Robotics & AI
The thinking behind robots and AI, learned in Python.
Fundamentals in Robotics & AI
What it was
Fundamentals in Robotics & AI was a past program from alphaPlan Center: an introductory programming course taught entirely in Python. It used Python's turtle graphics as a friendly on-screen robot, a small drawing agent you steer with code, to make the logic behind robots and AI visible from the very first line. No prior experience was assumed, only curiosity.
What it taught
The course built up the thinking that powers robotics and AI, one idea at a time: variables, conditionals, randomness, loops and nested loops, functions, event-driven code that reacts to input, and lists. It closed with a student project, where every learner put those pieces together into something of their own. Honestly framed, it taught the reasoning behind robotics and AI, algorithms, logic and event handling, through code rather than through electronics or hardware.
Makerspace and 3D Printing
alphaPlan also ran hands-on Makerspace and 3D-printing sessions, where ideas moved off the screen and into physical objects.
Where it lives now
The Python foundations from this program did not retire with it. They live on in the site's Learn catalog, in the Programming in a Data World course, open and free for anyone who wants to start where these students started.
Start the courseA program by alphaPlan Center.