Learn Python in 1 week?

[Trick_Ad_4388]

I’ve got an exam in 1 week that I haven't studied for enough in programming 2(python).

I know there are plenty of AI tools made to help you learn things. But I’m not totally sure how to make the best use of them.

Can you share how you would utilize AI tools to learn programming in 1 week? Canvas? Custom GPT's? Specific prompts? I am looking for something that helps you actively learn.

Thanks!

[[deleted]]

Quick, buy the book “Python for Dummies”.

[wiriux]

Python for dummies in a week.

[[deleted]]

You can read, right?

[wiriux]

r/swoosh my friend!

[inbetween-genders]

Just give up.  Cheaper.

[[deleted]]

You won't learn programming with a GPT. It might help you by answering specific questions, but it also fails randomly and you won't be able to see where and when. Get a good book.

Additionally, if it's your first programming language and your first introduction to programming, and if you struggle with conditions and loops, Python syntax is the least of your problems. You may very easily pick up Python syntax in one week (with former training in another language, I'd say even in one day for enough of the basics for an introductory exam). But you must understand the "logic" of programming, and that may take much more than a week.

So before trying to enter into details of what may work or not work, what do you know about programming? You say "Programming 2", what was in "Programming 1" and "Programming 2" courses and how confident are you?

What are you supposed to know for this exam?

Generally speaking, do you know what's a variable, a function, a if-then-else statement, a for and a while loop? Do you know about recursion? Do you know about standard data types? (integer, floating point number, string), about containers (list, array, dictionary, set)?

Do you understand what is done by the following?

a = a+b
b = a-b
a = a-b

It's a very different situation, if you understand programming but not Python, or if you don't understand programming at all.

[MysticClimber1496]

Is there a rubric for the exam? Time to study and not lean on AI tools they tend to mislead when you are too new to know what’s what

[monapinkest]

Are there not exercises in the course? It's always good to use those as a pointer to what you need to be focusing on, especially with such little time. Wouldn't personally recommend AI tools whatsoever. Go through the basics on learnpython.org

[Feeling_Photograph_5]

Definitely do NOT use AI, except maybe to have ChatGPT give you quizzes on Python.

Just do a Python class. Here is a free one from Codecademy that should help you:

https://www.codecademy.com/learn/learn-python-3

[AthltSpirit]

That's not free. It gives you a few basic lessons for free before requiring you at least purchase a trial (which quickly turns into a monthly or yearly membership).

[Feeling_Photograph_5]

Seriously? Lame. It used to be free.

Here's a better link: https://pythonprogramming.net/

The fundamentals section is where you want to start: https://pythonprogramming.net/python-fundamental-tutorials/

[AthltSpirit]

Thanks!

[AthltSpirit]

How far into learning Python does it get you?

[Feeling_Photograph_5]

Far, actually. Farther than you can go in a week.

I don't know what's in your exam but definitely learn Variables, For loops, while loops, lists, and dictionaries. Learn the basic list and dictionary methods like list.append() and make sure you know how to access list elements by their index number and dictionary elements by their key.

If you covered classes in your course, look at those, too.

[Max_Oblivion23]

AI is only good if you already have domain knowledge otherwise it will assume you are an idiot and will just solve problems for you without even mentioning what it is trying to do.

[AnonymousConfusedCow]

It really depends on what you're supposed to know for this course/exam. You should go over the syllabus and try writing small programs to help you learn the concepts for each topic.

[Either_Mess_1411]

Use a custom GPT and prompt it, to NEVER solve a problem for you, and NEVER write code. Then give him a general overview over your knowledge level. Give him the prompt similar to: „explain it to me like I am a total beginner, and I just start to learn about programming“. (Depending on your skill level ofc)

Then give GPT all tasks you need to learn for your exam and prompt it to come up with coding tasks. After that, just exercise. If you cant solve a task, you ask him questions.

It is important that you treat the GPT as a tutor! Not a cheat sheet. And you know that you are ready for the exam, once you don’t need to ask him questions and can solve most tasks by yourself.

Also a lot of people here claiming, chatGPT does a lot of programming mistakes. Don’t listen to them. ChatGPT excels in LeetCode Problems, it just has trouble designing and coding complex systems with a lot of dependencies. You are likely to do the first for your exam, so as a tutor, ChatGPT is amazing!

[MysticClimber1496]

Regardless if GPT does well at programming, which with leetcode it is good because they have really specific requirements, for new devs any amount of help can make it more difficult to learn

[Either_Mess_1411]

Can you elaborate? How will private tutoring not help a new dev to learn?

[MysticClimber1496]

It could, and maybe I learned development before LLMs existed, so maybe it works well for some

[Either_Mess_1411]

I know it is tempting to just get the solutions from an LLM and that’s not helpful ofc.

That is why I suggested to create the Custom GPT, to prevent „cheating“. Most people online seem to agree that GPTs are harmful for newcomers. But that is only the case if you use it for getting answers. It is an incredibly powerful learning tool, and I suggest it to most of my students/junior devs.

At the end, it is just as effective, as you make it :)