Has the current growth of artificial intelligence (AI) systems made you wonder what the future holds for Python developers? What are the hidden benefits of learning to program in Python and practicing computational thinking? This week on the show, we speak with author Lawrence Gray about his upcoming book “Mastering Python: A Problem Solving Approach.”

Lawrence shares how learning Python helped him through a dark and trying time. He developed lifelong skills that he wants to pass along through teaching and authoring a book.

We discuss what you can do to prepare for a future where coding jobs are automated through AI. He shares ways that Python can help build the higher-order thinking skills required by future careers. We also talk about how Python can help with computational thinking and promote cognitive development.

This week’s episode is brought to you by Site24x7.

Course Spotlight: Looping With Python enumerate()

Once you learn about for loops in Python, you know that using an index to access items in a sequence isn’t very Pythonic. So what do you do when you need that index value? In this course, you’ll learn all about Python’s built-in enumerate(), where it’s used, and how you can emulate its behavior.

Topics:

00:00:00 – Introduction
00:02:29 – Learning Python and changing how you think
00:05:07 – What is the goal of the book?
00:05:59 – Discovering Python during a dark period
00:10:32 – What is unique to Python that helped you?
00:12:43 – How did you start teaching Python?
00:14:40 – Teaching Python to art students
00:18:52 – Sponsor: Site24x7.com
00:19:48 – Why write about computational thinking?
00:21:55 – Why learn Python now?
00:25:18 – Multiple modalities for Python
00:29:32 – Other optimistic thoughts on the future
00:34:15 – Reskilling a workforce
00:37:16 – What skills can be developed?
00:41:13 – Video Course Spotlight
00:42:40 – Bloom’s taxonomy
00:48:00 – Sharing the positive impact of Python
00:50:26 – What are you excited about in the world of Python?
00:51:32 – What do you want to learn next?
00:52:45 – How can people follow your work online?
00:52:47 – Thanks and goodbye

Show Links:

The Future of Jobs Report 2023 - World Economic Forum
Mastering Python: Get Access to Chapter 1
Computational thinking - Wikipedia
Bloom’s taxonomy - Wikipedia
Probably Overthinking It – Data science, Bayesian Statistics, and other ideas
scikit-learn: machine learning in Python - documentation
Yellowbrick: Machine Learning Visualization - documentation
PyCon US 2024 - PyCon US 2024
Education Summit - PyCon US 2023
PyTorch - Get Started
Lawrence Gray Personal Site

Level up your Python skills with our expert-led courses:

Support the podcast & join our community of Pythonistas

Drunk sex with Kiara Lord