Home › Forums › Archives › Social Networks › Facebook › Interesting Article: Student Faces Expulsion for Running a Facebook Study Group
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March 10, 2008 at 1:14 am #28483Doris KenneyParticipant
Well if this article on a student facing expulsion for running a Facebook study group doesn’t spark a little debate, I don’t know what will! The comments posted with this are worth a read too. Obviously, this is a charged issue.
My personal opinion is students have been encouraged (even required) to use computers as a part of their studies – why change the rules of the game now? It’s merely the difference between a physical “real world” and a virtual world where they communicate. In the real world, and the workplace environment, it’s not uncommon for people to collaborate and draw upon the knowledge of others. For goodness sake, study groups, tutoring and mentoring thrive in the academic setting! Why infer these same practices happening online as social networking are a bad thing? And if teachers think cheating doesn’t go on in the “real world” of college academia they are dead wrong. Some students are just quiet adept at not getting caught.
I applaud the students for forming the group – whatever their motivations. They took the initiative, utilizing means offered to them (in this case social networking), and I think they should be commended for finding a way to use technology to their best avail.
Give the article a read and tell me what you think….
March 10, 2008 at 1:57 am #167914MrOatsMemberThe Article wrote:it’s the university’s responsibility to make sure students are doing their own work. “We want them to achieve. But that also means that they sometimes have to do the hard work of learning and not take the easy way out,” he said.WTF? So the college is babysitting now? I believe when you are COLLEGE AGED it is your decision, responsibility, and choice to do your school work.
And how on Earth are they to “do the hard work” when they DON’T understand it and need help? Guess and become furthermore confused? Note: There is usually “professor office hours”, where students could ask the professor for help…but sometimes you need MORE time than the “office hours” to understand the work, and sometimes you need help OUTSIDE of school to get by and truly get a grip on the subject material/course work.
The Article wrote:Students are surprised by the university’s reaction to the Facebook study group. “They’re just trying to cut him down, and I don’t even know why this prof is doing this,” said Evan Boudreau, a second-year journalism student. “It’s just completely ridiculous.”I completely agree. They students are just trying to help each other.
Chemistry, generally, is NOT an easy subject matter for most. (I’m taking High School Chemistry, which is described as the intro. to college course level) and I assume it only gets harder are more confusing by then.
So, what’s wrong with a group of students helping each other out? :confused:
Note: This is just my current opinion on the issue. It may fluctuate as the discussion expands. You’re views may, and probably will differ. Let’s not hate…;)
March 10, 2008 at 2:53 pm #167910DavidParticipantQuote:From the first comment
I think the group did post the solutions to the given assignments in good formatted documents, and didn’t actually help on “understanding” the problem.Cheating, plain and simple.
March 10, 2008 at 4:44 pm #167916VvWolverinevVParticipantIf that’s the case, they left a major detail out of the article, haha.
March 10, 2008 at 6:08 pm #167912sarahtownyMemberI have just started studying again, and found it quite a challenge. My Uni does have a study group forum, it does the same thing.
I know the internet is useful to find research, but according to the article this facebook group has not given out answers to papers, they have simply given advice and they have done no wrong.
However, one person did comment that they did post solutions to given assignments, if this is the case they should face the consequences. I am sure after investigation the truth will come out.
I have to say that if it was all so innocent, of any form of cheating then it’s a very over the top response. My feeling is that maybe there is more to this than they have reported in the article?
March 10, 2008 at 7:43 pm #167917PolarBearNPRParticipantDitto, Sarah. I think that, as is true in sooooo much of the media, a major portion was left out of the article, skewing our perception of the actual situation. I can’t imagine a university taking such an action about a regular study group, online or otherwise. And that’s a pretty big study group! If it is indeed a forum where the participants work to understand concepts they haven’t gotten in class, then shame on the university. If however, as I suspect, answers are being posted – with or without discussion, shame on the students – ALL of them. I have been known to help the random student *hi Brock* with assignments and papers on line, but would never just give the answers.
The internet and social connections open wide the ability to really talk with folks and research information, and gain a much deeper and better understanding of a subject. It also opens the door to potential cheating, so today’s students perhaps have a challenge in deciding what is help and what is just handing out the answers. And it is they who must determine where they draw the line, because in the end – it’s not the university who will feel the consequences of the cheating, but the student as they try to make it in the real world.
March 10, 2008 at 8:08 pm #167913sarahtownyMemberPolarBearNPR;227671 wrote:it’s not the university who will feel the consequences of the cheating, but the student as they try to make it in the real world.Very true Heather 😉
March 10, 2008 at 10:04 pm #167921Doris KenneyParticipantIn the real world, ultimately, we each must deal with consequences (good or bad) for our own actions. But I must say…I’m glad this has created a little debate…and perhaps at least a little bit of thought on the implications of social networking and it’s effects – good, bad or indifferent!
March 11, 2008 at 3:14 am #167908FanaticMemberIf the study group was being used to cheat, the administration needs to take action.
If they were sharing answers, it’s nothing new, nor is it unique to Facebook or any technology. People have been cheating by sharing homework answers since homework was invented. The only thing this Facebook group did was make it apparent what was going on, and provide an easy way to trace what what happening.
I do think the fact that they are considering expulsion for the group administrator is a bit severe. He may not personally be cheating. He may even be against cheating, and at least officially discouraging people in the study group from doing so (doubtful, but possible).
March 12, 2008 at 2:04 am #167915MrOatsMemberFrom the first comment wrote:I think the group did post the solutions to the given assignments in good formatted documents, and didn’t actually help on “understanding” the problem.David wrote:Cheating, plain and simple.Oh… Well, then that is cheating… =/
Sarah wrote:My feeling is that maybe there is more to this than they have reported in the article?I also think there is more to this article we don’t know about…
March 19, 2008 at 3:25 am #167919PolarBearNPRParticipantAnd in the follow up story here it seems he will not be expelled, rather just received a 0 on that assignment which was worth 10% of his grade. Seems the professor had stipulated that the assignments be done individually and that is where the ruckus came from.
Another example of the media getting ahold of something “juicy” and blowing it all out of proportion. Ah well, did make for some thoughtful discussion.
March 19, 2008 at 6:50 am #167907Jeff HesterKeymasterThanks for the follow-up! I agree — the media tends to sensationalize things, but then, that IS what gets people talking, isn’t it? 😉
*reps up*
March 19, 2008 at 12:24 pm #167922Doris KenneyParticipantNice to see they actually followed up on this though! So many times you never see/know the outcome. And if the prof said independent – then I must agree – sharing tips is cheating.
March 19, 2008 at 9:47 pm #167918PolarBearNPRParticipantJeff;227995 wrote:*reps up**fans self* Phew – that was a lotta rep, almost got a nosebleed from the quick ascension.
Thank you.
March 21, 2008 at 1:04 am #167909detn8rParticipantThere was a lot of uproar around here because of this, but it’s good to see he wasn’t expelled. It’s even better he will still pass his course.
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