The basics of writing include telling the reader the "who," what," "where," "how," "when" and "why." Stories with the first four of those basics, but without the last two, are incomplete. They inform, but not to their full potential. Likewise, education for engineers and shop-floor operators often include all the basics, but often lack the "why" and "when" to make schooling complete.
The recent Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) concluded that as students progress from elementary through high school, they become increasingly disengaged from mathematics. One of the causes cited for this disengagement is that they become dissatisfied with learning only "how" to execute mathematical formulas. The National Council of Teachers and Mathematics found that there needs to be more education that emphasizes the context of math and its relation to real-world problems and situations.