Ryerson University in Toronto has punished a student for creating a study group on Facebook. According to the University, by creating an online study group in which students could discuss assignments and class lectures, the student had created “the potential for cheating on a large scale.”

As this article points out, Ryerson’s actions are a bit irrational. Cheating in a Facebook group would be easily traceable. Certainly easier than tracing plagiarism can be. But the real issue here is the University’s apparent fear of new technologies. These days, Librarians and Professors are joining Facebook because thats where their students are.  And what are their students doing there?  The same things students do in a non-virtual reality.  They’re communicating.  They gossip, they play, they goof off, and yes, they study.

It seems to me that Ryerson did teach this student a few lessons.  It taught this student that (a) the University doesn’t understand the tools the students are using, (b) that networking with your colleagues or fellow students is more trouble than its worth, and (c) that being innovative will only get you in trouble.

I would have loved it if Ryerson, instead of failing the student’s homework assignment, had volunteered to have one of its librarians join the Facebook community in order to point these students to appropriate resources to help them in their academic pursuits.  Think of the collaboration that could have come out of such an effort…  Sadly, I think that opportunity has been lost and might never come again.

(Thanks to Critic for Twittering the link to the original story!)