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JF Ossan
 
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Join Date: Jun 2007
01-31-2010, 01:02 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Columbine View Post
No, as Robinsmask said, it was mostly only theoretical or highly abstract, which doesn't really work in practical classes like techs. That's why I think it's kind of dumb. We were having 'Woodshop' and 'cooking class', but neither actually taught us working with wood or how to cook. How to design packaging, yes. About the industrial food industry, yes. About industrial manufacture, yes. Nutritional analysis yes. But the only practical examples were, as you quite rightly say, pointless. I think we made biscuits and a salad, which we all knew how to do already.
I didn't say "pointless"...I said "seemingly pointless" in that a student can't see the point of a course of study, even if it becomes more clear later in life.

Actually learning about packaging design, industrial food industry, industrial manufacture and nutritional analysis sound fascinating and quite useful for some people in the future.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Columbine View Post
Woodshop was slightly more useful, but highly focused on tools you'd only get in an industrial setting. Who has a band sander in their garage and tools for polishing acrylic? All the wood working and DIY i know I pretty much learnt from my dad and my grandpa. I'm pretty sure there's nothing I learnt from class that I still apply in use. Except to always chisel away from myself and that I hate acrylic.
Learning that something isn't for you can be just as useful as learning it is.
Again, sound like useful lessons.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Columbine View Post
Within two generations we've gone from a nation of 'growing your own' to not being able to identify a leek.

I do agree though that abstract learning like algebra has it's place in the world. Knowing a little of it does help as it can crop up in many different occupations.
That's interesting, because at least where I live "growing your own" is becoming a very new and real thing (again) in local education.
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