Learn by Solving Problems, Not Memorizing Facts
Do you know how many movies were watched on Netflix last year?
During one interview my senior year, the interviewer asked that question. If I had read an article about it, then I would’ve known the answer and could’ve simply given it. I would’ve been right, but that wouldn’t prove I know how to think.
But if I hadn’t read an article, then I would have absolutely no idea what the number was. So, I’d have to figure out how to solve the problem. How can I estimate the number of users Netflix has? What’s a good rationale for how often users watch movies? In this second case, my answer would probably be wrong, but my thought process is better.
And in case you were wondering, the 2017 number was about 6.5 billion movies (~109 million members * 60 movies per user).
What the education system gets wrong.
The current US education system values answers over thinking processes. What I mean is that getting a good grade is seen as more important than the process that led to that good grade. If two students get an “A” on a test, but one student only memorizes the information for test day, while the other develops a nuanced understanding of the core concepts, both students are viewed the same. As far as the…
