NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Honesty (was Re: Mercator vs. Great Circle Charts)
From: Carolyn Seefer
Date: 2001 Aug 29, 7:36 AM
From: Carolyn Seefer
Date: 2001 Aug 29, 7:36 AM
In a message dated 8/29/2001 5:26:57 AM Pacific Daylight Time, navsys@pinefields.com writes: > Your argument that the > course is being taken for personal enrichment (consider what this > episode says about that goal) and that "being innovative" in seeking > the answers is, to be blunt, little more than poor rationalization. > I must say that I was stunned by your message. What exactly have I done that's wrong here? I'm taking a course in oceanography and am supposed to learn about Mercator and great circle charts. I was given a homework assignment (NOT a test) that involved plotting coordinates on both types of charts using a parallel ruler, determining the latitude and longitude of various coordinates, calculating the true directions of various legs, and analyzing differences between the two charts. I spent hours yesterday doing just that. I also engaged in extensive research on the Web to learn as much as I could about these two types of charts and navigation in general. During my research, I happened upon your mailing list. I decided to join the list so that I could consult with experts in the field to learn even more. I was not "using" you to do my homework for me; rather, I was consulting with you to verify that I was on the right track. I guess that I could have just gone to the lab at the college and asked the lab assistants for the answers; after all, that's what most of the students in the class will do. And will they learn as much as I have about these charts? Absolutely not. I sought out the answers myself, and I've learned so much in the process. Mr. Emerson, I did not do the bare minimum to complete this assignment; I went way beyond the boundaries of this assignment because I want to learn the material. It's a shame that there are individuals like you who would try to impede anyone who is trying to learn. I am also greatly offended that you attacked my character and my ethics. I have been a college business instructor for over 14 years, and I pride myself on my abilities in the classroom and on my honesty. Do I teach my students ethical behavior? Absolutely! I happen to teach business communications, and we cover ethical issues on a daily basis, including plagiarism, how to properly cite sources, the importance of avoiding anything misleading when writing business documents, the importance of honesty in the job search process, ethics of using e-mail at work, etc. I also require that my students join mailing lists and newsgroups when conducting their research because I find great value in these communication tools. I shudder to think that one of my students would be treated as I have been on a mailing list. I do thank those of you on the list who have provided help. You understand what learning is all about. Carolyn M. Seefer, MBA Instructor, Business Division Diablo Valley College 321 Golf Club Road Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 (925) 685-1230 x306 (925) 687-6384 (fax) cseefer@dvc.edu http://www.dvc.edu/aim/carolyn.htm "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." --Gandhi