On the socratic method

Teachers spend considerable amount of their time trying to get us to learn things. They aren't always successful.

For example, in some of the science classes, where concept is emphasized over details, when the professor starts flooding us with too much detail the automatic result is that, of course, the student tuning out, missing not only the details that are spewing out of the professor's mouth but the concept behind them as well. This is, I presume, why I'm encountering more and more alternative learning methods, specifically of the "problem-based-learning" kind. The idea behind it is encouraging: making sure the students have a good grasp of the concepts by giving them problems to solve that will force them to think about and use the knowledge taught in class. But as is the case with so many things in life -- the idealism simply doesn't hold up in the face of practicality.

A part of this (but by no means all) is due to the professors, who are, I have reasons to believe, no more familiar with this whole problem-based-learning shebang imparted by the higher-ups than the students are. For instance, they may forget that we're supposed to be applying the knowledge covered in class. Extra research is all and well in its own place, but each person does research differently and will narrow down different queries, so in the overall chase for information, the main concept of the lesson that is meant to be learned is often lost. The other part of the professor-induced headache is simply: please, please, PLEASE, read over the problems you wrote before you mail them to us. I've read riddles that are clearer than some of the instructions I've seen.

On the student's part there is always the question of work load and procrastination. Say that we're assigned a project as a group. The professors are often stumped at trying to get the work load distributed evenly within a group instead of either having a) one person doing all the work or b) one person whose lack of...um...let's call it "dedication", will impact the group as a whole.
The most fundamental problem, however, remains the fact that though you may lead a horse to water, you can't make it drink. Browbeat the students all you want, if we aren't interested, no amount of powerpoints will get us to think about the topic in anything more than a superficial level.

It is a good method. Personally I find it more enjoyable than the "memorize everything method" that persisted through most of high school and half of undergrad. However, it isn't perfect (nothing is) and I wish the people who're in charge would remember that.

Yes the feedback isn't as great as you would like, but take it with a grain of salt 'cause nothing's perfect and keep in mind that you have an unfortunate tendency to poll the students when they're at their worst (right before finals and post-project-panic slump).