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Problem is, homework is also what most closely matches real work. Tests are good for controlling the environment (we need them too!) but some students will just
by nixpulvis 1y ago
Problem is, homework is also what most closely matches real work. Tests are good for controlling the environment (we need them too!) but some students will just naturally be better at homework. Also, incentivizing students to put time and effort into the homework builds work ethic which will serve them well in the working world.
Personally, the best classes I had all had rigorous homework assignments. I would learn much more from them than studying for the tests. In fact, doing the homeworks would generally cover more than would be possible to test.
Plus I'm just glad to have built things like a DNS server, and inode filesysyem. Many small games and web servers. Database applications, shells, and compilers just to name a few. These are all things that give me confidence as a programmer.
- Wowfunhappy 1y ago> Problem is, homework is also what most closely matches real work. ...I wonder if this is true. "Real work" sometimes requires you to perform in the moment. You can't always just pull an all-nighter to get it done if you're slow. Also, the best way to do better on a test is to do homework to prepare for the test. And teachers can still assign homework to help students learn, they just can't necessarily use the results for assessment.
- nixpulvis 1y agoI guess tests are like being on call, supporting outages and the like, while homework more closely mirrors feature development. We also had a number of group assignments and labs which required on-demand work but were more project based than tests. My main point is that while testing knowledge in small bits is useful for grading, it's less where I got value as a learner.
- aldanor 1y agoMoreover, getting stuck in homework assignments and learning how to get unstuck is what, I think, propels you forward the most.