Masterful Learning: Principled Strategies for Mastering Physics, Math, and Programming
Why This Book Exists
Many students get stuck in physics, math, or programming — staring at a derivation, a proof, or a bug, without knowing what to do next. Most learning books stay at the surface, offering general advice but little guidance in those moments. Masterful Learning exists to close that gap: it shows you step by step how to move forward, with strategies that work when you’re blocked. It combines:
- Cognitive science — retrieval practice, elaborative encoding, spaced repetition.
- Domain expertise — strategies for physics, math, and programming bottlenecks.
- Practical study design — structuring your week, tracking progress, preparing for exams, building durable skills.
The goal is simple: to help you build knowledge you can recall under pressure and skills you can apply without hesitation.
Who It's For
- University students in physics, mathematics, and computer science who want to study more effectively.
- Students who feel stuck with traditional methods like rereading and highlighting.
- Educators looking for research-grounded strategies to support their teaching.
- Lifelong learners who want to master difficult technical subjects.
What You'll Learn
- How to apply the four primary learning strategies: retrieval practice, elaborative encoding, self-explanation, and problem solving.
- Why strategies like rereading and highlighting fail—and how to replace them.
- How to combine study techniques with time management and motivation frameworks.
- How to prepare for different exam formats (written, oral, conceptual).
- How to use digital tools like Anki and AI productively.
- How to build habits, mindsets, and motivation that sustain deep learning.
Inside the Book
Table of Contents (abridged)
- Part I: Knowledge and Skill – What it means to understand
- Part II: Learning Strategies – From ineffective strategies to retrieval, elaboration, self-explanation, problem solving, and digital tools
- Part III: Time Strategies – Structuring your week and making the most of lectures, workshops, and peers
- Part IV: Mental Strategies – Motivation, flow, mindsets, and habits
- Part V: Exam and Beyond – Strategies for written, oral, and conceptual exams, and looking ahead to real-world impact
Connection to Research and Unisium
This book grew out of years of research in physics education and cognitive psychology. Every recommendation is grounded in peer-reviewed studies on learning and problem solving.
The same principles also power Unisium, our adaptive, gamified learning platform. If you want to go beyond the book and practice strategies interactively, explore Unisium.
About the Author
Vegard Gjerde is a postdoctoral researcher in physics education at the University of Bergen. He has taught the largest mechanics course at UiB for several years and published widely on learning strategies, retrieval practice, and problem solving. He also created the online course Primal Learning, followed by over 20,000 students worldwide.