Student faces expulsion for Facebook study group- Ryerson University
I pasted some of the article…. See the full article link at the bottom…
Ryerson officials say website urged sharing of answers
Linda Nguyen , Canwest News Service
Published: Friday, March 07, 2008
A Ryerson University student facing expulsion for running a study group on Facebook should not be punished by school officials, but applauded for his innovation, a Toronto-based technology expert said Thursday.
“The online culture is outpacing the curriculum and education system,” said Jesse Hirsh, who has been studying social websites for more than a decade. “These students are being smart and using the Internet the way that it should be used. This is the future of education.”
But officials at Toronto’s Ryerson University disagree.
They have sent a notice of expulsion to first-year computer engineering student Chris Avenir after a professor came across a Facebook group called Dungeons/Mastering Chemistry Solutions where students were encouraged to exchange tips and answers for an online testing system.
See the full article here
Innovation or lack of academic integrity?
Expulsion? for what? It is hard to catch the full story here. I think it is ridiculous to punt this student out of the college. He started a group for collaboration, he was not responsible for what others did in the group. How is this group different from students getting together to study or work on problems? I think the assessment needs to be re-designed to accurately measure student learning.
Basically what Ryerson is saying is, “don’t talk to one another, don’t work together.” When will institutions realize that these tools exist and can improve engagement and learning? Philosophies and practices need to change as networking tools become more prevalent.
The article says the students were using the site to share answers to an on-line testing system. Why shouldn’t he/they be expelled? The person who should be punished is the reporter that coughed-up such a shallow piece of writing and their editor who released it to the world.
Hey Shaun. Please check out my comment on Laurie’s blog.
Bottom line, I think it is the institution’s issue, not the student’s. At best case, it’s an unintended consequence of the learning environment design, and at worst case, it’s 20th century learning design in the 21st century.
I think it is a wake up call for people to always be cognisant of what they are posting online as it is traceable and can have consequences. That being said, it does not sound like the creator himself was doing anything wrong with starting the group or in his contributions, so maybe justice will prevail in this case – innocent until proven guilty?
I believe the college is using a “hammer” when the application of discussion and further investigation would be more appropriate. Kudos to the student who has developed a means for students to study in an engaging and effective manner.
The same argument that many of us have discussed in terms of internet privacy, predators, cyberbullying and other abuses applies in this same situation. We have advocated education. Here is an educational institution that is mired in the 19th century (well maybe 20, the test was online) and for the sake of “academic integrity” threatens to expel a student who was just being innovative.
An inane and dullard reflex by a supposed “enlightened” institution of learning.
It’s hard to get the full picture, but this seems a bit ridiculous! This just seems like good studying to me?