Busy work: Difference between revisions
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'''Busy work''' is a critical term for [[school]]work or [[homework]] that keeps students |
'''Busy work''' is a critical term for [[school]]work or [[homework]] that keeps students occupied without teaching anything constructive or interesting. Examples might include [[crossword puzzles]] featuring lists of specialized [[vocabulary]] words: While learning [[jargon]] or terminology may be important, the method of a crossword puzzle is unlikely to help students appreciate and comprehend vocabulary words. |
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Some critics have charged that busy work can cause problems for teachers: "When busy work becomes 'institutionalized,' among other teachers or the entire school, it creates such an overload of work for the slower students, that they have to 'buy out' of the system. They will always have more work than they can do because the work is assigned for control and not learning." [http://www.teacher2b.com/discipline/busywork.htm] |
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People often have a negative attitude towards busy work, and some [[high school]] teachers have gone so far as to pledge to avoid the practice: "Homework is given to practice, review, preview, or simply provide more exposure to the topics covered in class—you will not be given homework for homework’s sake or as busy work." [http://www.elcaminohigh.com/jcarter/accsyll.htm] |
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==Workplace busy work== |
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The term has also been used by employees who feel their assigned duties are useless or unproductive, and intended only to occupy their time. Busy work of one form or another often features in workplace humor, such as the [[comic strip]] [[Dilbert]], or the [[movie]] [[Office Space]]. |
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Revision as of 19:24, 21 August 2004
Busy work is a critical term for schoolwork or homework that keeps students occupied without teaching anything constructive or interesting. Examples might include crossword puzzles featuring lists of specialized vocabulary words: While learning jargon or terminology may be important, the method of a crossword puzzle is unlikely to help students appreciate and comprehend vocabulary words.
Some critics have charged that busy work can cause problems for teachers: "When busy work becomes 'institutionalized,' among other teachers or the entire school, it creates such an overload of work for the slower students, that they have to 'buy out' of the system. They will always have more work than they can do because the work is assigned for control and not learning." [1]
People often have a negative attitude towards busy work, and some high school teachers have gone so far as to pledge to avoid the practice: "Homework is given to practice, review, preview, or simply provide more exposure to the topics covered in class—you will not be given homework for homework’s sake or as busy work." [2]
Workplace busy work
The term has also been used by employees who feel their assigned duties are useless or unproductive, and intended only to occupy their time. Busy work of one form or another often features in workplace humor, such as the comic strip Dilbert, or the movie Office Space.