Things you consider academic dishonesty , but people do all the time?

[maverick_starstrider]

No need to make generalizations about high school students. Crackpots exist in all age groups.

True, but I haven't met anyone out of high school who thought they were the ubermensch. I've never actually met a Sheldon Cooper.

 

[Monster92]

I'm not actually saying anything about the situation detailed here but I don't necessarily think it's all fair as long as a student "could" know of a given advantage. Like if it's never mentioned that a website for the exams even exists I could see that as unfair. It's like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy where the plans to demolish the Earth were on public record on some planet, so it's their fault for not bringing up a complaint at the appropriate time.

Yeah I can see where you're coming from. All people had to do was type the course name in google. It's possible that two other student were aware although I never asked. To be quite frank, I bet most students in that class would of cared or used the resources in the first place.

I do feel worried that I don't know my true ability. One of the exams is tomorrow wish me luck!

 

[maverick_starstrider]

Yeah I can see where you're coming from. All people had to do was type the course name in google. It's possible that two other student were aware although I never asked. To be quite frank, I bet most students in that class would of cared or used the resources in the first place.

I do feel worried that I don't know my true ability. One of the exams is tomorrow wish me luck!

Good luck!

 

[Haldhad]

I know this isn't addressed to me, but a test should measure the student's understanding of the course material. Period. If the student has a disability that affects his learning, that's unfortunate, but the test must remain an accurate measurement instead of being a random number generator.

Now, if the student has a disability that specifically prevents him from taking an exam, that's a different story. He might understand the material perfectly; he just has trouble demonstrating it in an exam setting. In that case, it's possible to accommodate him without compromising the accuracy of the test.

I don't disagree but you are missing my point, if you are saying that people who have comprehension issues are not disabled, that is just wrong, some people can't even see writing in the correct order without special glasses. So very wrong. If we're going to bar people on the basis of physiological issues in the brain then why not the blind, clearly someone taking the test in braile cannot read as fast as someone who is sighted. That is my point. Where do you draw the line?

Dyslexia not a real issue, well science would tell you that apart from a few fringe scientists it obviously exists.

My point wasn't about the OP it was about genuine disability. If he is shown to have genuine issue it should be catered for. This is not some elitist club where those who have all the right mental conditions should ignore all those who don't.

The fact is people who do have comprehension issues are given more time. If you have an issue with that perhaps you should take it up with the relevant authorities?

Yes it is possible to give everyone a level playing field, I quite agree. And so we should.

 

[micromass]

Dyslexia not a real issue, well science would tell you that apart from a few fringe scientists it obviously exists.

Could you give me a scientific paper that supports your claim that dyslexia is not a real issue?

 

[Haldhad]

No need to make generalizations about high school students. Crackpots exist in all age groups.

And sadly all levels of education from the high school student to the post doctorate. Still at least there's peer review. :)

 

[Geezer]

If you have an issue with that perhaps you should take it up with the relevant authorities?

Heck, physics is full of people who aren't "neuro-typical" (a word taught to me by the mother of an autistic boy). I'm willing to bet that there are many respected physicists, living and dead, who have Asperger's or are high-functioning autistic. If you read Dirac's biography, The Strangest Man, even the author suggests that Dirac had Asperger's.

 

[Haldhad]

Could you give me a scientific paper that supports your claim that dyslexia is not a real issue?

No that was my point, the idea that it is is fringe. But I can link you to some scientists claims that it is a myth but not for the reasons you might imagine. Which links nicely with the post above. No matter the level of education or age some people clearly are crackpots. Correct diagnosis is important, but using terms such as myth just make it harder for people to be diagnosed who clearly are dyslexic.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2005/sep/07/schools.uk

That link also links to a program on TV called the dyslexia myth.

 

[Haldhad]

Heck, physics is full of people who aren't "neuro-typical" (a word taught to me by the mother of an autistic boy). I'm willing to bet that there are many respected physicists, living and dead, who have Asperger's or are high-functioning autistic. If you read Dirac's biography, The Strangest Man, even the author suggests that Dirac had Asperger's.

Well Einstien was deemed remedial by his parents at age 8 because he couldn't converse very well with other people, they considered sending him to a special school. There's a difference between abilities that actually help and those that hinder. Although the fine line is exceptionally slim and hard to pin down.

I once met someone taught by Dirac at Cambridge. He said the guy was intimidating. He would often turn up to lectures, from both Professors at the university and guest speakers, and sit quietly 'til the end. Then in two or three questions he would utterly demolish their theories. He was the sort of person that would make smart people think they were stupid, within a few minutes of talking to him.

Put it this way no one wanted him to turn up to their lectures.

 

[maverick_starstrider]

Heck, physics is full of people who aren't "neuro-typical" (a word taught to me by the mother of an autistic boy). I'm willing to bet that there are many respected physicists, living and dead, who have Asperger's or are high-functioning autistic. If you read Dirac's biography, The Strangest Man, even the author suggests that Dirac had Asperger's.

But there's no objective definition of Asperger's. Indeed there's no concrete support for autism having a spectrum at all. That's something of an unverified assumption. I'm not saying it's wrong but making social modifications before scientific verification is kind of putting the cart before the horse.

It's entirely possible (in fact it's almost a certainty) that legitimate neurological conditions exist beyond our ability to probe (i.e. fMRI). However, I'm always quite skeptical when we start handing out special treatment for mental "disorders". Schizophrenia? Bi-polar disorder? Those are legitimate deformities of the brain. You can spot them (the butterfly). Autism is clearly a disorder. However, this recent trend of co-oping personality into the department of disorder is mildly disturbing. Does someone just have an anxious personality or is some part of their brain legitimately different? How can you demonstrate that? Is it degenerative? Is there effective treatment? Hell no. So we should maybe think twice about rewriting laws and social expectations until we have something remotely concrete.

 

[Geezer]

But there's no objective definition of Asperger's. Indeed there's no concrete support for autism having a spectrum at all. That's something of an unverified assumption. I'm not saying it's wrong but making social modifications before scientific verification is kind of putting the cart before the horse.

ADHD is one of those things that was formerly thought of as a personality trait, but has only recently come to be regarded as a legitimate neural disorder with objective differences in how the brain responds to stimuli and motion. A recent study that I read on CNN's website mentioned a study that found that those with ADHD do, in fact, have objective differences in their brains.

Anyway, I looked but I can't find the exact article I read--perhaps I didn't read it on CNN after all?--but here's a similar one: http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/14/adhd-brains-may-have-faulty-brakes/"

 

[KingNothing]

A recent study that I read on CNN's website mentioned a study that found that those with ADHD do, in fact, have objective differences in their brains.

Of course they do. Every psychological difference between people comes down to a difference in the brain at some level - even differences in personality.