Welcome to Python (I)! This page is the shared hub for all sections.

For section-specific updates and course management, please refer to your section on the KMU New E-learning Platform.

I. Course Description / 課程簡介

This course aims to develop computational thinking and foundational programming skills using Python. Through step-by-step learning and in-class hands-on practice, students will learn to formulate problems, write/read/debug basic programs, and work with data at an introductory level. The course also fosters interdisciplinary communication, enabling students to communicate effectively with engineering and IT teams. By the end of the course, students will be able to build simple Python programs to solve practical problems and handle basic data tasks.

II. Course Topics / 課程主題

• Computational Thinking (Intro): step-by-step problem solving and basic troubleshooting

• Core Python Basics: variables, conditionals, loops, and simple functions

• Text & Data Structures: strings, lists, and dictionaries for organizing information

• Files & Hands-on Practice: basic file I/O and in-class, case-based exercises

III. Sections / 分班

Please see the KMU New E-learning Platform for section-specific details.

• Section 1 (No. 9961230): IR503, Mon 3:10–5:00 PM

• Section 2 (No. 9961231): IR334, Fri 1:10–3:00 PM

• Section 3 (No. 9961233): IR334, Tue 1:10–3:00 PM

• Section 4 (No. 9961236): IR503, Mon 10:10 AM–12:00 PM

IV. Instructor & Contact / 授課教師與聯絡方式

• Instructor: Jacky Chung-Hao Wu

• Office: CS924, Chi-Shih Building (濟世大樓)

• Email: jackchwu@kmu.edu.tw

• Office Hours: By appointment only (please schedule by email)

V. Prerequisites / 修課準備

No prior programming experience is required.

Basic computer skills are expected.

VI. Getting Started / 工具與環境準備

• What we use: Google Colab (for in-class practice and assignments)

• What you need: a Google account

• Workflow (create a blank Colab notebook):

  1. Sign in to your Google account

  2. Create a folder in Google Drive (e.g., "Python(I)_Spring2026")

  3. Open the folder you just created

  4. Click New (+) → More → Google Colaboratory to create a blank notebook

     • If you can’t find Google Colaboratory: Connect more apps → search “Colaboratory” → install

VII. Weekly Schedule (Subject to change) / 週次進度(視課程進度調整)

The schedule below is a tentative plan and may be adjusted based on class progress.

• Weeks 1–3: Introduction & Basics

Why Program? (Introduction); Variables, Expressions, and Statements

• Weeks 4–6: Control Flow & Functions

Conditional Execution; Functions; Loops and Iterations

• Weeks 7–9: Text, Files, and Robust Programming

Strings; Files; Debugging & Exception Handling

• Weeks 10–13: Data Structures & Regular Expressions

Lists; Dictionaries; Tuples; Regular Expressions

• Weeks 14–17: Selected Topics (if time permits)

Network Programming; Using Web Services; Object-Oriented Programming; Databases; Data Visualization

• Week 18: Final Exam

VIII. Materials & Resources / 教材與參考資料

• Textbook

  • Severance, C. (2017). Python for Everybody: Exploring Data in Python 3. Shroff Publishers

    • Online book: https://books.trinket.io/pfe/index.html

• References

  • Downey, A. B. (2024). Think Python: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist (3rd ed.). O’Reilly Media

    • Online book: https://allendowney.github.io/ThinkPython/

  • Scientific Python Lectures: https://lectures.scientific-python.org/

  • Official Python documentation: https://docs.python.org/3/

IX. Grading / 評分方式

• Homework: 60%

• Final Exam: 40%

X. Academic Integrity / 學術誠信

• Submit your own work for all homework and exams (no cheating or falsification, e.g., faking results)

• You may discuss ideas with classmates, but do not copy code or share complete solutions

• If you use any external resources (websites, books, or AI tools), cite them clearly (e.g., include a link or a short reference note)

• Violations will be handled according to KMU policies

FAQ / 常見問題

Let me know if you have questions — I’ll keep this FAQ updated.

• Q1: Do I need to install Python on my computer?

A1: No, we will use Google Colab for in-class practice and homework.

• Q2: What Python version should I use for this course?

A2: Use Python 3 (not Python 2) — Python 2 has reached end-of-life and is no longer supported.

In this course, we mainly use Google Colab, so you usually don’t need to worry about the exact version.

If needed, you can check it in Colab by running "python --version".

If you practice locally, install the latest stable Python 3 from the official Python website: https://www.python.org/downloads/.

• Q3: Where can I get a Google account for this course?

A3: KMU provides student Google accounts (e.g., "your_id@gap.kmu.edu.tw") for Google Drive and Google Colab.

Please refer to the official guide here: https://www.gap.kmu.edu.tw/.

You may also use your personal Gmail account.

• Q4: I can’t find “Google Colaboratory” under Google Drive → New (+) → More.

A4: Open Google Colab (https://colab.research.google.com) → New notebook (it will be saved to Google Drive automatically).

• Q5: Are there any recommended tools for a better coding experience?

A5: VS Code + Anaconda is a great option if you want to code locally with a smoother workflow.

This is optional and not required for this course.