If you have sat through any large lecture class at the University, you have most likely encountered the infamous "class study guide" or contributed to a study group. At exam time, collaborative learning becomes known for both its merits and controversy. Study guides and study groups are effective collaborative learning techniques, but the lack of consensus among departments and professors in terms of their use could lead to a grey area in the honor system. To avoid unnecessary problems with the honor code, all departments should require that professors outline their policy in regards to group work on their syllabus at the start of each term.
A class study guide is a voluntary, collaborative resource of student generated summaries of content for a class. Such guides divide readings, lectures and course terms among participating students in preparation for an exam. Often study guides are beneficial in courses with a heavy reading load. Come finals time, students may not have the time to re-read all the course materials and books assigned by the professor. Study guides are designed to divide these readings so students can spend more time understanding class concepts and interpreting broader class themes. Such class study guides are common practice in some departments more than others, such as the politics and history departments, which are known for their hefty reading loads.
Although some professors welcome students to form study groups and study guides, other professors forbid such activities, citing the honor code. Professors opposed to study guides argue that guides allow students to share information and essentially "steal" other students ideas in preparation for an exam. These professors worry that in forming such guides, students are not performing the required work for the course, but instead relying on other students summaries of readings. Some students may not even read the course texts at all, using only the study guide to prepare for an exam. In terms of course grades, students who have not read the course materials may be able to score at the same level of a student who has done the course readings. On the other hand, students who use the guides argue that students who complete the assigned class material are at an advantage over students who rely solely on the class-generated guide. Collaborative group work is also viewed by some as an effective learning technique, allowing students to increase their cumulative knowledge about the subject area by sharing ideas. Arguments can be made for and against the study guide, but the bottom line is that at the University, some professors permit group collaborative work and others forbid it. Unfortunately, professor's policies are typically not made clear on course syllabi.
Departmental consensus on the class study guide may not be the answer. "Even within a single department, different courses have different goals and different faculty members have different views on what is the best pedagogical approach. Thus, a department-wide policy on issues such as you describe are neither practical nor appropriate," said Physics Prof. Blaine Norum, whose statistical analysis of class cheating launched an honor forum. "However, given this potential variability, it is important that the students know the ground rules for a particular course. Thus, having the policies and requirements clearly stated, preferably in written form, at the beginning of the semester is very important." J.J. Litchford, Honor Committee vice chair for community relations, agreed. "I think Professors should be free to teach their own classes in keeping with the existing standards of their department and school, and that they should make clear their policies to their classes. If any student is unclear about the policy, he or she should always err on the side of caution and ask the professor," Litchford said. Professors should be given the flexibility to determine how students are allowed to prepare for their exams, but departments across the University need to ensure that professors produce clear and defined regulations for students studying in groups to follow. Study guides and study groups represent a grey area in the University's honor code. This grey area is alarming in a school with strict honor penalties. Without better defined course policies, students could potentially run into conflict with the honor system. Study guides, for example, may result in students having very similar answers on exams. These similarities may not be the result of cheating, but may be the result of studying the same study guide.
Professors should have freedom to set policy in their classrooms but should also recognize the lack of consensus within their own departments in terms of collaborative learning. Taking a look at all five of my course syllabi across a range of different departments, not one outlines the professor's policy concerning group work. In the words of Mary Siegel, Honor Committee vice chair for investigations, "It is my opinion that professors should be able to tailor the Honor policy for each specific class as they see fit. This means that the Honor policy regarding specific assignments and tests will unquestionably vary over different classes and departments. I think if there is any confusion over the Honor policy regarding study guides and study groups, that confusion comes from the policy not being clearly stated on the syllabus and then reiterated in class."
Departments should be responsible for ensuring that professors clearly and explicitly state their policies regarding group work.
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