Digital technology class - I don't understand anything

[meatwad]

I'm in my first semester of electronics technology, and this digital class is stressing me out. It seems like the class is moving at such a fast pace that there isn't time to learn any of the material at a decent depth. There have been a couple of weeks/chapters in which I didn't understand the bulk of the material. It's the same story for nearly everyone in my class, and the students who aren't complaining about not understanding the material probably only care about getting through it with a decent grade. I have an A in the class, but I feel that I should have an F. I might as well have just skimmed the book over a week and called it done. That is how much I understand the material. I have four other classes, and I'm doing well in all of them. I understand the material in those classes and there is enough time to learn the concepts. I apologize for my first post here being a whine session, but I don't know what to do. It makes me sick to think that I'm going through a class, which I really want to understand, just for a grade. If I drop the class, It will throw me off schedule for the rest of the program by at least a year. Any advice would be great. Apologies if this is in the wrong section.

 

[Ratchit]

meatwad,

You are there, and we are all over the place here. Your problem will take a lot of time and effort to figure out. We cannot give you what you need by messaging back and forth. Especially since we would need to get up to speed on your background. I suggest you see your school counsellor for a one on one session. Maybe s/he can help.

Ratch

 

[Jugurtha]

Hello,

At least it's better than not understanding and getting an F, or thinking you got it and ...get an F.

First thing you need to do, is to calm down. It's not supposed to be smooth and easy all the time, you're not supposed to get it the first time. Some concepts and abstractions take a little time to "ingest".

The way it's done here is to get copies of exam subjects of the last decade for example, each year has 4 exams (1st semester, 2nd semester if you got your grade by those two, you can go enjoy your summer, Synthesis before summer, and Final exam at fall)

So that makes about 30 subjects, WITH their solutions. You read them, and get a feel and direction of the exams and see the patterns and "clusters", meaning the things you should absolutely know, you can't possibly have an exam without De Morgan and Moore's stuff...

The solution kind of "takes you by the hand".. You don't need to know why is this in there or what's this for now, you just need to establish a foot on the ground.

You'll notice that you become MORE and more "familiar" with the terms, you see the way certain problems are solved. For each thing, you have your course near to you, so you'll be able to read bits of course and bits of exam solution.


Once you have a foot down, it's time to establish firm grounds, you attack your course but now you are more strong.. It's not "What the hell is De Morgan theorem? What's the use for it practically ?".. Because you know this stuff, at least on a superficial level.

And then you read your course, and do demonstrations, and then demonstrate with other ways your own, play with equations, try different parameters, until it's lie your pocket. You master the course.

Good luck.