But would you have had as much of an idea if someone had given you a manual
on driving a car without having seen it done before? Watching your father
gave you a frame of reference to build your learning upon when you started
to learn yourself. You are taking a very good analogy to an extreme by using
the touch-typing example. Sure - just because you watch someone
touch-typing, it doesn't mean you can do it yourself. It does however mean
that if you are beginning to learn that subject, you know what they mean
when they talk about hand position etc. as you have seen a role model
demonstrate a good example as a baseline. The real time run through is not
an isolated stage, but part of a bigger plan!
-----Original Message-----
From: Accident and Emergency Academic List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of [log in to unmask]
Sent: 14 November 2002 18:01
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Decline of Anatomy
> from: [log in to unmask]
> subject: Re: Decline of Anatomy
>
> In defence of 'run throughs';
> Piano playing is stiking the appropriate key at the appropriate time and
in
> sequence to generate a pleasing pattern. Having seen a piano keyboard
> operated it becomes easier to understand how difficult it is going to be
to
> learn to do it. This is not helped by an explanation that I am now
pressing
> this key whilst my foot is on this pedal.
Not quite, I watched my father drive cars for 15 years but had no idea what
was going on until it was explained to me, and until I was allowed to do it
for myself. I've watched pianists for years but there's no way I could learn
a piece by watching them alone. Most of you watch your secretaries
touch-type at 70wpm but most of you will be unable to do this no matter how
long you stand and watch. There are many similar medical examples (but not
as interesting!). I agree practical skills must be learnt in a practical
fashion, but they are not learned by watching someone else; you've got to do
it yourself, after a full explanation.
Adrian Fogarty
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