Had to install Arch recently because it would help pad word count. Normally I wouldn't pick it because it takes so long to install for an experience that doesn't feel different enough to warrant that time. But I had to for uni so I thought people here might appreciate my attempt at making a pretty desktop. If anyone has tips with Gnome on here feel free to fire away aswell.
I guess learning may be part of the objective.
frankly I'd probably use one of those easy options in a new install.
But i'm personally glad to have gone through the process manually at least a couple of times on a few different systems, just to learn about various bits and pieces that may or may not be needed in different circumstances.
So yeah give that to students as a learning task - more useful than lots of the crap i was told to read.
I'd be surprised if it was a pre-requisite to do other coursework though