Student facing Expulsion for “online study group”- Is it Cheating or Tutoring?

2008-03-13 14:19:51 (GMT) (WiredPRNews.com - Education)

Facebook- as great as it may be does it have the power to get a student in trouble? Yes indeed. An example of this disadvantage of Facebook was displayed recently in Ryerson University when Chris Avenir, an 18 year old Freshman, helped run a group on facebook to help the one hundred and forty six students in the class trade answers for homework. Avenir, is facing expulsion for one count on academic dishonesty, as well as 146 counts for each student who participated in this Facebook group.

As a student myself, I do think that what Avenir and his friends did was cheating. Creating a group on Facebook to help trade answers is just like text messaging a friend for the answers or even writing the answers on a ruler to “scratch your back” during an examination. Avenir and his friends argue that if what they did was cheating then tutoring and other methods of help for homework is considered cheating as well. In my personal opinion, there is a fine line between swapping answers and tutoring. When you are being tutored you are being helped to find the answer however at the same time you are learning how to get that same answer on your own.

The appeal committee who is attending to the case has five days to reach a verdict- what do you think- is swapping answers online “cheating” or “tutoring”

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