order / disorder

The Montreal Gazette reports that a Ryerson Poly student may be penalised for some coursework after setting up a Facebook group for his class peers. Students were apparently told that the work had to be their own individual work. The lecturer had even set slightly different questions for each student. The discussion in Facebook related to approaches to tackling the assignment.

Without having the full details of how the questions differed and the purpose of the assessment it would be unfair to slate the college totally, however, it does highlight a difficulty that some people have in encouraging learning. The recognition that we are social animals and have abilities to talk about our work problems is ignored if students are given a task that they must essentially keep secret from their classmates. if I don’t have an answer to a question in a work environment, I’ll often ask a colleague at an adjoining desk. If no answer there, then I’ll search further. To restrict the sources of a students learning seems perverse.

Others have commented on this but one Ryerson academic has stood up to say that he actively promotes the use of Facebook and collaboration in his classes - Well done!