Primer on numpy arrays

[sstevens2]

How could the content be improved?

In our recent pilot of this workshop, we noted that the intro python lessons don't cover much about numpy arrays and that is something that would be useful for learners coming it. Maybe we could create a short primer, extra episode that gives an intro to working with numpy arrays.

[K-Meech]

Thanks for this suggestion @sstevens2 - really appreciate the feedback. Some extra context on numpy arrays would definitely be useful.

In general for this lesson, we're making the assumption that learners already have some basic exposure to numpy arrays before the course - familiarity with indexing / slicing arrays is briefly mentioned in the detailed prerequisite list, but this could definitely be clearer.

Including a numpy primer as an extra episode would be great - but would take some time to implement, and would also need careful consideration of the overall lesson timings / where it could fit in with the existing content.

In the meantime, a quick fix would be to make the numpy prerequisite clearer by adding it to the top prerequisite box, with some links to online material / other carpentries lessons that cover this topic. Would you potentially have some suggestions for resources we could link to @sstevens2 , or be interested in making a small PR for this? No problem if not - we can also make these changes directly 😄

[sstevens2]

I'm happy for you to move it up in the preqs! I'm not that experienced with numpy arrays myself and don't have a good pointer for resources that would be good to link to. This was feedback that came up in our pilot workshop instructor debrief session, so it is not specifically from me.

For the primer, I agree this is an enhancement to the lesson and not time sensitive. When there is time to develop it, I'm thinking maybe it is a link in the lesson from the prereqs that could be sent out to new learners to up their skills. I wouldn't recommend we cover it during the workshop unless the instructors know that most/all the learners will need it. So hopefully that won't add time to the lesson but instead be an asynch resource that instructors can point to.

[K-Meech]

Thanks @sstevens2 - all sounds good to me! I'll work on a PR for the preqs soon and add some links (the other maintainers have suggested some useful resources that could be added here)