[MWForum]how much MW homework help should this list provide?

[Wendy Petti]

Hi again Folks,

My backlogged messages have finally gotten posted to the list, so now I will
raise another topic.  Recently the list was asked for help in creating a set
of nested polygons of different numbers of sides.  I wondered to myself if
this was a class assignment.  We've received an almost identical (but more
detailed) request for help from another student.  This message was posted by
a non-member and I've deferred on deciding whether or not to post it because
I wanted to send this cautionary note first.

I think we need to be careful to find the right balance between being
helpful and being *too* helpful.  When a teacher is asking for help - we
help!  If a student is asking for help - we coach!  We can give some helpful
hints or help the student get started by giving one sample procedure,
perhaps... but we should not go on to complete the entire assignment, if we
have any suspicions that the request is an assignment.  We are not doing the
student any favors if we complete the whole project for him or her.

It is fine to ask questions to clarify what is the driving force behind the
request before providing assistance.  It is fine to ask a student to send a
partially-completed project or a set of procedures so we can see what (if
anything) he or she has been able to do so far.  It is fine to point the
student to pertinent online resources; for instance, there is a polygons
folder of projects at the MicroWorlds in Action website.

Thanks in advance for keeping alert to homework help requests and handling
them with care.

Wendy Petti
MWForum moderator
OWL's MicroWorlds in Action
http://mia.openworldlearning.org
Math Cats
http://www.mathcats.com