Artificial Intelligence and Applications in Python: Grades 9-12

About this course

Students will take their existing foundation in Python and expand on it by tackling problems in many different domains such as artificial intelligence and web programming. Students planning on taking this course will need to complete and do sufficiently well on the entry test (please contact Focus Learning for more details).

What you'll learn

The course is broken down into 4 distinct units.

• Unit 1 Artificial Intelligence (8 week): Students will learn about how AI has changed the world and many of its applications across multiple fields. There will be a focus on traditional means to AI via search algorithms such as A* search and how those traditional methods can be used to solve problems. In addition, machine learning and neural networks will be discussed, and students will get the chance to build their own object recognition system.
• Unit 2 Application Programming Interfaces (4 weeks): Students will learn about APIs and the role they serve in the real world of software engineering. Students will get the chance to learn about and use a variety of different APIs and even learn how to build their own.
• Unit 3 Databases (2 weeks): This unit focuses on teaching students’ industry standard methods in which data is stored and maintained. Students will learn how to create, manage and manipulate databases using code.
• Unit 4 Programming on the Web (2 weeks): In this last unit, students will learn the basics of creating and deploying a web application. Along the way students will also learn some CSS, JavaScript and HTML. The course will conclude with a final project where students will design, create and deploy their own simple web application.

Materials & Homework

1. Students must have access to a computer with a strong internet connection.
2. A working microphone and webcam are required.
3. All students taking this course must pass the entry test. Please contact Focus Learning directly for more information. The entry test ensures that students have the necessary Python knowledge to succeed in this course. Students who have taken and passed the entry test in the past year do not have to retake the test.

Course prerequisites: 

Below is a list of the prerequisites for this course. Note that the prerequisites are only for new students who have not taken Python CCC in term 1.

1. Must pass the course entry test
2. Strong programming skills in Python. This includes data types, variables, if statements, loops, lists, dictionaries, and functions.
3. Solid understanding of object-oriented programming. This includes creating and using classes in Python.
4. Basic understanding of commonly known/used algorithms and data structures
5. Completed or is currently completing Grade 8 level Mathematics (Ontario Curriculum)

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