I remember my first-year life sciences labs well. The benches were full, timers were buzzing, and a handful of instructors moved around from group to group, frequently looking just as overwhelmed as we did. I left some sessions feeling like I’d just managed to follow the steps, never mind see how the technique applied to a real problem or why it mattered outside the room.
The gap between procedure and purpose is exactly what hands-on learning tries to close in STEM, within the limits faculty and learners face: large classes, limited time and materials, and varying levels of student preparedness.