[geeks] Academic Stupidity

[Lionel Peterson]

>From: Sridhar Ayengar <ploopster at gmail.com>
>Date: 2008/03/07 Fri AM 10:26:46 CST
>To: The Geeks List <geeks at sunhelp.org>
>Subject: [geeks] Academic Stupidity

>http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/309855
>
>This Luddite professor needs to be strung up by the balls.

Well, hold on - it is a fair question to pursue, and the outcome may be obvious, but I think it should be asked. Two quotes from the fine article:

"While Neale admits the professor stipulated the online homework questions were to be done independently, she said it has long been a tradition for students to brainstorm homework in groups, particularly in heavy programs such as law, engineering and medicine."

That's called the "everybody does it, why are you picking on me defense"

And the following:

"But Neale admitted the invitation to the Facebook group may have been what landed them in trouble. It read: "If you request to join, please use the forms to discuss/post solutions to the chemistry assignments. Please input your solutions if they are not already posted."

Still, said Neale, "no one did post a full final solution. It was more the back and forth that you get in any study group."

That's called the "I'm a dope and put something that contravenes school/teacher policy in writing in a public place with my name on it" move.

Honestly, the key words are "to be done independently" - the very nature of this group, it's very reason for being was to violate that "rule".

There is another way this differs from a study group - this group created an archive of this teacher's chemistry homework questions, and again, although fraternaties do this, they usually aren't supposed to, and likely get in trouble when they do - just like this kid did.

Kinda like "Hey,I used to make copies of my roomates CDs, so why is it illegal when I did it on Napster?" (It was always illegal, it was only enforced against Napster - they created a critical mass of violations that made it too easy to go after...)

Lionel