Student question(s)

rsdoran

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Apr 2002
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Birmingham, AL
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I originally was going to post this in reply to a student question but thought it might be an appropriate discussion of its own.

I wonder why we never hear from any of the ONC/HNC/NYC etc instructors. It would seem to me they would want to provide information to the students then test them to verify they "learned".

The freestudy site is a UK site so I would think the students would be told about it so they could use it as a reference guide, its still just a book thats online.

Maybe I live in a dream world but its kind of sad that students are asked questions but not offered references to obtain the information.

Think what you want but I can not see a MATH teacher keeping the book and asking the students what is the hypotenuse of a right triangle.

Of course my example doesnt match the type of question they are asking but the principle is the same....learn something but we arent going to give you the material or a reference to find the information you need to learn.

This practice is common in other areas and subjects but since they dont apply to plcs then aren't seen here but its a common problem for students all over the world.

This is all just my opinion but think about it. They ask a question(s) that may or may not be properly phrased on a subject that may or may not have real meaning to the subject they are studying.

Where are the adults/teachers that should have taught them how to phrase a question? What adult/teacher decided they needed to learn something, which material/references arent given, that probably has no real bearing on the subject?

I have 5 kids that are all in school. I am not pleased with the school system as is, its overcrowded, teachers underpaid, poorly equipped etc etc.

This is why I have decided to give students the benefit of doubt, its acutally our (adults/parents/teachers) fault in a sense.

That concludes my rant.
 
Hi rsdoran,
Having just completed one of the courses you mention, I can see where you are coming from.During the "PLC" study unit, The mature students (me being one of them!) would often question course content. During handing out of the assignments, the answers were given out also - Where's the learning there!

Basically the students with prior PLC experience passed the module those without failed and resat the whole unit.

Learning by Doing you can beat it.

Still that piece of paper talks over here in the UK.

Steve
 
I suppose it depends on the type of institution you are studying at.

At university level, the most important skill is to be able to research an answer. You get a question, possibly badly phrased (similar to real world work environments) and you go find the answer.

At technical school level, you are learning a trade. You are shown how to wire up a contactor, how to plug in the programming panel, how to .......
Generally, research skills are not high on the list.

You then get the good instructors, who can instruct well and know whether they are supposed to turn out PLC programmer/researchers or PLC programmer technicians.

You also get the bad instructors who get this wrong, or completely go off on a tangent, or force rote learning without understanding, or give their favorite students an A, the bugger who asks too many questions an F, and everyone else a C.

I've had both good and bad.
Luckyly the good won out.
 

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