Open Phone Exams

cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by Yutaka Tsutano
If I was to ask a question of an educator and they didn’t know the answer, the tendency would be to google it, or for some, to send out a tweet and ask the question.  If they find the answer, they would be considered resourceful.
If I was to ask a student a question on an exam, and they did those same things, they would be considered a cheater.
There is something wrong with this picture.
I have started to believe a few things on the use of mobile devices and their relation to learning, even when it comes to exams.
1.  If I can google the answer to the exam, the question is probably too simple and not that good in the first place.2.  Finding the information does not show learning; it is what you do with the information that really shows a deep understanding.3.  We have done “open book” exams for a long time, and this is the “new open book”, it just happens to have people as part of the book.
A couple of questions that have sprung from my own thoughts…
In a world where we are promoting collaboration skills, both online and offline, why is displaying this same ability with the use of mobile devices considered a bad thing?
Do exams have the same validity now as a project or capstone project if we are looking at students developing deep understanding and critical thinking skills?
What do you think?