MiraCosta College Math Instructor Hits Two Million Mark on YouTube

It was just a year ago that MiraCosta College math instructor Julie Harland hit the one million mark on her YouTube channel, where she has posted more than 850 of her self-made math videos. And this week, she hit two million views. 

 

Harland’s math videos have attracted attention from all corners of the earth, from an elderly man looking to augment his limited formal education, to a Bangladesh native who uses the videos to help his 10th grade son with algebra. Harland has also received emails, letters and postings from students around the world who have been helped by her math videos.

“I thank you for helping me get through three algebra courses at my community college,” writes a 55-year-old Florida resident. “I’ve been out of school for so long, it’s been tough, especially math. I understand your explanation of the problems much better than what I was getting in class.”

Another viewer writes, “Your math videos are absolutely wonderful, and I shall be eternally grateful to you for explaining everything so clearly. Why couldn’t my math teachers be like you?”

 “I like to share knowledge and make math lessons available to everyone—why limit it to my classroom,” says Harland. “I enjoy the feeling that I’m helping people understand math—It’s like turning on a light bulb.”

Harland graduated from Vista High School and taught there after getting her B.A. in mathematics at UC Santa Barbara. She went on to get her M.A. in applied mathematics at UC San Diego and joined the MiraCosta College faculty in 1987. She has since written her own math books, which are used at MiraCosta College. 

“I want students to know that math is everywhere. What they learn is how to problem solve. They can be good at math—all it takes is practice—I want them to know they can do it.”

Harland’s YouTube channel can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/videosbyjulieharland. 

She also has a website on which her math videos are organized by topic: http://YourMathGal.com. 

Harland can be contacted at jharland@miracosta.edu or 760.757.2121 x6387.