Thus, some of the most innovative scientists are not necessarily good teachers, and many bright lecturers take great "leaps of logic," leaving their audiences far behind. In addition, cautions Bruce Alberts, who will assume office as president of the National Academy of Sciences July 1, "Many large laboratories represent a poor training environment for young scientists" (Cell, 41:337-8, June 1985). Alberts writes that in such labs, students are often treated like factory workers, "contributing [to a] production line. This does not prepare them to function as independent scientists."
Educators say that teaching is a skill that can be learned. Good teachers with many years of experience agree that it is less important to impart facts than to teach students to be independent thinkers and self-reliant individuals, to view tasks as problems to be solved, and to use learned concepts to formulate and test qualitative solutions to real life or work ...
