matlab experience. He was in iit chennai. There one professor, one day
came and said he will give them one test problem and they have one
week's time and all of them have to solve it by using matlab.
Now before that no one had any exposure to that software, they have
never seen it and all of a sudden they have this assignments which
required them to program in matlab to plot the graphs and it was the
only mandatory criteria for the exam. So what do you thing happened?
The whole class geared up and did a quick crash course on the software
by the end of the timeline and everyone had the results ready. From
the professors side there was no restriction for them, they can use
internet or books if they want, all he wanted was the matlab code and
the results. He got all. For the students the challenge provoked them
to learn the software in quick time. Yes they didn't learn it fully
but they got to learnt it so that, if they are asked to do it again
they will be able to produce a result from matlab.
What are the lessons we can learn from this?
Don't bitch around for lack of tutors for a software, even in iit's
it's your initiative that helps you learn, tools come from the
institution but it's the students who have to roll the ball. So accept
the opportunities of learning a tool as you get them, don't wait fir a
teacher or a ready made tutorial!!
This time limit propelled the students to cut the crap and get down to
the core of the software. Since they had results to deliver they
played like 20 20 instead of a test match. So whenever you are
learning a new software tool, Remember 20 20!
That's the fasted way to learn.Concentrate on scoring on each bowl.
For my collegue, as he mentioned, that experience was just the brush
with matlab that he had, but for some, this little exercise stuck and
they went deep into the software to learn to use it more effectively.
So next time you are planning to learn something new, make it a 20-20
rather than a test match!!! Good luck.
