Master of Science in Information Technology (Digital Innovation and Management)

The purpose of this course is to teach Python to students with no previous programming knowledge and with diverse academic backgrounds. It takes a slightly different approach than what is usually done within Computer Science or other technology-oriented programs. This means that instead of putting focus on the fastest, most efficient or elegant forms of code, students will be instructed to prioritise transparency and readability. Creative ways of approaching code will be explored. Much emphasis will also be put on “critical” aspects of programming related to perspectives prevalent within the humanities and social sciences. The purpose of this is to give students tools to articulate and reflect on the challenges and opportunities which emerge out of attempting to solve real-world problems with algorithms, something which is in great demand by future employers.

Learning activities:

The three main learning activities for this course will be lectures, exercises and assignments. Each Monday new programming elements and programming-related issues will be introduced and discussed in the lecture. These will be put to use in the exercises and assignments. The TAs will assist the students during the exercises. Students will also be divided into groups of four. The purpose of these groups is for students to have other students to turn to for help. Assignments are individual but can be discussed and worked on within the groups. Each student will also be asked to keep a simple diary during the course. The purpose is to reflect on the assignments particularly from an experiential perspective (this will be explained more fully in the first lecture). Assignments and diaries are to be handed in on a weekly basis.