A 90-minute introductory workshop designed for young programmers (around 18 years old) who have basic C# experience. The workshop provides a hands-on introduction to Python, emphasizing the key differences from C# and Python's unique strengths. Following the main workshop, an optional cryptography module introduces basic encryption concepts through practical Python programming.
- Age group: ~18 years
- Prerequisites: Basic C# programming knowledge
- No prior Python experience required
- No cryptography knowledge required
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Introduction (5 minutes)
- Python's role in modern programming
- Key differences from C#
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Python Fundamentals (20 minutes)
- Dynamic typing
- Basic syntax
- Lists and dictionaries
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Functions and Classes (20 minutes)
- Function definitions
- Class creation and usage
- Object-oriented programming in Python
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Working with Libraries (20 minutes)
- Python's ecosystem
- Common libraries
- Practical examples
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Hands-on Challenge (25 minutes)
- Grade calculator implementation
- Real-world problem solving
- Code review and discussion
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Optional Cryptography Module (45 minutes)
- Introduction to basic cryptography
- The Caesar cipher explained
- Hands-on implementation in Python
- Advanced challenges and extensions
After completing this workshop, participants will:
- Understand key differences between Python and C#
- Be able to write basic Python programs
- Know how to work with Python's data structures
- Have experience with Python classes and functions
- Understand Python's library import system
Additional outcomes from the cryptography module:
- Understand basic principles of encryption
- Implement character manipulation in Python
- Work with ASCII values and string processing
- Create both encryption and decryption functions
- Learn about modular arithmetic in practice
- Main workshop slides and exercises
- Jupyter notebook for cryptography module containing:
- Interactive code examples
- Step-by-step implementation guide
- Challenge exercises
- Complete solution with explanations
- Additional extension tasks
- Basic understanding of:
- Python strings and loops
- Functions and parameters
- Basic ASCII concepts
- Simple mathematics (modulo operations)