My organic chemistry professor is terrible…I have a really hard time following him in class, and to make matters worse half of the work we do is from a POGIL manual (I struggle with the POGIL model of learning so much that an advisor suggested I be seen for a potential learning disability - that frustration is another post altogether). In lecture he jumps around the schedule so much, that it’s a homework exercise just find the corresponding textbook chapter.
This has led me to start seeking online helps. I am inclined to Khan Academy (of course), but I found the explanations on chirality and isomerism confusing. So, if anyone is intersted, I found a great channel on youtube called Ready Set Orgo - after watching videos a couple of times through, I blasted through the hw with much better understanding and success.
Chirality and Sterocenters:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICvPJPqAdhc&a mp;fea…
Diasteriomers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCye1rnnh6g&a mp;fea…
Meso compounds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Laz_PjnCuYA&a mp;fea…
Fischer projections:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X1Tf46ftFc&a mp;fea…
Hope this helps someone - I’ve noticed that a number of us are on the same ochem schedule. Good luck to all!
Those look great. I personally think that models are underutilized in organic chemistry teaching. Most profs. suggest them for stereochemistry (of course) and that’s that. I modeled everything I could, however little (peroxide?). Then for biochemistry I put down money for the expansion set.
Give freelanceteacher and coursesaver a try.
It saved my life in ochem. Made the whole science more enjoyable for me too!
God speed!
I’ll throw out a plug in for “Organic Chemistry as a Second Language” by David Klein. It was how I finally was able to figure out the synthesis and get the basics worked out in that course.
Also, my professor said something that finally clicked. “It isn’t so much the material you are learning as it is a way of thinking.” The critical thinking is essential in medicine. Once I focused on strengthening that skill, things really got a lot better. There is more than one way to do synthesis, but some routes are faster and work better than others.
Deb
Great suggestions! Visualization in ochem has learning curve that is a little different for everyone…it’s great to have a list of help that people are seeking outside of class.
Freelance teacher is phenomenal for Ochem, but not as good as David Klein’s ochem as second language, as well as his entire textbook. I also do like coursesaver, and wikipremed.
Overall, I feel like there are fantastic internet ochem resources!
I have to chime in here as I am in OChem I right now. I have used freelance teach alot, but he has a lot of material which isn’t actually always the best for strategizing study sessions, but when I find what I want from his site it’s usually golden. He made way more sense on R and S than my prof did and after watching his vid’s realized how my prof made a simple thing way more confusing than it had to be and now I must admit I am one of “those people” who hardly pay attention in lecture. If I go! I am not a class skipper, either. I drag my butt in there, but when I realized I could use my time a lot better with better teachers online, I became angry with higher education first off, but also empowered. I have the tools and teachers I need to succeed. They just aren’t employed by my university. On another thread, Julio C and some others recommended coursesaver/Chad’s Videos and I took the bait and paid $50.00 for 6 months of Ochem. I like his videos a lot and while freelance teach is awesome and free, I like the organized fashion to Chad’s videos. Freelance teach is organized, but just so plentiful that it can be super time consuming just finding what you need. So, between Chad, freelance teacher and my online homework (we use OWL) I really only go to class to make sure we are still on track with the syllabus. I’m also happy to report that my second exam grade just came back and I got an A.
I also have Organic Chem as a second language, but I find it’s only good for a basic overview and don’t use it too much. Pushing Electrons is good but about the same as far as depth of material.
My approach may not be for everyone, but I thank god we live in the internet age. It makes it easy for just about anyone to learn just about anything. Don’t like your prof at school? Go online and find a teacher you do like that actually helps you! Woohoo for that.
All my best everyone! I’ve been busting my tail this semester but I’m keeping on keeping on and doing quite well. I have 12 credits all in science courses this semester so it’s been a dead run since the semester began. It’s almost over, too! Looking forward to a little tiny bit of R & R for Thanksgiving. Hope everyone is well!