Ethical caution

[Shadowless]

This discussion has been great so far. We've seen many opinions and perspectives, each one passionately and persuasively defended. While everyone makes good points, I'm particularly persuaded by what Pattie and Michael had to say.

The Excelsior College Academic Honesty Policy (https://www.excelsior.edu/Excelsior_Coll...STY_POLICY) specifically prohibits "sharing or selling information about examination questions or content via electronic discussion groups or in any other way by a student." It also says that "students who believe that a student has not adhered to the Academic Honesty Policy will bring the matter to the attention of the appropriate dean or dean’s designee." (Emphasis mine) Luckily, so far I haven't seen an explicit violation by anybody I know to be an Excelsior College student. But I think it's important to understand that this is a public forum, and to understand the possible consequences if an investigation by Excelsior or another school were to find what they judge to be ethical violations here.

Again, to be clear, I am not condemning the whole Exam Feedback thread section. Even though the policy prohibits "sharing ... information about examination ... content" my judgment is that confirming what is in the exam content guides, and discussing exam preparation resources that were more or less helpful is not a violation. I recognize that even my interpretation could be in error, and if that subjects me to a charge of hypocrisy, so be it.

Pattie makes the point that this forum substitutes for the typical interaction among students that goes on at a B&M school, and I agree. The difference, however, is that at a B&M school, everybody takes the exam on or near the same day, so the opportunities for sharing exam information are very much diminished. Even discussing an exam with an upperclassman would not be considered cheating, as you will likely take a very different exam from the one they took. I recognize that not all forms of the CLEP, DSST and ECE exams are the same, and that they change every six months, and that does somewhat mitigate the harmful effect of sharing questions. Nevertheless, sharing questions is clearly and explicitly prohibited, and I don't see any way to dodge that.

Anyway, I wanted to start a discussion, and that's accomplished. Thanks, everybody.

-Gary-

Again, not pointing fingers... But have you used the specific exam feedback forum yourself?