I encountered Lockhart's _Lament_ back when I was in college, and I had lots of resentment about it. I can't remember if I actually read it or someone else's article lauding Lockhart, but either way, the sense I got was that the author wanted to do away with problem sets in favor of appreciating concepts and teasing out moments of insight.
The problem is, insight doesn't happen on command. If you the student aren't getting that insight, then staring at your homework page quite possibly won't give it to you either. You can reread the textbook, or go to office hours, or something - there are things that might help - but they might not help immediately. You might end up not having it in time for the homework deadline, or even the exam.
Some people will get that insight quickly, and I'm fine with recognizing them. But I'm not fine with failing everyone else, or even giving them a lower GPA in this age of grade inflation, or making the dedicated students among them keep pounding their heads against the wall.
Yes, if there was a reliable way to teach concept-appreciation and moments of insight, that could be great. But I haven't seen that reliable way, and I don't think Lockhart has either.
I encountered Lockhart's _Lament_ back when I was in college, and I had lots of resentment about it. I can't remember if I actually read it or someone else's article lauding Lockhart, but either way, the sense I got was that the author wanted to do away with problem sets in favor of appreciating concepts and teasing out moments of insight.
The problem is, insight doesn't happen on command. If you the student aren't getting that insight, then staring at your homework page quite possibly won't give it to you either. You can reread the textbook, or go to office hours, or something - there are things that might help - but they might not help immediately. You might end up not having it in time for the homework deadline, or even the exam.
Some people will get that insight quickly, and I'm fine with recognizing them. But I'm not fine with failing everyone else, or even giving them a lower GPA in this age of grade inflation, or making the dedicated students among them keep pounding their heads against the wall.
Yes, if there was a reliable way to teach concept-appreciation and moments of insight, that could be great. But I haven't seen that reliable way, and I don't think Lockhart has either.