Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!cs.utexas.edu!utastro!nather
From: nather@utastro.UUCP (Ed Nather)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: looking for cheating detectors
Message-ID: <2939@utastro.UUCP>
Date: 25 Jul 88 15:44:16 GMT
References: <1403@sbcs.sunysb.edu> <2920@utastro.UUCP> <7971@watdragon.waterloo.edu>
Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX
Lines: 29

In article <7971@watdragon.waterloo.edu>, gvcormack@watdragon.waterloo.edu (Gordon V. Cormack) writes:
> It is well and good to say "they do it for their own good -- they will
> fail the exam if they don't", but I do not think a responsible educator
> can fail 50% of the class just to make this point -- especially not
> in a vacuum.  

If you mean without support from your academic colleagues, I agree.  But look
where the current system has led us: to students (and, yes, professors) who
honestly believe "getting a good grade" is equivalent to "learning the course
material."  As a (somewhat cruel) test, I once offered to give everyone in the
class an A grade, and not hold any lectures at all, if the majority of the
class voted for it -- offering them the grade without any content at all.
I wasn't surprised at the result, only a bit sick.  No, I didn't do it -- I
explained it was a test, to illustrate the difference.  Several students
promptly dropped the course when they realized I intended to play the "grade
game" in a way different from their expectations.  I insisted they learn,
they just wanted to "get by."

> If our society chose to wean the students from this hand
> holding throughout the educational process, then maybe this could work.
> Maybe the universities on the honour system have successfully done so.

I don't know, but I'm curious.  Can anyone with experience comment?

-- 
Ed Nather
Astronomy Dept, U of Texas @ Austin
{backbones}!{noao,ut-sally}!utastro!nather
nather@astro.as.utexas.edu