[Reily]

One problem I see with this is it will encourage university administration to eliminate real physical labs do it all via computer simulation. The driver here is the O&M costs in maintaining undergraduate engineering\physics (even chemistry!) labs. I’ve talked to several friends who are profs and they tell me there is huge pressure to do this in undergraduate instruction.

[NorthMountain]

eliminate real physical labs

Well, that's absolutely what we need ... engineers and scientists with zero hands-on experience with the real world.

Artificial "Intelligence" ==> Natural Stupidity

[Tench_Coxe]

I remember an experimental lab course in college, where measurements were taken, analysis was performed, and a verbal presentation of the report was also made. Teams of three as a group would conduct the experiment, then collaborate on the findings. Each experiment was graded 50% written report, 50% on the verbal presentation.

There was one particular experiment where only 20% of the students taking the class figured out the right solution. I was slated from my group to present on that experiment (side note: I split from my two partners on the analysis, because I realized they were making a huge mistake in their solution. They wouldn't budge).

I was one of 20%. I gave my presentation, and the professor slapped his hand down and said to the effect:"See? That's what this class was about! I had one student that actually told me:'We didn't learn that in class.' But the point is to apply your knowledge to look fot the solution!".

Now, we DID actually learn the subject in class, but it required recognizing the data and understanding what the data was saying.
Side note: the 80% who got it wrong tried to take a slope of an exponential curve suggested by the data. Can't do that unless you plot the points on a logrhythmic plot. Then you can take the slope and use it, and only if certain conditions are met.

Point is...book learning works. May even get you good marks on tests. But real world experience can throw something at you that book learning alone won't resolve.