It seems tough to have a class that can shovel the information into you and have you actually practice it right then and there, but in the classes I've had wher

It seems tough to have a class that can shovel the information into you and have you actually practice it right then and there, but in the classes I've had where we've done that... holy crap, what a difference it makes. If every class was like that, I'd absolutely love it. I think a system with short lectures followed by quality labs/recitations would be a huge improvement. In my experience, labs are often rushed and confusing, and recitations are taught by crappy TAs and are truly horrendous. Improve that part of the course and you'll make a big difference.