Some educators claim that it is best that school courses cover only basic subject matter, but cover it in depth  These educators argue that if students achieve a solid grasp of the basic concepts and investigatory techniques in a subject, they will be able to explore the breadth of that subject on their own after the course is over
But if they simply learn a lot of factual information, without truly understanding its significance, they will not be well equipped for further study on their own
It is easier to remember new ideas explained personally by a teacher than ideas that one explores independently.