Practical Learning

One of my many criticisms of our schooling system is that they rely far more on memorization than practical learning. I feel that there is a bit of a problem with this argument. I don't think that I have properly explained what I mean by practical learning.


Practical learning is when someone develops and establishes an understanding of skills that are relevant in the real world. You have to actually perform a skill in order to properly understand the skill. Memorizing a series of steps that others use to accomplish a task is insufficient because doing so doesn't actually establish a proper understanding.

Without a deeper understanding of the skills you use, you would be inhibited. You would likely struggle to develop related skills, and you are unlikely to further improve that skill. On a larger scale, this is among the inhibitors of progress that society is currently facing.

Practical learning usually occurs when someone sees value in a skill. This establishes a basic understanding of a concept. This is followed by variable approaches to further that understanding. While others may be used as educational resources, this form of learning is self-directed.

The schools generally have ideas about what they think everyone should know, and they try to "teach" in a testable manner. Not everything addressed has real-world value. For example, knowing the years of historic events generally only benefits those who are playing some form of trivia game. Even if you find a scenario where knowing an event's specific date is truly important, researching skills are usually more valuable than memorized facts.

When you compare how practical learning works to how the schools work, it should become clear that these two concepts contradict each other. Practical learning is initiated by the learner, and a competent learner will always be more efficient when they are free from a restrictive schooling environment.