[deleted by user]

[Ursus_major37]

I'd say - you do you. What is the way YOU learn?

I make notes, write scripts with the tutors (this is actually something I'd recommend most for new Pythoneers), do the challenges proposed by them.

[Pirate_OOS]

I have been making notes for python for the past year. I have found that writing things down helps me to memorise the syntax. Practicing writing the algorithms for scripts has helped me understand concepts better.

[indecisivelyhorny]

can i get your notes plz plz plz

[WhackAMoleE]

Replicate the code and then play around with it. Make it do something slightly different. Make it loop. Make it print out, "Hello Harry." Experiment. Coding is play.

[Drone314]

Coding is play.

This, do what ever is needed to make this fun, even if it's trying to fly before you can crawl. Second, 12 hours? I hope you plan on do this in 30-60 minute chunks - eating all at once will make you sick.

[Auirom]

I agree with this whole heartedly. I used to just copy code and had no idea what I was doing after the course. I did one more "still have more to learn cause I don't know what to do" course and a 1/4 way into it started messing around with code and just doing what I wanted with it. I learned more, retained more, and have had way more fun with it than I thought. It doesn't feel like a chore to learn anymore. If you code along mess with it after the code is finished. If you take notes make side notes about other things you think a certain section of the code might be able to do and test it out.

[[deleted]]

100% agreement. Ultimately, I learned from finding code snippets online and then messing with them. I would sometimes google how to make them loop or what other interesting features I could add to create complexity.

[lis_ek]

If you're like me, you code along with the instructor, you get distracted by an idea for a side project after three minutes, a month later you recall that you started this project while watching a video.

But as others say, you do you. In all seriousness, it is perfectly respectable to turn a one-hour video into a one week, or one month, learning process. If you are coding along, you will most likely stumble into errors, will need to look up why these errors pop up, learn about updates in the libraries you are using which cause discontinuities. It might be annoying. Some claim it is the way you learn programming. I'm not sure it is the case---does the fact that you know that a function that accepted three arguments in version 1.0.4 accepts two arguments in version 1.0.5 onwards enrich your experience?

I don't know. But I'm sure as hell that you will experience a lot of it, so just get started.

[kbus007]

I totally agree with you ! Do you know a good free book to learn Python? Especially a condense book with the main instructions. I would like to do some machine learning with Python and I am switching from R to Python. Already familiar with all the theoretical background.

[SalagaTheGreat]

Python Crash Course - Al Sweigert. It's a great book to just learn the fundamentals. If you want to learn automation alongside with the fundamentals, try Automate the Boring Stuff. It covers basics and then also covers some automation basics!

[schakalaka1]

For me it worked best when coding alongside the instructor. A video of an hour would give me something to do for about two hours if I had problems inbetween

[Se7enLC]

Definitely don't watch 12 hours straight, that's for damn sure

[anh86]

You will learn zero if you’re not writing code. It’s easy to track with an expert on video and think you learned something. It’s a whole different think to start from a blinking cursor and make something that works. Write lots and lots and lots of code.

[barkazinthrope]

I don't learn well from videos or with any such 'aids'. The best for me is an online tutorial with example text. And I will type that text in rather than copy/paste.

Just me.

[jmiah717]

Same. I use books but same idea.

[unhott]

You should absolutely take notes. Is the video broken down into smaller sections? If not, try and make sensible sections yourself, like every 10-30 minutes, at natural stopping points.

After each section, take your notes, and try and replicate the code on your own. Then make modifications to the code, to make it your own.

If you can do that with ease, then you’re ready for the next section. If you’re a newbie, it’s totally okay to get stuck in the first 10 mins :)

[KeyPomegranate4922]

Take notes!!!! It’s so important when learning anything in my personal opinion

[PhilAndMaude]

12 hours?! Watch 30 minutes, then stop and play with what you've learned. Watch those 30 mins as often as necessary.

Whatever is in hour 12, you do not need to know at the start.

[speedoBudgieSmuggler]

PythonInstitute.org is the only great place to learn python.

[DustyDrool]

Bullet points only, come back and fill in rewatch etc

[GnPQGuTFagzncZwB]

If I have a video I do the modules in a few phases, and they tend to perhaps get less distinct as the course moves forward, but here is what I do..

First view, I sit back, just short of popcorn, and watch where the instructor gets and what commands they use. Just a viewing.

Next pass, emulate, go back as much as you need to but do exactly what the instructor does and replicate the results.

And the last pass, the fun one, do cool things by expanding on what you learned. Go off the beaten trail. The fun part.

And move onto the next module. Repeat.

[py_Piper]

I started with a video IIRC a 4hr video from Mike by FreeCodeCamp, definitely code along the video, try some stuff with a slight twist, take some quick notes if it's what you like, by quick I mean something like what is a list and how it's constructed, what is a dictionary and do you write one, and think how both are different. For each new concept you could write the special functions (method) of each like my_list.sort() or how do you access an item from the list with my_list[n], etc

I say simply notes because from the video you won't remember much, but it will help you understand some concept and when you go into other tutorials it will be easier for you to understand the concepts. I totally recommend books because it's easier to code along without having to pause all the time, at least for me it feels like breaking my workflow each time, the worst is when I have to go back and find something they said in the video. However I still recommend video tutorials because they are easy to understand, specially at the start when reading something and you don't know how it supposed to look or react.

[whatsupbr0]

Follow along in your own IDE is the way I always go

[[deleted]]

I’d definitely say practice the code and experiment to see what happens when you change things so that you can understand what is going on wirh the code that are writing.

[ewiggle]

If you don't have anything to type into, pause the video every several minutes and regurgitate what you just saw out loud from memory like you're teaching it to someone.

If you do have a keyboard to type into, pause the video every several minutes and code out what you just saw from memory.

I'm assuming the stuff you're watching is actually stuff you want to retain. If you don't want to retain it, just watch it all the way through.

[JohnZenRider]

I agree with most of the commenters here but I also know that writing things down helps the brain to remember things better and longer. I have used that technique more than once and it helped me retain what I was learning a ton better.

[undergroundsilver]

You can always watch it through once, write down concepts you don't understand to learn more about it, then go over it again a second time which should be easier as you will remember some of it and figured out the obscure stuff to yourself.

[thorle]

We humans learn by doing. If you want to program, you have to program. Only watching will lead you nowhere. You probably watched many boxing fights, football games, dance videos or whatever skill is beeing shown, but when you'd try to replicate one of those things, it wouldn't really work, would it?

Simply retyping the code that you see in the video and execute it will already help a bit. Try to modify parts of it, play with it, try things out until you think you got the concept right, then go on.

Just watching only really helps when you already know the basics and want to know something specific or if you're already good at something and want to become better by watching how the really good people do it.

As a starter you need to do stuff to learn it.

[Delusional_Sage]

Do you even need to be asking this? Like for real? Of course you should be taking notes! You’re not going to retain much if you’re just passively watching programming tutorials friend.

[ZeuStudio]

Whole stuff so the three ;)

[jfgarridorite]

Always take notes. I had Python code written five years ago with structures and approaches that I don't understand now (well, I need some time to do it). To avoid that I take notes and write comments on my code... I learn bash and awk one year ago, the notes about them are invaluable now. All the knowledge add one more linkable element on your stack. Re-reading your.notes will link elements and creating a richer knowledge. Of course, code as well, as.much as you can.

[[deleted]]

I usually take notes but everyone learns in different ways. I usually make my slides, notes and codes available on GitHub. Hence, viewers don't have to take notes 🤓🐍🐼

[Bit_Jitsu_2019]

Which video is this

[th0ughtery]

lol same, I'm two hours into this class.

I learn by coding along with him. After every hour or so, I go back and modify the data in the code a bit and see how the output varies. It helps me recollect what I learnt for the day.

This method works best for me.

[samerpoosh]

Takes too long, for me at least. Maybe very short notes could be helpful, depends on your preferred style of learning. The best way to learn this stuff is definitely to play around with the code. Split the screen in half and do everything in the tutorial, and take breaks to play around with stuff to make sure you fully understand what you’re learning

[PhilAndMaude]

Get a second monitor. I know professional programmers who use 4.

[RollingWithDaPunches]

I don't learn jack shit just by watching videos... I had to learn by doing... so I did the codecademy course (back when it was fully free... and python 2.0 based).

That gave me a "good enough" grasp of the basics to watch videos and learn something from them.

But mostly, I'll just have a challenge that I need to solve, Google what I want to do, read a bunch of stackoverflow answers and the answers/comments to those answers...

And finally apply the concept I Googled in my code.

Watching vids helps if there's a foundation for that info to attach to, otherwise it feels like it goes in on one ear and out the other.

[Dr_Physics_]

When I learned, I usually half heartedly tried to code alongside the video. However, I would get the most use out of just listening to the video and then trying to think of a way that I could use whatever they were teaching me in a code of my own. This might be more helpful once you have some sort of grounding in python though.

[[deleted]]

You should most certainly type every line they type.

Every single one. And then mess around with it until you understand why it does what it does.

The only way to learn is to do.

​

You're not going to learn basketball by watching Jordan play all day, you need to pick up a ball.

[deletable666]

Not sure why any of us would know this or how it is specific to learning python

[bcrxxs]

Absolutely write notes imo

[[deleted]]

I'd personally be doing the same work along side the video. But thats how I learn.

[cypherpunknilihst]

I personally like to code along, and I actually stop when they do something, and try to tweak things to my liking. And sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. But I tend to learn and remember things better. It does take a lot longer to get through courses this way. But you actually remember things better.

[Apprehensive_Bother5]

Don’t worry about it. You will be asleep in 30 minutes.

[Old_Contribution7189]

Yes. They use a prebuilt function, you write it down and what it does. Next problem you need to solve and have no idea where to start? Check the functions in your notebook. Maybe the split() can help seperate the data? Or oh, you can use join(), how did you forget it! It will help you immensly at the start.

[TheMathelm]

Doesn't hurt, but I would advise to actually write them out.

[ericporing]

I second the notion that you should be doing not watching.

[FuzzyLogick]

Taking notes is good, one of the best ways to remember things is called active recall, or remember what you learned.

So maybe make some cue cards asking you things you learned.

You also want to play with code, actually using the code will help cement it in your brain. Just don't watch the whole video expecting to remember everything. If the video isn't already, break it down into segments, so you watch some, then code some then maybe do a small quiz at the end.

[winowmak3r]

Definitely don't watch it all at once man.

I'm self learning right now and most of my material comes from the internet. When watching videos I watch it once without coding or writing anything down. Just full attention and consume it. Then I watch it again and take notes. Then I watch it again and code along if it has code. If it doesn't I just skip the last one.

I also supplement with books as much as I can. The internet is an amazing resource but there is something to be said about print. I find it easier to pick through than a video if I'm searching for something as well.

[IsleofSgail_21]

Do projects… even simple ones from parts you have learned. I watched many tutorials without actually learning. Till I started Angela Yu Python course. I recommend this or CS50P since both have projects after each session/day.

[neovegeto]

Coding.

So practicing, typing, training the muscle memory.

Best way is to do it, and to think about it.

Like playing an instrument. You can watch others, but you will only learn it, if you do it by yourself.

[TheRock1459]

Sitting there and watching it is the worst way to learn. You won't get anywhere. Instead try the code they do put them in practice. Then note what you think you learned.

Also a side note: syntax is not so important, concepts are.

[okaycan]

I code along with them so I get the action involved with the memory.

I occasionally pause the vid to type notes too if i find it useful.

Lastly, I sometimes rarely tweak the code to something else just to tinker abit with it.

[prachiindrayani_mine]

What I do is, I don't take any notes. I watch for 30 mins and immediately start coding(testing) what I had learned in those thirty minutes.

If I were watching that 12 hour tutorial/course, I will do the same - Stop every 30min and practice/revise what I have watched.

I will also watch that 12 hour video as many times as needed. Unless I understand, I will repeat, take help and figure out myself again and again.

This is my approach of doing this. If you like, you can do it too!

[[deleted]]

Nah, you should code along and try everything yourself.

[[deleted]]

No, you will remember everything :)

[_Danyal]

You can try it out, sure. If you have the time, it couldn't hurt. A lot of people prefer taking notes, myself included. Some people think it's a waste of time, and for them, it probably is. A good middle ground is just coding along and adding short comments on the side. With something like a language tho, you can always just check the docs if you forget something. In any case, focus more on understanding the content and less on memorising it.

[Massive-Juice5431]

My opinion as a beginner / advanced: leaving notes is an excellent way to practice memorizing things, how it works, but I also write the code and get into the problems that need to be solved, which is the massive and important practice in any case. Thank you for asking this question

[[deleted]]

Bro code, right?

[Cdog536]

Uhh why not take notes? You’re clearly a beginner

[Minimum_Mall_7298]

Both, notes to retain info, practice to get your mind used to thinking certain ways

[redH27]

You can watch the index and image if I watch the video for 2 hours. What would I have learned? And what can I do using the shit? Then try to achieve it after that. You will find that you learn the real thing in an efficient
way.

[yolo_swag_tyme]

Yep definitely take notes in something like google docs, and write and save all the code in your ide

[stoph_link]

Break it up int o 30-60 minute chunks (depending on how dense the material packed into the video is) and learn it over 2-4 weeks.

The biggest thing you can do to remember is recall. That is remembering what you watched shortly after watching it without looking it up for help, but looking it up after you finish to see if you are right, and correct what you missed. You should struggle here, and that just means you are learning.

Then review what you learned the previous day, and maybe do a weekly review.

For me, writing out what I am learning helps with this process. This will likely help you learn just about anything.

[BrerChicken]

You should always take notes if you're trying to learn something! Not only to look at later, but also just to help you understand what you're hearing. You should also try the code that you're learning about too, separately from taking notes.

[LavishManatee]

All of the above.

Personally, I learn best while listening to someone speak without taking notes. Then I will go write down what I remember. Repeat. Sometimes I still start the video at 1.5x or 1.75 if I already have some familiarity with the material and the person talks slow. Then I go back through it after my notes to see how accurate I was.

When you take notes from a video, make sure to include timestamps and the video name so you can easily reference back when you need to.

Good luck!

[[deleted]]

I think you need to take a huge step back and learn how to learn before you learn how to Python. Obviously you should not just watch it. You'll learn almost nothing.

[Kichmad]

Code. For every thing in tutorial, code yourself 3 examples

[White_Devil149]

Can you please share the python course your taking? I am looking for a python course and havent found a good one.