CourseSpecifications
Valid as from the academic year 2024-2025

Computer Programming in Phyton (D013519)

Course size
Credits 3.0(nominal values; actual values may depend on programme)
Study time 90 h

Course offerings and teaching methods in academic year 2024-2025
A (semester 2)
Dutch
Gent
Lecturers in academic year 2024-2025
Vermeirssen, Vanessa
Degroeve, Sven
Everaert, Celine

lecture

WE14
GE31
GE31

Offered in the following programmes in 2024-2025
Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences
Linking Course Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences

lecturer-in-charge
co-lecturerco-lecturer
crdts
33offeringAA

Teaching languages
Dutch
Keywords
Programming, problem solving, programming language Python, Jupyter Notebooks
Position of the course
In recent years the medical world has been confronted with a data tsunami, from clinicalresearch to patient files. In addition, the learning environment, in society in general and more
specifically within higher education, is changing drastically with the widespread use of digitaltechnology. The acquisition of new competences have thus become mandatory.
Specifically, biomedical researchers and people from the medical field often have to deal
with time-consuming and repetitive tasks, which can be automated by computers throughprogramming. Hence, it is of utmost importance that students biomedical sciences acquirebasic principles of prorgamming. Moreover, they acquire a (self)critical, analytical and synthetic
thinking attitude.
Python is a general and simple programming language, with a readable syntax, which is usedin many societal and scientific contexts, including the biomedical sciences.
The aim of this course is to teach the students the basic skills of programming in Python sothey can apply these during their education and later on in the workfield.
Contents
To acquire the necessary knowledge and competences the course is divided in a theoreticalpart and a practical part, spread over lectures, practicals and self-study.
Programming is the process of writing the source code of computer programs. This requires
knowledge of the syntax and the semantics of aprogramming language and the skills to write programs in that language. In the first place italso learns the skill of thinking in problem solving through programming,The theoretical part focusses on programming in Python forbiomedical sciences.
• Why do you need programming skills in biomedical sciences?
• What is programming and how do I learn to think as a programmer?
• What is Python? Why programming in Python?
• Writing and running Python programs.
• Elements in Python:• • basic components: instructions, variables, data types and operators(Approved)1• • control structures: conditional tasks, control loops and functions• • data structures: strings, lists, tuples, dictionaries, sets, files and modules

The practical part contains the writing and interpreting ofPython source code for simple problems in the biomedical
field and out there.
• Use of Jupyter Notebooks, a web application to share documents and source code for data
• scientists.
• Writing computer programs in Python.
• Exercises via the e-learning environment Dodona.
• Initiation in processing biomedical datasets in Python.
• Translating a (biomedical) problem to a computer program.
Initial competences
The basic ICT knowledge and skills as acquired in contemporary secondary school (ages 12 to18).
Final competences
1 Applying the basic principles of programming in Python2 Writing autonomously and accurately Python programs
3 Detecting and correcting errors in Python code
4 Applying interactively Python code in Jupyter Notebooks
5 Applying Python programming in the online learning platform Dodona, even under mild time
1 pressure
6 Translating a biomedical research question and/or time consuming task from natural
1 language to Python code
Conditions for credit contract
Access to this course unit via a credit contract is unrestricted: the student takes into consideration the conditions mentioned
in 'Starting Competences'
Conditions for exam contract
This course unit cannot be taken via an exam contract
Teaching methods
Seminar, Lecture, Independent work
Extra information on the teaching methods• Lectures• Self-study and self-evaluation with digital aids
• Practical exercises in PC-class / on laptop• Use of electronic learning platform Ufora• Use of Dodona (e-learning platform for programming)• Use of Jupyter Notebooks (web application for data scientists)
Study material
Type: Other
Name: Freely available course material on the e-learning platforms Dodona and Ufora
Indicative price: Free or paid by faculty
Optional: noReferences
Thematic and complementary information is given on Ufora and Dodona e-learning platforms
Course content-related study coaching
Course content-related study coaching• Possibility to active questioning during and immediately after contact hours (colleges and• practicals)• Trough the Ufora and Dodona e-learning platforms
Assessment moments
end-of-term and continuous assessment
Examination methods in case of periodic assessment during the first examination period
Skills test, Written assessment with multiple-choice questions(Approved)

2

Examination methods in case of periodic assessment during the second examination period
Skills test, Written assessment with multiple-choice questions
Examination methods in case of permanent assessment
Skills test
Possibilities of retake in case of permanent assessment
examination during the second examination period is possible in modified form
Extra information on the examination methods
Via online programmes the skill of programming in Python is evaluated:• MCQ with standard setting in Curios (closed book)• Programming skill exercises via open-ended questions in Dodona (open book)The use of any generative AI at evaluations is explicity forbidden, since in this basic course
programming the student needs to learn the basic skills.
Calculation of the examination markNon-periodic evaluation / permanent evaluation:• Skills test programming in Python, 4 of 20 points
Periodic evaluation (examination):• MCE and skills test exam programming in Python, 16 of the 20 points
DO NOTE:• Unjustified absence in the permanent evaluation in the online Ufora system will give rise to a
• mark of 0/4.
• Both parts of the exam are equally weighted and students need to pass both MCE and• Dodona programming skills test individually to pass for the course.

(Approved)3