Table of Contents

Written by Andrei Guevorkian on 2023-10-02.

Basics of Computers

  • Tracing the evolution of computing devices.
  • The transformation of user interaction over time.
  • Distinguishing features that define a "computer".
  • The importance and role of binary in computation.

Software and Hardware

  • Delving into the fundamental parts of a computer: Input, Processing Unit, Memory & Storage, and Output.
  • Distinguishing between tangible hardware and intangible software.
  • Understanding Operating Systems: Bridging the gap between software and hardware.
  • The File System: Drawing parallels with a school locker analogy.
  • Exploring the intricacies of File Naming, File Path, and Working Directory.

Introduction

  • What is programming and why is it important?
  • Real-life examples of how programming impacts our daily life.
  • The mindset of a programmer: Logical, creative, and persistent.

Chapter 1: Understanding and Breaking Down Problems

  • The importance of clearly defining a problem.
  • Strategies to understand complex problems:
    • Breaking them down into smaller parts: The Divide and Conquer approach.
    • Visualizing with diagrams or flowcharts.
  • Activity: Solving a larger problem by breaking it down.

Chapter 2: Algorithms and Flowcharts

  • What is an algorithm?
  • Introduction to flowcharts and their symbols.
  • How to convert a problem into a flowchart.
  • Activity: Designing a flowchart for a simple daily task.

Chapter 3: Logic and Decision Making

  • Understanding conditions.
  • Introducing the if, else, and elif constructs.
  • Introduction to logical operators.
  • Activity: Creating simple decision-based programs.

Chapter 4: Repetition and Iteration

  • Understanding loops.
  • Understanding the structure of a loop.
  • Recognizing when and why to use loops.
  • Activity: Representing a task you do every day that's repetitive in code.

Chapter 5: Data Types and Variables

  • Understanding variables and constants.
  • Delving into basic data types: integers, strings, floats, booleans.
  • Assigning values and understanding variable scope.
  • Activity: Designing programs that make use of various data types and variables.

Chapter 6: Modularizing Your Code with Functions

  • The significance of modularizing code.
  • Understanding functions.
  • Understanding parameters, arguments, and return mechanisms.
  • Activity: Designing a program using modular components.

Chapter 7: Putting It All Together

  • Introducing arithmetic operations.
  • Combining all the concepts.
  • Designing a more complex program.
  • Activity: Designing programs combining all concepts from previous chapters.

Chapter 8: Debugging and Problem Solving

  • Common errors in programming and how to spot them.
  • Introduction to debugging techniques.
  • The importance of testing your code.
  • Activity: Finding the errors in a given snippet of code (pseudocode, logic-based).

Chapter 9: Best Practices and Readability

  • Writing clean and understandable code.
  • Commenting and documentation.
  • Activity: Rewriting a given messy code snippet to make it clean and readable.

Chapter 10: Exploring Further

  • Introduction to more advanced topics: Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Game Development, Robotics, Web Development.
  • Encouragement to practice and delve deeper into areas of interest.
  • The lifelong learning journey of a programmer.

Tools

  • Delving into the Terminal: A developer's command center.
  • Git: The cornerstone of version control and collaboration.
  • Mastering Google: Leveraging the search giant for efficient problem-solving.
  • Code Editors: Crafting and refining your code.