By Danielle Robinette, Class of 2015
So the parable goes,
In the spirit of a "well-rounded" education, my Spanish degree requires a myriad of general education requirements, including math and sciences, that I detest. In a biology lecture with 350 of my closest friends, there is no reasonable expectation of an individualized approach that teaches every student how to fish. And in the long run, I'm no more likely to remember any of the seemingly trivial facts from that class than I will those same facts "learned" in my sophomore year of high school. So, in this case I don't particularly mind simply being given a fish and hopefully I'll never need to explain the structure of a plant cell.
On the other hand, there are classes that focus more on the process than the outcome. In this "teach you how to fish" setting, a student hopefully learns both the content and the method behind it. To follow the parable, they learn how to seek out knowledge on their own rather than being dependent on a class or a professor. Both approaches have a time and place in academics, but I don't know that either is inherently more valuable. The difference in value between the two is likely more a matter of opinion or academic philosophy rather than any inherent quality. To each their own and whatnot.
That being said, from my experience, it seems that the classes that teach you how to fish leave a much different impression. I remember not only the facts and lessons of the classes, but also a sense of engagement from the lectures that mean more than any number of test grades. In my entire academic career I've had maybe three classes that have left such an impact. And in a moment when I find myself lacking inspiration, I'm appreciative of those trying to teach me how to fish. My only request: Patience.
Danielle Robinette, of Campbell County, is a sophomore McConnell Scholar at the University of Louisville. She is studying Spanish and Political Science.
So the parable goes,
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.In college, I've learned that classes can generally be divided into two groups - those that give you a fish and those that teach you how to fish. In my opinion, it would be ideal if every class fell into the later category, but that isn't the case. Based on subject matter and available resources, sometimes the first group is all that can be expected. The question then becomes, does a "give a man a fish" class still have value?
Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."
In the spirit of a "well-rounded" education, my Spanish degree requires a myriad of general education requirements, including math and sciences, that I detest. In a biology lecture with 350 of my closest friends, there is no reasonable expectation of an individualized approach that teaches every student how to fish. And in the long run, I'm no more likely to remember any of the seemingly trivial facts from that class than I will those same facts "learned" in my sophomore year of high school. So, in this case I don't particularly mind simply being given a fish and hopefully I'll never need to explain the structure of a plant cell.
On the other hand, there are classes that focus more on the process than the outcome. In this "teach you how to fish" setting, a student hopefully learns both the content and the method behind it. To follow the parable, they learn how to seek out knowledge on their own rather than being dependent on a class or a professor. Both approaches have a time and place in academics, but I don't know that either is inherently more valuable. The difference in value between the two is likely more a matter of opinion or academic philosophy rather than any inherent quality. To each their own and whatnot.
That being said, from my experience, it seems that the classes that teach you how to fish leave a much different impression. I remember not only the facts and lessons of the classes, but also a sense of engagement from the lectures that mean more than any number of test grades. In my entire academic career I've had maybe three classes that have left such an impact. And in a moment when I find myself lacking inspiration, I'm appreciative of those trying to teach me how to fish. My only request: Patience.
Danielle Robinette, of Campbell County, is a sophomore McConnell Scholar at the University of Louisville. She is studying Spanish and Political Science.