What subject(s) did your school board make mandatory to take, but think it was a complete waste of time?
Robot
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DoubleRings · 51-55, F
When I was in grade 8 we had to design a physical model proposing a resolution to the preservation of a local beach for the people who were in charge of saving said beach. We were only 13 year olds trying to think of grandiose ideas to save a beach I, for one, never even visited. The people in charge were real environmental specialists and experts and so the whole idea felt kind of futile since we were just kids. Tf did we know about saving beaches?
I had absolutely zero interest in it. Everyone else did the work. And that’s not typical for me.
I had absolutely zero interest in it. Everyone else did the work. And that’s not typical for me.
ArishMell · 70-79, M
@DoubleRings You are admitting that because you were not interested you made no effort to understand the problem, so could not think of possible solutions - ones that should be simple, not grandiose, to be effective?
So you missed the evident points of the exercise both specifically and more broadly.
The project you describe seemed to have been intended to help you appreciate the real value of science and engineering; and how to approach real-world technical problems. Not to teach you geology, hydrology or civil-engineering specifically.
Was it based on a real beach, presumably under "threat" from erosion? Or perhaps more accurately, the threat was to human interests such as tourism and housing! Erosion is what Nature does to coasts, but we like to put ourselves in its way. (I live in a coastal area with some parts undergoing rapid erosion, so I do understand the processes and problems.)
Several years ago, science pupils in a school near me carried out a real, serious, biological study helping a University's genuine research. I attended the public presentation they gave.
Admittedly these were 16-17 year olds studying for the qualifications called General Certificate of Education "Advanced level" (entry qualifications for university) so interested in the subject generally. The project was a survey of the tick population and its Lyme Disease potential, in local woodlands. It was based on DNA profiling of the ticks and pathogens they carry, and the University (of Exeter? I think) loaned the equipment and taught the students how to use it.
So you missed the evident points of the exercise both specifically and more broadly.
The project you describe seemed to have been intended to help you appreciate the real value of science and engineering; and how to approach real-world technical problems. Not to teach you geology, hydrology or civil-engineering specifically.
Was it based on a real beach, presumably under "threat" from erosion? Or perhaps more accurately, the threat was to human interests such as tourism and housing! Erosion is what Nature does to coasts, but we like to put ourselves in its way. (I live in a coastal area with some parts undergoing rapid erosion, so I do understand the processes and problems.)
Several years ago, science pupils in a school near me carried out a real, serious, biological study helping a University's genuine research. I attended the public presentation they gave.
Admittedly these were 16-17 year olds studying for the qualifications called General Certificate of Education "Advanced level" (entry qualifications for university) so interested in the subject generally. The project was a survey of the tick population and its Lyme Disease potential, in local woodlands. It was based on DNA profiling of the ticks and pathogens they carry, and the University (of Exeter? I think) loaned the equipment and taught the students how to use it.