TEDxCaltech - Sanjoy Mahajan - Rote Learning Fragments the World

[shutuprafa]

I don't think he's totally right. I think you have to have some comprehension of the ideas (the dots) first in order to see the connections. One way you get comprehension of an isolated idea is via rote learning. Ideally, rote learning should be a means for getting students to the point where they can start making connections on their own. But we can't expect everyone to make connections and derive everything from first principles. Rote learning has its place, as does making connections

[2008bscott]

@shutuprafa

We do need to know facts, but many times professors don't go beyond this. Learning how to apply and connect is very important to really learning science. W/purely rote learning, normally the stuff you "memorize" (as opposed to learn) is very temporary and will perhaps get you through a couple of exams (there is no incentive to retain it as there was never an app. for it). Emphasis on fact based learning (as most learning is) is not the same as the rote learning that most think of.

[Tome4kkkk]

I'm awesome in this kind of reasoning. How do I put it in my CV? :)

[endoras0666]

this actually quite insightful..