Three dominant themes in the discussion
| Theme | Summary | Representative Quote |
|---|---|---|
| 1️⃣ Exams should assess only material that was actually taught; unsolvable or unexpected questions cause frustration and are poor measures of ability. | Users argue that testing on undisclosed concepts undermines the purpose of assessment and that alternative formats (e.g., homework) are more appropriate. | “As a teacher, I can tell you that students get really angry if you put a question on an exam that requires a concept not explicitly covered in class.” — vlovich123 |
| 2️⃣ The tension between “thinkism” (over‑theorizing) and “doism” / hands‑on problem‑solving; both academic rigor and practical doing are needed for real‑world competence. | Commenters stress that learning through building, debugging, and iterating is essential, and that blind theoretical exercises can be counter‑productive. | “I call this, the way to learn stuff is by doin' stuff. Also buildin' stuff! (Which is the best type of doin’.)” — andai |
| 3️⃣ Misconceptions about managerial competence; many bosses possess niche expertise that employees overlook, and assuming they’re “clueless” can stem from a lack of context. | Several replies share anecdotes showing managers often know specific, vital details (e.g., accounting rules, grant deadlines) that employees didn’t previously appreciate. | “I realized as my eyes glazed over… damn this is just the same reaction people who don’t understand browser rendering engines get when I start telling them about different events.” — bryanrasmussen |
These three points capture the core conversation: the limits of traditional exam design, the value of experiential learning versus pure theory, and the nuanced reality of workplace expertise.