Many people believe that nothing is 100% certain, that everything is open to question. Others believe that there are some absolute certainties. Studying a subject where nothing is certain and all facts are questioned can be very disconcerting. Have a listen to what these students think. Do you agree?
(Video transcripts can be downloaded here as PDF)
What do you mean there is no right answer?
It can be very disconcerting when knowledge in uncertain. In many subjects the answers are not fixed, they might change with context or depend on many factors. It is not unusual for students to become very anxious about making mistakes or looking foolish.
There MUST be a right answer!
Not everyone is comfortable with uncertain knowledge. Many people prefer subjects with right and wrong answers. Some subjects have definitive or certain answers which may be considered to be unquestionable truths. In most university courses though everything is available to be challenged and questioned.
I came here to learn, if there isn’t a right answer what’s the point?
The feeling that there is no certainty can be very de-motivating for many learners. They want to have solid facts and conclusions on which to base their next steps and too much speculation and disconnected information leaves them feeling they are not making progress.