Completing your own assignments: A conversation with a student

Here's an interesting conversation I just had this morning.

A student reached out to me via my public Facebook account to request some help with an assignment they have in astrophysics and pointed out that they are a student in space science. I assumed that they were talking about a school assignment and were seeking some tutoring or homework problem support, but this kind of request is one I often have to turn down due to my own availability. And so I responded:

However, the student then made a request that was honestly a little bewildering to me. The student outright asked me to take their assignment, complete it, and then send it back to them. While it was clear to me that English was not the student's primary language and there may be something lost in the communication, I honestly felt like the student was requesting a rather unethical situation:

Now, I know some people would immediately dismiss this message thread and choose not to associate with the student, but I was hopeful that they may take my message as advice that they should strive to complete the assignment for the sake of their own learning.

Sadly, that hadn't seemed to be the case.

The student responded that they also have other work to cover, as though that might somehow justify them seeking to have someone else complete their work for them. I responded as I have much of late to students who have asked me how to overcome issues with not having time for their studies. If students wish to learn, they need to dedicate the time to learning and they must strive toward their own achievement. One of the key things I've noticed is that it's become ever harder for students to learn about time management skills and a large reason for that is that our societies around the globe are not dedicating enough focus on health and wellbeing. To learn, you must be well-rested and you must attend to your mental and physical health. And that's how I responded to the student in this case:

I was hopeful that this response would resonate with the student.

I've noticed of late that there is a huge drive for students in many countries to "earn" as many certificates and degrees and titles as possible without any care or focus from parents, educators, or even the society at large for the actual process of learning or acquiring knowledge. This has led to many instances of cheating and buying said certificates and titles without actually putting in the time and effort. We're setting ourselves up for a dangerous future if we pressure students to feel accomplished without actually accomplishing anything.

Unfortunately, the student once again made their request of me:

Admittedly, I do not think the student was aware of the ethical implications of what they were requesting of me (and, again, there may have been some issues with the language barrier), but it was saddening to see their persistence in the request over acknowledging what I had said.

However, in the next response, the student did acknowledge what I had written, even if not immediately speaking to what I had shared:

The next part of the message was a little different in tone, but also perhaps even more saddening. The student then went on to say that in their home nation (Pakistan), they felt like teachers didn't have an investment in their students. However, I personally know a couple of teachers in Pakistan and I know that this isn't entirely true (even if it is the lived perception of the student). I'm now continuing the conversation with the student in hopes of giving them some advice on ways to learn more and to focus on their learning. I don't know where the conversation will go or if the student will simply seek out someone else to do their homework for them, but I find value in at least trying to respond when my time allows.

But this whole thing had me wondering about the value of our education and the old saying from Mark Twain to "never let a formal education get in the way of your own learning." How can we best impress upon future generations the importance of learning for themselves and of striving for achievement through the process as opposed to wishing to stand above their peers based on credentials alone?

I thought I would share it here and ask for your opinions.

How do you think we can ensure that hard work to learn and achieve new skills is valued in our societies more than just having titles and certificates and degrees?

How can we ensure a future of trust in authority if we give authority to those who have not actually dedicated themselves to what they claim to understand?

How would you answer a student who makes a similar request of you?