<p>I'm not a person that can learn by reading from textbooks, especially not with mathematics or physics. I learn best when a real person teaches right in front of me. However, my physics class this quarter is structured oppositely of how I learn best: the teacher requires each student to read the physics textbook and then during "lecture" he only gives us example problems and has us work through them while he goes over them in the end. This deprives me of learning the theory behind physics concepts and adds frustration when I do homework. </p>
<p>Now, this problem normally wouldn't be so bad that I had to come to CC for advice, but my physics textbook is convoluted and not straightforward and so I can't do most of my learning from it. What should I do? The textbook was written by my professor too....</p>
<p>You could get a tutor or look on YouTube for what you’re learning.</p>
<p>A tutor costs too much and online sources often do not give me the information I need.</p>
<p>Drop the course and take it with another professor. It is unlikely the professor will change the teaching style just because of one student.</p>
<p>It is likely that your school offers a free tutoring service, where your fellow undergrads tute you. You’ll get the face time you need.</p>
<p>Many people swear by Khan Academy’s videos, they’re online for free.</p>
<p>Almost all schools have some sort of free tutoring or student support center.</p>
<p>Go to office hours. A lot of professors who are terrible at lecturing are surprisingly excellent in one-on-one settings.</p>
<p>Form study groups with other students in the class, especially those who seem to ‘get it’ more.</p>
<p>Go to YouTube for help. You have no idea how many teachers post step by step instructions on everything in physics. The Internet is full of places that have live tutors but it is a bit or hit or miss. Does your teacher ( or professor ) teaches after hours?</p>
<p>KhanAcademy simply does not cover what my physics course is dealing with. And for every helpful youtube video I find, there’s around 100 that are just useless. My professor does have office hours and I will fervently go there along with my T.A.'s office hours, but I’m just looking for other solutions. It’s easy for me to get frustrated with this.</p>
<p>You’re taking introductory physics, right? I recommend looking at these videos:
[Viren’s</a> Videos Free AP Physics Review Help](<a href=“http://apphysicslectures.com/]Viren’s”>http://apphysicslectures.com/)
It’s by a high school teacher (AP Physics C) but nevertheless I find them very useful for my college physics classes. He is an excellent teacher.
Also try this guy:
[Dan</a> Fullerton - YouTube](<a href=“Dan Fullerton - YouTube”>Dan Fullerton - YouTube)</p>
<p>What are you doing in physics that isn’t available online?</p>
<p>Why not go to the library and look for different textbooks on similar subjects?</p>
<p>I’ve never hated a textbook, because with the right teacher, a text book can come to life. But you don’t have to learn “only” from your book (or your teacher). Consider these sources:</p>
<p>1.) Other books with similar information
2.) Instructors and educators.
3.) Alternate sources: online educational resources, videos, journals, university publications.</p>
<p>I have been in and out of educational programs now for several years. For me, if there is something I need to learn, I’ll acquire the information I need from any source that I feel I can benefit from, as long as I know those sources are approved by my instructors.</p>
<p>But I guess if you really don’t want your book you can sell it or donate it (donate it to [charity[/URL</a>] or [URL="<a href="http://selltextbooks.booksintocash.com/sell-textbooks.html"]sell">http://selltextbooks.booksintocash.com/sell-textbooks.html"]sell</a> textbooks](<a href=“http://www.readingtree.org%22%5Dcharity%5B/URL”>http://www.readingtree.org)). There are quite a few people who learn from a number of sources, someone mentioned going online and learning about topics specific to your area of study, e.g. learning directly from physics majors or educational physics sites.</p>
<p>So if your own instructor (and your book) aren’t fitting your needs, augmenting what you’re already learning from reliable sources like scientific journals, et al, may be useful to you. </p>
<p>Hope that helps!</p>
<p>Our son took physics courses where the textbook wasn’t very good so I just gave him another physics textbook that was in our home library. We have about 14 calculus textbooks at home (some of these are very old) so he could always get an alternative explanation or presentation and get views from theoretical to applications perspectives. Does your university have a physical library? You could go there and look for other textbooks on the same material to see if you can find better explanations and examples of the material that you are covering.</p>
<p>MIT Open Courseware has an excellent set of Physics 1, 2, 3 videos.</p>