HE Ideas: Learning to drive your studies

Put a first-time driver behind the wheel of a car and anything could happen:

Pictue by Bill Longshaw at freedigitalphotos.net

So we have simulators, driving instructors, practice, mistakes, knowledge checking and repetition before the driver gets anywhere near the Driving Test.

So why do we expect students entering Higher Education to practice their first ESSAY / PRESENTATION / EXAM / GROUP ACTIVITY / TEST* (delete as applicable) without giving them the opportunity to simulate, receive instruction, practice, make mistakes, show knowledge and repeat all of this following relevant and timely feedback BEFORE they are examined using these tools?

Ah, I hear you say, but students won't do anything that does not have marks attached (in HE we call that formative work).

But why not find ways to encourage engagement with formative tasks, rather than give up because it's too difficult?

Just a thought.