The Importance of Practical Application in Learning

When it comes to learning something new, whether it's a new idea, plan, technique, or technology, it's easy to think you understand it after reading or hearing about it. However, if you objectively observe people in knowledge-sharing situations, you'll discover this is often not the case. True understanding requires practical application, implementing the concept yourself to gain a deeper grasp of it. In this post, we'll explore some examples that illustrate the importance of practical application in learning.

First, let's consider the task of writing software. Building on top of someone else's work may seem easy, but you'll never have a true understanding of how technologies work until you start from scratch. Many engineers can't write a basic application from scratch, even in a language they've listed on their resume. While it's helpful to learn from existing codebases, writing software from scratch helps you understand how the fundamental components interact and how to manage them. You'll also develop a better understanding of the software's overall functionality. Without this knowledge, it's hard to design and troubleshoot applications effectively.

There are obvious situations where writing software from scratch is not practical. This is again where deeper (prior) understanding will be beneficial. You'll be better equipped to understand what parts you should write yourself and what parts you should use vendor or open source software for.

Next, let's take learning math as an example. Attending a math class is an excellent way to learn new techniques and concepts, but it's not enough to fully understand them. Reading notes or excerpts on solving a math problem is not enough either. You have to try and solve the problems yourself to develop a deep understanding. Doing math homework helps you both cement your understanding of the concepts and develop problem-solving skills. You'll quickly learn how to address your understanding shortfalls. This will enable you to apply your knowledge to new situations.

Another example is exercise. Arguing about the best diet and exercise plan online or reading about life-changing regimes is not enough to get into (optimal) shape. You have to do the work yourself to understand the fundamentals that work best for you. Everyone's body reacts differently to diet and exercise, and it's essential to find what works for you. This requires practical application and experimentation to discover how your body fundamentally reacts. You likely need to try different diets or workout plans to have a good understanding of how your body works.

Of course, that's not to say there's no place for superficial or partial understanding. For example, you don't need to understand all interconnected systems on your car to perform (routine) maintenance. Sometimes, a basic understanding is enough to get by. However, if you want to have a deep understanding of something, practical application is essential.

In conclusion, you only have a superficial understanding of a new idea, plan, technique, or technology until you take the time to unpack the concept and implement it yourself. Examples such as writing software from scratch, doing math homework, and working out show how practical application is necessary for understanding. Practical application is essential for developing a deeper understanding of your world. Although superficial understanding has its place in some scenarios, spend more time delving into the areas you think you understand to make sure you actual do understand them.