Just in time learning is wonderful assuming you know the right questions to ask and what rock to look under. Learning something takes knowing something and learning things just in time is no exception. I agree it would do little good for me to learn about chainsaws 20 years before I need to use one, but I suspect that had someone exposed me to the sorts of things chainsaws (or other powerful tools) are used for when I was more nimble and less wary I might have found uses for them that might have been beneficial to me or someone else.

As I am sure you know, I am no big fan of predetermined curricula; I believe in asking a question and following all the directions potential answers might lead, including venturing off on tangents that seem interesting. How else would one discover that knowledge is one big thing instead of a lot of little things that may or may not be connected. My education, the part I did and continue to do outside of school as well as some of what I did in school, allowed me to follow whatever meandering path I wandered onto and, as a result, I discovered the joy of learning long before I was subjected to the drudgery of learning. I wish all students could have the same opportunity I did. but I also wish that they all would be as prepared with as much prior knowledge and trust in their abilities as I had when I wandered off the curriculum path.

Why should we force someone to learn something you think they should care about if they don’t care or are not ready to learn? Do you really think learning about a chainsaw 20 years before you needed to know how to use it would be effective? I believe individuals should be given the freedom to learn and care about topics that make sense for them.

I know it is cliche at this point, but in the 21st century learning can be “just in time” rather than “just in case.”

Oh, and if you want to learn to use a chainsaw, there are thousands of videos to choose from on YouTube. You can start with this one http://youtu.be/fou893qVvxQ