Quality of Videos Lectures and Lectures vs Textbooks I am a student trying to learn different subjects by watching video lectures and reading on my own time. I was wondering if the lectures from ICTP and nptelhrd are a great use of my time. I tried ICTP but found a bit frustrating as you see the board clearly every 15 seconds and the lectures from nptelhrd on YouTube where I had a bit of trouble understanding what was being said. I know that making those videos are them doing people like me a favor as they are creating accessible content but I was wondering if their lectures are good enough to get over those frustrations. They both have various content on various subjects and if other people say that their content is good as well, I'm going to use it as I don't want my little frustrations preventing me from great resources. Since I'm not a math educator or even a very knowledgeable student, I wanted feedback people who studied these topics before. Another channel I would like to have feedback about is njwildberger's channel on YouTube on Algebraic Topology and Differential Geometry. They have unorthodox approaches and I was wondering that if it would help me in a traditional course. I will list the links below.
http://www.ictp.tv/diploma/index2.php?activityid=MTH (ICTP: archives on the left)
https://www.youtube.com/user/nptelhrd/playlists (playlists from nptelhrd: Various mathematics playlists can be found)
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6763F57A61FE6FE8 (njwildberger: Algebraic Topology)
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIljB45xT85DWUiFYYGqJVtfnkUFWkKtP (njwildberger: Differential Geometry)
Finally, I'm curious as well on methods of self-studying. Are watching lectures and reading textbooks and doing questions on the textbooks adequate to learn a subject? Also, which one is more beneficial? Reading the textbooks or watching the lectures? I have access to a university library so finding textbooks is no problem but I had a hard time digging up lectures for standard undergraduate-level courses on-line which feels like I'm missing out :( ICTP, nptelhrd, and njwildberger are what I came across during the search. I've completed most of the MIT OCW courses, Real Analysis by Professor Su, and I am currently watching Multivariable Calculus lectures from Professor Shifrin and Abstract Algebra by Professor Gross and I liked them all. I couldn't find much more than that though. Thank you very much.
EDIT: I want to know the answer to this question as I am still new to learning math and I want to be exposed to the basics of most core/standard undergraduate courses as much as possible before I enter and study at a university. I have a bit of time left before that so I've set up my goal (which might be unrealistic or far-fetched but I'm trying my best anyways) to finish up to Stage 3 of How to Become a Pure Mathematician (http://hbpms.blogspot.ca/) or at least learn the basics of the courses up to and including Stage 3. This is why comparing different methods of studying and determining of video lectures is very important to me.
 A: For me, I watch youtube videos (the one you mentioned) one time before I ready delve myself doing exercises. (This means I will invest 48 hours on a course before I ever flip the book.) Then I will try to do some exercises (which I can find easily online for those online homework assignments based on the books.) If I struggled with the exercises, I would go back to read the handwritten notes that I made while watching the youtube videos. If I still can't figure out the answer, I will look at the textbook instead.
So, for me, lecture notes are the most important (the backbone of the whole subject), exercises important to verify/improve my understanding, textbook/reference are only for me when I really struggled with the question.
This is how I learnt. Not sure it helps or not. I prefer this way because I can absorb the knowledge in a multiple ways (listening, reading, doing etc) instead of cramming a book. Most importantly, lecturers helped you to summarise the important things and build your basic understanding. After this, it will be a lot easier when you read the more advanced reference text alone.
In short,
lecture videos = exercises >>> reading a book.
Just my 2 cents.
But this only holds for self-study during your holidays or leisure time. I would still advise reading the whole book if you are taking a course at a university. (For the sake of improving your ability to read books.) But it would be much faster since you had an overall view of the subjects through lecture videos. The ability to read books is very important when you go into research because you longer have lecture videos to help you. You have to read it on your own.
A: Learning materials , including video lessons, are all just support for your learning effort. What is more important is your eagerness to learn the subject. Reading books and solving exercises will be more beneficial than watching multimedia learning materials.
