Poll on Soroban's Signature Line

[mmm4444bot]

Should Soroban permanently remove from his signature line any statement which infers that people on these boards willingly complete homework assignments on demand?

 

[galactus]

In Soroban's defense, his signature is a sarcastic response aimed at those who have ridden him in the past for "doing too much" and "doing work". It is not meant to infer that the site does homework.

 

[mmm4444bot]

"doing too much"

What does this mean?

 

[tkhunny]

I need a fourth choice. "I have an opinion, but I'm not participating in the poll."

I, personally, do not agree with the general idea of simply assuming the student will learn best by following an example. However, I cannot deny that on some occasions, a frustrated student can be benefitted by such a display. Do I think it is just doing the student's homework and therefore unlikely to be beneficial? Yes. Can I pick out every student who will be benefitted by this methodology? No. I also do not believe that every student will be benefitted by my generally confrontive style. Hardly any student will be most benefitted by a single style.

If there is an important rule that should be followed, it would be avoiding interference with any tutor who has taken up a thread with a student. Lacking ANY expression of frustration from the student, other tutors should avoid the thread.

 

[mmm4444bot]

I believe that Soroban's signature line sends a mixed message to many viewers.

I further surmise that the lack of clarity eventually interferes with all tutors, to the extent that it increases the general expectation that readers here may possibly get responses on these boards that complete their work for them.

I'm interested in learning what other people think about this issue because I could greatly reduce my efforts here by completing assignments versus tutoring, if the regulars as a group were to not care anymore about consistently tutoring (eg: answering a student's direct question, rather than completing the exercise using a different approach, instead; eliciting responses from the student; providing hints and examples; providing explanations).

I'm about to suggest that the "Read Before Posting" text needs updating, too.

 

[mmm4444bot]

"I have an opinion, but I'm not participating in the poll."

Acknowledged.


If there is an important rule that should be followed, it would be avoiding interference with any tutor who has taken up a thread with a student.

Yes. It is very frustrating to invest time trying to tutor, only to have somebody else provide camera-ready copy.

I have no idea how to begin assuming what an arbitrary requester of help on these boards needs, until I see some of their work, specific questions, or responses to tutoring. It goes without saying that completing assignments makes such an assumption moot.

 

[tkhunny]

I rarely look at signatures, anyway. I cannot say what sort of influence it might have. I certainly don't use one.

I liked your usage of "camera-ready". I will use the term in the following comments.

Given a student of unknown background and intent,

1) if the learning of mathematics should be fundamentally exercise-based, then a simple camera-ready display has some non-zero probability of being the most beneficial choice.

2) If the learning of mathematics should be fundamentally based in problem-solving and discovery, then the probability that a camera-ready display is the most beneficial choice is very nearly zero (0).

If the environment could be controlled, so that exercise-based students could be concentrated, one with such a view certainly could be more beneficial and less controversial.

My views. I welcome others'.

 

[mmm4444bot]

if the learning of mathematics should be fundamentally exercise-based, then a simple camera-ready display has some non-zero probability of being the most beneficial choice.

It would be nice to know how this probability changes, when the camera-ready display portrays a simillar exercise versus the posted exercise.

I don't consider the environment on these boards controllable, except for self-regulation agreed upon by the regular contributors.

I believe that we (the regular contributors) can over time reduce the expectation of having homework done by modifying the "Read Before Posting" text to stress how to ask for help, by striving to elicit specific information from posters (in the absence of anything to go on), and by not completing students' assignments.

If Soroban's signature line is intended for the regular contributors, it's outdated.