>It's reasonable for teachers to give assignments where the resulting artifact is not itself of direct value to the subject matter, but where the only feasible way for the student to produce the artifact is via a process that is supposed to be of educational value.

Reminds of this scene from A River Runs Through It.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA-sEfXOaEQ&ab_channel=Grady...