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Electricians, plumbers and gardeners are bright sparks, says research
10/03/10
Edited by Tom Bardsley. Treating people who are educated through practical or vocational training, such as electricians and plumbers, as "intellectually second-rate" has no basis in science, according to new research.
A report from the University of Winchester's Centre for Real-World Learning (CRL) for education foundation Edge claims that cognitive science and neuroscience demonstrate that becoming an expert in any line of work requires mind and body to work together to develop knowledge and skills.
It argues that it is therefore wrong to draw a "simplistic" distinction between the relative values of academic and practical learning, as a mechanic assessing how to fix an engine will use similar thought processes to a doctor diagnosing a medical condition.
CRL director Professor Bill Lucas, a co-author of the report, said people rarely examine the types of intelligence displayed by expert plumbers, electricians or gardeners, yet developing their skills requires the same qualities of curiosity, determination, common sense and gumption that are important in academic learning.
Edge director of research David Harbourne added: "There are many paths to success and learning by doing is just as valuable as learning by listening and reading."
