Help with Learning Electronics with learning disabilities.

[Jon5LG]

Hello everybody, I hope this is the right place to post this Question.

Does anyone have any suggestions for me on how should I continue learning Electronics? I want a systematic Linear learning curriculum for myself. My goal is to get to program Micro-controllers, Design and build RF circuits, and Maybe Robotics, all for recreational use; I've reached an hurdle which I cannot seem to pass.

The problem I have is: I kinda feel stuck right now, I feel I am unable to progress further in my study. I've learned a-lot, but not nearly enough to achieve my goals.

I'm an autodidact, unfortunately I have Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, Asperger's Syndrome and have no funds for formal education right now. all of which is acting against me on this subject; I can only learn from videos because with text I find myself reading the same paragraph 20 times over, sweating and exhausted at the end, not able to complete the text.

I have a work station with a very good soldering station, DMM's, and tools; Unfortunately at the moment, I can't purchase an oscilloscope, function generator or any other expensive equipment; so I'm gonna have to manage with what I have right here and now.

Is it feasible with my disabilities to reach my goals? anyone here has had a similar problem that he/she managed to overcome?
On the plus side I'm very tenacious and a perfectionist. I'm hoping that those attributes will help me along.

Sorry for the grammar;
Kindest Regards, Jon.

[retiredcaps]

I have no idea if these video lectures/courses are good or not, but check out

http://www.infocobuild.com/education/audio-video-courses/electronics/electronics-and-electrical-engineering.html

In addition to Martin's video tutorials, Dave Jones has  lot of video content at http://eevblog.com

[Jon5LG]

Thanks, yeah I follow Dave as well.
Should I just watch all of the videos there? is the content suitable for my goals? I Don't want to waste any more time on off topic lectures as I did before.

[Mr Eastwood]

Hi Jon,  i'm pretty sure I have Dyslexia although I haven't been tested, there is no point now.  I struggled at school, i came out with nothing much; followed a career in art & design, took up electronics later in life but now I love electronics!  I have lots of little projects running at the same time but this is my main project I'm working on.  http://mjlorton.com/forum/index.php?topic=90.0    I always have lots of whiteboards and notepads around me; they always seem to help.

Dyslexia is a crazy thing,  i hate reading!   I work by day as a creative r&d designer/programmer for a software company and have done so for over 10 years;   My wife actually works at the local uni as a learning mentor for people wanting to do courses but who have trouble getting through the coursework side of it all because of the disabilities you mentioned. 

Dyslexics tend to be quite creative thinkers because we think in pictures.   But electronics! blimey, you'd think we pick some hobby easier to do,  with very little or no reading at all like pottery painting or doing jigsaws! ;-)

Kind Regards
Jules

[Jon5LG]

Hi Jon,  i'm pretty sure I have Dyslexia although I haven't been tested, there is no point now.  I struggled at school, i came out with nothing much; followed a career in art & design, took up electronics later in life but now I love electronics!  I have lots of little projects running at the same time but this is my main project I'm working on.  http://mjlorton.com/forum/index.php?topic=90.0    I always have lots of whiteboards and notepads around me; they always seem to help.

Dyslexia is a crazy thing,  i hate reading!   I work by day as a creative r&d designer/programmer for a software company and have done so for over 10 years;   My wife actually works at the local uni as a learning mentor for people wanting to do courses but who have trouble getting through the coursework side of it all because of the disabilities you mentioned. 

Dyslexics tend to be quite creative thinkers because we think in pictures.   But electronics! blimey, you'd think we pick some hobby easier to do,  with very little or no reading at all like pottery painting or doing jigsaws! ;-)

Kind Regards
Jules

Wow great project, man! Keep it up (:
I know exactly what you're speaking of, Couldn't we just have passion for something without reading! It is so darn difficult.
How nice is that your Wife's vocation is related to these problems (:

You Don't happen to have Dyscalculia, Right?
I mean I love programming too, I'm 28 years old and since I was a child I had been passionate about that. But no matter what I've tried, Courses, reading, Video tutorials, programmers who tried to teach me; I couldn't seem to have grasped the concept of "Classes" in a programming language, and like in electronics, physics, and math (Which I'm passionate about all of those subjects, wrrr!) I can't seem to go beyond two or three steps of logic, It becomes to complex for my brain to grasp and I get Phased out fairly rapid; Darn you Disabilities. It is so frustrating, How the heck can I Overcome this?! After 16 years of trying, It doesn't seem to be improving. Darn it!

Any suggestions?

[Mr Eastwood]

You Don't happen to have Dyscalculia, Right?

no, but I'm really bad at math.

I couldn't seem to have grasped the concept of "Classes" in a programming language

Classes can be quite complex but you could think of a Class as simply a "posh upper-Class" function.  We use Classes because they make complex programs easier to manage but who says you have to even use Classes.

If you want to program Micro-controllers, then don't worry,  because most of the compilers only use the C programming language or a Basic programming language. This is because a lot of the micro-controller chips are too small to use full blown C++ (ie. OOP or Object Orientated Programming etc)  Anyway you can go a very long way with just plan old C or using a basic language.

Any suggestions?

So you want to get into "Micro-controllers, Design and build RF circuits, and Maybe Robotics"    What have you made so far ?  How far have you got with micro-controllers ?

Kind Regards
Jules

[Jon5LG]

You Don't happen to have Dyscalculia, Right?

no, but I'm really bad at math.

I couldn't seem to have grasped the concept of "Classes" in a programming language

Classes can be quite complex but you could think of a Class as simply a "posh upper-Class" function.  We use Classes because they make complex programs easier to manage but who says you have to even use Classes.

If you want to program Micro-controllers, then don't worry,  because most of the compilers only use the C programming language or a Basic programming language. This is because a lot of the micro-controller chips are too small to use full blown C++ (ie. OOP or Object Orientated Programming etc)  Anyway you can go a very long way with just plan old C or using a basic language.

Any suggestions?

So you want to get into "Micro-controllers, Design and build RF circuits, and Maybe Robotics"    What have you made so far ?  How far have you got with micro-controllers ?

Kind Regards
Jules

Only designed and built some simple IR Circuits, played around with RF circuits, and a few transistors circuits. But have learned lots of theoretical material. as I said, these are future dreams. But I wont get there if I can't progress with the simple stuff. I've tried to watch the videos about electronics at "khan academy" and at the "www.nptel.iitm.ac.in" websites, numerous times, but to no avail.

In programming, as a child I got to code some simple graphics games, not much after that because the material got to complicated for me.

[steve30]

Hi Jon.

Could it be that you are a bit of a slow learner?

Things like electronics and programming, I learnt over quite a few years, and I'm fairly slow these days.

Also, I have several interests and if I get a little bored of something, I put it to one side and work on something else.

My recommendation is to just not get stressed about something. If you find you don't understand something, try something else and come back to it later. It takes me ages to get my head around some concepts.

[Jon5LG]

Hi Jon.

Could it be that you are a bit of a slow learner?

Things like electronics and programming, I learnt over quite a few years, and I'm fairly slow these days.

Also, I have several interests and if I get a little bored of something, I put it to one side and work on something else.

My recommendation is to just not get stressed about something. If you find you don't understand something, try something else and come back to it later. It takes me ages to get my head around some concepts.

I think so, actually I've been trying this method and it seems to fit the bill. I've grown tired of fighting myself, It's quite impossible. it was an exhausting 10+ years of War. I'm doing what you've said, and it is quite alright for me; I've learned a lot and I'll never stop learning; But this time I'm going at it mellow and relaxed, and to my best of abilities. Hey, It is what it is! I guess (:

Thank you all!