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From: brisco@caip.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: Cheating on Programming Assignments
Message-ID: <4161@caip.RUTGERS.EDU>
Date: Fri, 3-Apr-87 15:13:54 EST
Article-I.D.: caip.4161
Posted: Fri Apr  3 15:13:54 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 5-Apr-87 04:56:22 EST
References: <248@rruxa.UUCP> <2625@phri.UUCP> <843@fmsrl7.UUCP>
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Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
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>Not that I want to start a major debate but what is the real problem
>with students collaborating on programming assignments?  In the real
>world, how many professional programmers are expected to develop code
>without talking to another programmer? (Just look at usenet traffic.)
>The exchange of ideas between students fosters a feeling of working
>with co-workers, not competing with them (as opposed to "curving" exam
>scores).

	Not to reply to someone who doesn't want to start a major
debate, *but*, I used to feel this - i.e. why have (student)
programmers competing against each other, when (in the `real' world)
they will need to learn to share programs and parts of programs.
	On the surface, pitting students against one another seems
counter-productive -- however, there is a need to verify that each and
every student is capable of making a worthwhile contribution to a
project.  Admittedly, as an undergraduate, the most difficult course I
had was one where we were required to do a project in a group of 3 or
more members.  The project itself wasn't hard, but getting together
along with, as well as coordinating a project, was difficult.
	Unless someone can make sure that the student has (at least) a
resonable aptitude for programming (and not just an aptitude for
cramming for exams) than I doubt that solo programs will go away.


				Tp.
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