Many times while going through a course online especially tutorials, we tend to code along with the instructor. I hope I'm not generalizing but I think this is what a lot of people do. We tend to follow the instructor step by step, line by line so that we do not miss anything, This isn't a bad way to learn but I recently figured a hack to learning and mastering stuffs learnt on the internet. I will share below.

Concept First

The first thing to do when learning online is to understand the subject matter being taught. If it is a video tutorial, instead of coding along with the instructor, Play the video for the first 5-10 minutes and figure out what the instructor is teaching and implementing, after then try to implement it on your own. If it is a written tutorial, divide it into segments and try to understand each segment one after the other. after understanding a segment, try writing the code by yourself. if you fail, repeat the method until you get it. This method allows you to understand the code written rather than just implementing, It also allows you to test yourself on what you have learnt.

Take Notes

While going through a course, it is essential to jot down important things learnt, This enables you to reference them easily when needed. It is good practices to write a summary of everything learnt just in case you need to revise after a while. Also, good note-taking will improve your active listening, comprehension of material, and retention. It helps you to remember what you hear and see.

Pause and Think

It is okay to feel overwhelmed when learning something, It happens to everyone. Feel free to pause, stare and think about what you have learnt. whenever you feel stuck remember that you are not alone and you most likely ain't the first person to experience the problem, maximise Google and StackOverflow for tips on how to solve the issue. you are doing well dear.

Build Projects

The importance of building projects cannot be overemphasized. After learning a course online, Think about solutions that can be created with your new knowledge. Building projects is one of the best ways to gain mastery of knowledge acquired as it forces you to apply the skills learnt.

Thank you for reading.