"If there was a way to combine the rigors of academic courses (to improve analytic thinking/problem solving ability) with the hands-on experience of vocational

"If there was a way to combine the rigors of academic courses (to improve analytic thinking/problem solving ability) with the hands-on experience of vocational learning, I would be all for that." This is the goal of lab/recitation. Taking the basic concepts in class and applying them to something you physical build/simulate to get the 'feel' of that design. Rather than making these as 'cookbooks' they should be exercises similar the homework to have a love triangle between hands on learning, lecture, and problem sets.