Learn to Code with Me!: 2019-2020

Learn to Code with Me! [Python!]

Fall Quarter Dates: Oct 10, Oct 24, Nov 7, Nov 21, Dec 5, 2019 from 3:30 - 4:30pm

Where: MRC 164 (First Floor, Science Library) Here is a map!

Madelynn is the Digital Humanities and History Librarian at UCI Libraries. She wants to learn computer programming, and studies show that self-paced learning is most successful when doing it together as a group! Hence, Learn to Code with Me, a recurring series for anyone interested in learning about computer coding with a supportive group of co-learners using openly available lessons.   Think of it like a cross between a MOOC and a support group.

Join this fun learning community and we’ll learn to code together!

AN INTRODUCTION TO PYTHON

For 2019-2020, we will learn the Python programming language, with a special focus on working with texts, including getting text from websites, and cleaning data. We will use the a series free lessons available from the Programming Historian.

This group is great for anyone interested in learning Python, but especially humanists or those seeking to work with text as data. It is introductory! No experience with coding necessary. We will go as slow as we need to to feel comfortable. Our first session will focus on what Python is, and how to install it on our computers.

We will cover the following lessons:

Python Introduction and Installation - Link to Lesson
 

Understanding Web Pages and HTML - Link to Lesson
 

Working with Text Files in Python - Link to Lesson
 

Code Reuse and Modularity in Python - Link to Lesson
 

Downloading Web Pages with Python - Link to Lesson
 

Manipulating Strings in Python - Link to Lesson
 

From HTML to List of Words (Part 1) - Link to Lesson
 

From HTML to List of Words (Part 2) - Link to Lesson
 

Normalizing Textual Data with Python - Link to Lesson
 

Some Notes

• Participants should bring their own laptop and have the administrative rights needed to download new software.
• The Programming Historian lessons we'll be following use Python version 2. We'll talk about what that means in our first meeting, but keep it in mind if you are using a newer or different version.
• Can't make it to every session? No worries! Follow along with the lessons and pick up with us the next time you can make it.
• Join us on Slack! We'll be using a Slack channel to chat and ask each other questions while we work on our own between meetings. It's a bit of an experiment, and a way to get comfortable with this collaboration tool, if you're not already using it. Use your UCI email address to join our Slack channel.

Did you miss the last session? Keep up with our group's progress!

Thu, Oct 10

Coding keeps us on our toes! For our first session, we blew up like happy goldfish in a bowl. We had more attendees than seats in the room and had to relocate to MRC 164. Keep your eyes peeled for a new room to accommodate our large group.

We also dealt with the reality that Python 2, which our lessons are based on, is about to sunset and we will need adapt the lessons going forward. We made some significant changes to the first lesson.

Take a look at our Google Doc to see what we did (includes screenshots)

Thu, Oct 24

We had a wonderful time learning about HTML in order to prepare ourselves for sourcing text from the web.

See what we got up to on this week's Google Doc.

Thu Nov 7

We dug into a little bit more Python and learned to write, read, and append a text file.

Here is this week's Google Doc

Thu Nov 21

We had a great time manipulating strings and learning about modularity in Python. We even read a haiku!

See the details with this week's Google Doc