==========================
Python Course Descriptions
==========================

:author: Dave Kuhlman
:address: dkuhlman@rexx.com
    http://www.rexx.com/~dkuhlman

:revision: 1.0a
:date: Feb. 23, 2006

:copyright: Copyright (c) 2005 Dave Kuhlman.  All Rights Reserved.
    This software is subject to the provisions of the MIT License
    http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php.

:abstract: This document provides descriptions of courses on
    Python that I am prepared to deliver.

.. sectnum::
    :depth: 4
    :start: 1

.. contents::
    :depth: 4


Beginning Python
================

This course is intended for those who are new to Python, but have
some familiarity with another programming language.

Here is a course outline.

1.   Session 1 -- Introductions Etc

     1.1.   Resources

2.   Session 2 -- Lexical matters

3.   Session 2 -- Built-in datatypes

    3.1.   Tuples and lists

    3.2.   Strings

    3.3.   Dictionaries

4.   Session 3 -- Classes

    4.1.   Classes

          4.1.1.   The constructor

          4.1.2.   Member variables

          4.1.3.   Methods

          4.1.4.   Class variables

          4.1.5.   Class methods

    4.2.   Interfaces

    4.3.   New-style classes

5.   Session 4 -- Functions

    5.1.   Functions

          5.1.1.   Arguments

          5.1.2.   Return values

          5.1.3.   Global variables and the global statement

    5.2.   Packages

    5.3.   Debugging tools

6.   Session 5 -- Statements Part 1

    6.1.   Statements

          6.1.1.   Assignment

          6.1.2.   import

          6.1.3.   print

          6.1.4.   if: elif: else:

          6.1.5.   try: except:

          6.1.6.   raise

7.   Session 6 -- Statements Part 2

    7.1.   Statements (cont'd)

          7.1.1.   for

          7.1.2.   while

          7.1.3.   continue and break

8.   More Python Features and Exercises


Advanced Python
===============

The advanced course is based on the on-line course "Python 201".
See: `Python 201 -- (Slightly) Advanced Python Topics`_.

.. _`Python 201 -- (Slightly) Advanced Python Topics`:
    http://www.rexx.com/~dkuhlman/python_201/python_201.html



Jython for Java Programmers
===========================

Note that first part of this course roughly follows the outline
for the `Beginning Python`_ course.

Features specific to Jython.

Course outline:

1. Introduction to Python -- See `Beginning Python`_, above

2. Introduction to Jython:

   1.   What is Jython?
   2.   Differences between Jython and CPython
   3.   Installing Jython
   4.   Running Jython
   5.   Calling Java from Jython
   6.   Preparing Java code to be called from Jython
   7.   Compiling Jython to and for Java
   8.   Calling Jython Code from Jython
   9.   Calling Jython Code from Java
   10.   Embedding and Extending -- A Summary
   11.   Additional Exercises


Numerical Python -- SciPy
=========================

This course provides an introduction to SciPy.  It is intended to
serve as an introduction to numerical programming in Python with
SciPy for those who are new to the use of numerical tools for
Python.  A mathematical background would be helpful and, in
particular, will help the student to get more benefit from the
course.  But, it is expected that the student will still benefit
from the course, with or without that background.