Practice and drill are not the same in my book.
According to Dictionary.com:
Drill is any strict, methodical, repetitive training, instruction or exercise.
Practice is repeated performance or systematic exercise for the purpose of acquiring skill or proficiency.
This sums up the differences pretty clearly for me. Drill means doing something over and over regardless of one's understanding of the task while practice indicates applying one's knowledge multiple times to become proficient at the task. Copying Chinese letter formations would be drill for me since I have no understanding of the concepts for which they stand. I could be successful completing the drill. However, I could not practice these same forms without learning their meanings. Given that, the drill would become practice and thus a valuable task to further my knowledge.
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4 comments:
Ded S. here, kindergarten....
Practice and drill have always meant something different for me as well. Practice includes a variety of methods and styles of learning as well as discoveries that might be unexpected. I think of practice as far more interactive than drill. The purpose for practice may include introductory skill/concept development, refining a skill or expanding and deepen an understand of a skill/conccept. I think of drill as far more limted in its scope or usefulness.
GMcNally, RTI Falmouth-
I agree on all counts for both this post and deb smith's comment. Even the words themselves seem to have different connotations......practice sounds kinder and gentler.....DRILL sounds harsh and strict!
Ditto to all three! When I hear the word "drill" I think of drill sargents and it takes me to a military base somewhere. It makes me feel like a zombie and/or a robottic being.
I practice on my piano because I want to be able to play a certain music piece with ease, feelings, and pleasure. So practice has a purpose.
I don't think practice and drill are synonymous, and for some of the same reasons I've seen in many of the comments posted tonight. I think the motivation behind them is very different. Drill brings to mind timings, rote responses, etc. that are dictated or presented to students to improve memorization or speed. Practice makes me think of working on something until you get it, perhaps independently or collaboratively, and in various ways to improve understanding. Drills are a finite amount of information being measured whereas practice can lead to other learning experiences...I'll stop rambling here!
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