, I feel the way you have explained everything, even the person with zero programming background can even understand it.

I am excited and looking forward to complete the whole Specialization.

By V V D P A

Jul 8, 2020

This is the best course for the beginners especially for those who do not have any idea about coding. It is user-friendly and it won't take much time for anyone of you to complete this course. The instructor for this course is absolutely phenomenal his teaching is spectacular you will get easily involved with him throughout the course, he often cracks nice jokes hahaha, so he has a nice sense of humor to lower down the pressure build-up (only if it happens), well he will just keep u on track throughout the course while u often try to loose while watching the examples he shows during the video sessions, so that's great, keeps u motivated. So, in the last I say have FUN guys u will enjoy it absolutely no doubt at all, its a full wonderful treat, for more things why not try it out yourself only if u feel that yeah this language will come handy for me in the future. So have fun and stay blessed. Thank u and I pray that u and your family have a very good life.

By Bradley C B

Mar 19, 2018

Encouraging. This is a course you are not likely to drop out of. The order of info being given, and the explanations are very easy and relatable. The foundational knowledge and skills this course passes on is solid, essential, and prepares for future learning very well. No computer background required for this at all. I also commend the Dr. , for his ability to simplify the concepts without teaching anything which is untrue. You won't need to unlearn anything you learn here as you continue to advance. It's all good stuff, and I appreciated a little bit of the trivia. I can tell this is an old course given some of the bonus videos of historical nature were recorded a few years ago.... but I'm doing it in 2018, but it's still relevant. I appreciate that I do not need to wait for a session to start, and there are plenty of peers still doing this course. You can do this at your own pace, and won't need to wait long at all for any peer review.

By SHUBHAM S

Oct 27, 2020

before taking this course i dont know any programming language and was very scared of coding and thought learning a programming language needs very high skills and very hard work and it is not for everybody but after completing this course as its name suggests it is really programming for everybody and now i am very confident that anyone can learn programming language i thank coursera for giving me financial aid so that me and other students like me from various developing countries can learn a skill for free because students like us cannot afford such courses while studying in schools/colleges and also very thankful to the respected teacher dr. chuck from the university of michigan who made this course of programming language very easy for the students like me who knew nothing before starting this course and at last i would say that learn python as your first programming language and to learn python this is the best course available in the world.

By Giuseppe T

Jul 12, 2020

I already had some knowledge about Python, but I really enjoyed this course for the following reasons: (1) The instructor talks in a calm and clear way and with just the right speed; (2) The instructor not only talks about the concepts, he demonstrates them either using slides or physical objects (the demonstrations with slides are really good, in the sense that the slides contain only important concepts, the diagrams/flow charts are well thought through and they indeed help to clarify/visualize the concepts); (3) The instructor explains all the keywords he uses (keywords that are considered in more detail in later chapters are explained briefly, so that the codes presented make sense); further his explanations are concise without suffering the clarity of the explanation(4) The exercises are well suited to the content of each chapter (i. e. they do not contain any concepts which were not covered within the chapter or in previous one);

By Supr S

Oct 7, 2015

Excellent course for those, like myself, who have no experience with computer science or programming. This course will give you a great introduction to Python as well as the skills necessary to take other courses. The pace of the course is just right so you will be challenged and motivated until the end. Furthermore, you will receive a lot of support from the Professor as well as the community so whenever you get stuck, there will be a lot of people helping you understand the problem your are having. The Professor, Dr. Chuck, is extremely engaged, motivating and passionate about enabling people around the world to learn programming skills. He participates in the course and forums, making the long distance learning more personal and exciting. I strongly recommend this course for beginners - if you are afraid of starting a programming course because you do not know whether you will be able to learn, go ahead, enrol and have fun!

By Dan-Alexandru A

Feb 17, 2020

This is a great introduction to Python. Everything is taken step by step and the Python-specific topics are very clearly explained. I found that valuable. However, I would say that this course is not really for everybody, but for those with absolutely no experience in coding in any other language. Prof. Severance takes a lot of time to explain fundamental concepts which are virtually the same regardless of the language one is using. I studied C++ during my highschool years, more than 12 years ago. Moreover, I have used Matlab quite extensively as well as a bit of VBA during my BSc and MSc (more than 7 years ago) and a little bit of both during my work years. In that respect, the time Prof. Severance takes to explain the mechanics of the algorithms was a bit of a waste. Maybe the book would be the better option for those who can move through the material faster.Overall: very clear, very well structured, a bit too slow.

By Raffaele L

May 9, 2022

For someone who is new to python and has no experience with computer programming, this course has been an excellent introduction to coding with python. I highly recommend taking this course, especially if you are like myself and come from a non-computer science major/background. It was very interesting and I was able to learn at my own pace, contrasting the experience with traditional college or universities; this really allowed me to grasp the concepts and learn them for the sake of learning them rather than for fear of negatively impacting my GPA. Dr. Charles Severance is a fantastic professor, and his teaching style is far better than most of the professors that I have had during my time at University; he actually seems to care about your success and whether you learn the content rather than treating you as a number like most university profs do. I highly recommend this class. You will not regret it.

By Kainka

Mar 6, 2017

It's a great introduction to programming and Python 2 specifically. The way Dr. Chuck explains every step proving it's all doable is very encouraging for those of us who may think that programming is far beyond their competences. It's also a very good course for those who either had learned some Python elsewhere, or know other programming language as it organizes everything in a comprehensive manner so it all does make a lot of sense :) Dr. Chuck provides a free book "Python for Informatics" which is a very good reference of the key Python things with real case scenarios targeted at exploring information that anyone of us an use rather than sorting and other algorithms which are more suitable for computer science students. This course covers chapters 1-5 of this book so it's more of getting started with Python while the following courses continue with the next chapters when things are getting very exciting.

By Anish A

Apr 9, 2020

I had started this course because I had no knowledge regarding Python, even though I had knowledge of other languages like C, C++, Java, C# & Swift. Coming from someone who has had a decent amount of programming knowledge, I must say that Dr. Chuck is one of the best instructors I've come across and his courses are well paced, informative & not overwhelming. The quizzes & the assignments in his courses are both doable by anyone who is just starting out and through his style of teaching I must say that anyone, literally anyone with no knowledge of programming or computer science can get into this field.

In conclusion, if you are someone looking for a Python course which is simple yet dives into the depths without the fear of overwhelming you with lots of lessons, I suggest you take this course, and you will find yourself gaining more knowledge at a much rapid rate through Dr. Chuck than any other instructor.

By Talha N

Aug 5, 2023

The Python course I undertook on Coursera was exceptional! It provided a comprehensive and well-structured curriculum, catering to learners of all levels. The instructors were engaging, knowledgeable, and adept at explaining complex concepts with clarity. The interactive exercises and projects allowed for practical application and boosted my coding skills significantly. The course content covered essential Python libraries, data manipulation, and problem-solving techniques, preparing me for real-world challenges. The peer-reviewed assignments fostered a sense of community and encouraged collaborative learning. The feedback from peers and instructors was invaluable in refining my coding style. Overall, this Python course surpassed my expectations, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to master Python programming for a successful career in software development, data analysis, or machine learning.

By Suraj k

Jul 2, 2023

I recently completed the Python Programming course on Coursera and obtained the online certificate of completion. Overall, I found the course to be an excellent resource for learning Python and developing practical programming skills. One of the highlights of the course was the emphasis on hands-on practice. After each concept was introduced, there were ample opportunities to apply the knowledge through coding exercises, Upon successfully completing the course, I received a certificate of completion from Coursera. The certificate is a valuable credential that can be shared on professional platforms like LinkedIn to showcase my proficiency in Python programming. It serves as a testament to the skills acquired during the course and can be beneficial for career advancement or further education.

THANKU so much COURSERA

By Jade T

Nov 3, 2015

I'd been intimidated by python for awhile, despite having experience in other programming languages. This was a really good introduction for a beginner and made digesting the blocks incredibly easy. Another great benefit of the course is the extensive media through which you can access the information for the course. Video, the textbook and even podcasts (which I have listened to on bike rides); Dr. Severance clearly wants to make the information as accessible as possible. Additionally, Dr. Severance is incredibly personable and funny. I would love to have him as a professor.

My one complaint with the course would be that it moves really slow if you already have any coding experience. To give you an idea, I have a background in R and got through this course in 2 days. Either way, I'm on to the next course in the series and will continue on with the rest of them.

Thank you, Dr. Severance!

By Muhammad A B

Sep 29, 2017

This is the first online course in which I've enrolled. Before stepping my feet into COURSEA's course (Programming for Everybody) I tried my level best to learn Python but never went beyond "if/elif/else" but after taking this course though I'm in the middle of it but I can proudly say that I've crossed my previous milestone & a new horizon has rose in front of me. InshAllah I will go beyond that horizon.

I am a bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Studies in English Language (HONS)) holder but this is the best thing that ever happened to me in my whole 16 years of education career.

Thanks COURSERA for providing such a marvelous opportunity and courses along with perfectly modified course outlines and study related content to students who previously never got exposed to what they want to learn on COURSERA. This is such a wonderful platform for every beginner.

Thanks COURSERA, I owe you.