.. image:: _static/epom.png
    :width: 200px
    :height: 200px
    :align: center
    :alt: logo

.. _in_brief:

In brief
========

.. index::
    single: ePOM
    single: notebooks
    single: Jupyter

The **e-learning Python for Ocean Mapping** (ePOM) project provides collections of `Jupyter <https://jupyter.org/>`_ notebooks
to learn `Python <https://www.python.org/>`_ with a focus on Ocean Mapping.


Rationale
---------

Given the variety of backgrounds of Ocean Mapping students and the fact that some of them have
limited programming experience, there is a need to ensure a minimum common level
of programming skills. Python is a natural choice as a means to provide those skills.
The language is simple to learn for inexperienced programmers, increasing popular, and
freely available.

Based on such considerations, the ePOM project was established.

The teaching goals are to familiarize Ocean Mapping students with key programming concepts and, at the same time,
to teach them programming habits and skills that can be potentially translated to other programming languages.
Given the popularity of `Python <https://www.python.org/>`_, there is a lot of online material about the language.
This can be overwhelming. Thus, ePOM aims to help the students to navigate their way
through the huge amount of help and online resources.
Last but not least teaching goal, ePOM aims to provide enough basic `Python <https://www.python.org/>`_ skills to ease
the first lab assignments.