9- In many of your prior courses, whether in college, whether in college or in high school, you were working on two fronts at once: learning the material in the course ("what" is covered) even as you were learning the methods of working in that field ("how" things are done). Discuss the competing demands of learning both content and method by using a concrete example from your own experience at UIUC


Some people learn from hands on work while others learn in the classroom. No matter which way of learning is easier for you, it is best to know how to do both. Some people believe that they can get ahead just by knowing how to perform in a certain field. Some people believe that they can get ahead by knowing the procedures for a certain field. The people who think like this are greatly mistaken. It is extremely important for people to realize that they need to know both aspects in a field. One reason is because just learning how to do something in a classroom is different than actually knowing how to do it when you are put in front of it. Another reason is because if know how to do something hands on doesn't mean you how to communicate or write all the steps or procedures taken in the particular field. Their is a high demand for people now based on them knowing how to perform both. A truly skilled person would not have a problem with learning both ways because they know it will be beneficial in the long run. One experience I have had with having to know both is in my Rhetoric class. In the classroom we learn ways in which we can write our papers better. I understand the concepts in class but it was up to me actually putting concepts to work. When I would write my papers later on in the day I would look back on the notes or concepts given and be sure to incorporate them into my writing. This pays off because by using the concepts given I was able to improve my writing as well as get a higher grade on my paper. So, I am letting everyone know that learning both sides of a field is very helpful and needs to be looked at as a priority from now on.