Is Cheating Collaboration?

Yesterday while perusing my facebook page I came across a post from a former colleague and friend that was attending the eRevolution eLearning conference.

Here is the picture she posted...

In the "real world" cheating is called collaboration.

She asked for our thoughts. I of course googled this statement and found that a blogger from Wisconsin, Penelope Trunk wrote a post about this very statement. Here is the link to that post if you are interested, click here.

Here are some of the comments from that facebook post...

"I was always that kid that loathed to share my genius with fellow students. The idea of someone cheating and looking over at my answers during a test BOILS MY BLOOD TO THIS DAY. If Jimmy to my right copied my answers because he has eyes like a bloody hawk, that's not collaboration. That's theft. Jimmy is a thieving bastard. 

However, here in Austria, there's far more cheating going around during homework assignments and quizzes and it's more or less tolerated, I think due to the idea that the kids are still learning, and they have much harder end of the year exams where cheating is all but impossible. IT STILL MAKES ME WANT TO HIT THEM WITH REEDS.

here is another persons thoughts on the subject...

"I think saying cheating is collaboration is to blanket a statement. Sure, some situations warrant collaboration, the more minds the merrier! but collaboration can also be the enemy of self-sufficiency, self-reliance and independence.""I think it depends on context. Even in the real world you can get in trouble for using others work or ideas - cheating or copyright infringement or fraud. However, collaboration is also encouraged and celebrated when the context is project based, peer editing, et al. Context is key here!"

and I will share this last one...

"Collaboration is an active give and take connection with exchange of ideas. Cheating is one sided, secret, covering up of what you don't know and taking it from another without the respectful connection between humans."

And finally I want to give you this link to an article written on this very subject by The Wall Street Journal, titled; How Could a Sweet Third-Grader Just Cheat on That School Exam? click here.

I was born in the 1950's, raised with the theory of right and wrong. Today we have new ideas and terminology are we moving the line that was drawn between right and wrong.

My Favorite Mug(s)

It appears that I am a creature of habit, first thing every morning I grab a mug, place in under my Keurig, and wait, for my first sip of coffee, to finish brewing.

In the evening, I will often fix myself a cup of tea while reading or watching television, and in the blustery winter months I will fix a steaming cup of hot chocolate.

I have recently noticed that I prefer a select few cups/mugs for my coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.

These are the mugs that I will reach for every morning. I will use a different mug every morning for my coffee. I seem to rotate between these four mugs, they fit perfectly in my hands, and the coffee seems to tastes better inside one of these mugs.

For my evening tea I use a cup with a saucer, the thin porcelain of this cup is just perfect for my tea.

Recently while thrift shopping I spotted a tea cup set and a vintage coffee cup, each piece priced at just 49¢ each. 

How chic I will be using these stunning tea sets while reading or watching television.

The blue bird sitting on the flowering tree branch caught got my attention, so I picked up this vintage coffee cup to have a better look. I was surprised to find the branch sitting owl on the opposite side of the cup. Everything about this cup had that wonderful vintage feel to it. 

And then I noticed the words written on the cup, the happy blue bird sitting on the branch with sunny skies declares Good Morning Darling while the rain soaked owl says Good Morning You Ole Grouch!

I love the vintage cuteness of this cup, and it holds 14 ounces of liquid, that's a lot of coffee.

While these new thrifted cups and mug are washed and waiting for me to grab them from the shelf, I still have not used them.  Like I said I am a creature of habit.

UnPlugged Play Day

Sometimes it's nice to have an unplugged play day, a day when the grandkids don't use the ipad, computer, television, ipod, Nintendo DS, you get the picture. We use our imaginations, do outside activities, play board games, read books, art projects, and just talk to each other.

When I am out thrift shopping, I am always on the lookout for games that the grandchildren can play. I came across this Lotto game by Milton Bradley from the 60's for just 99¢, how could I pass up this fun game.

Three by five cards made from sturdy card stock.

Eighty wooden numbers in red.

Paper grid for the numbers after they are called.

All fits into a small box for easy storage.

I have enjoyed teaching my grandchildren how to play dominoes, they didn't like playing dominoes as much as I did, Kings in the Corner, Checkers, Chinese Checkers, and Tiddlywinks. All of these games, where thrift purchases and were very inexpensive. 

Keep an eye out for board games while you're thrift shopping perhaps you might like to have an unplugged day with your family.

This is a test section to see if I can make a downloadable jpeg

Download postcard