At the end of each university semester thousands of students face the stress of end of course assignments and exams.
How do they cope?
Research from the University of Auckland reveals that around one in sixteen students use cognitive enhancer drugs, such as the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drug Ritalin, to stay focused. In some cases this drug will have been prescribed while others obtain it illegally.
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11272952 There are two main perspectives in relation to this issue.
Firstly, while taken at low doses there may be minimal health risks, but when taken over longer periods of time and in unregulated doses, there is concern that this may cause increased anxiety and potential cardiovascular problems. While some students may have been prescribed this drug, others may have been supplied with it illegally without any access to the monitoring of such side effects.
Secondly, the use of 'cognitive enhancer' drugs in education raises interesting ethical issues. Should their use be seen as similar to the use of enhancing drugs in sport? How might an unfair advantage be measured? If an advantage is identified would students using prescribed Ritalin be exempt, given that without the drug they may be disadvantaged? What about non-prescription enhancing drugs such as NoDoze awakeners and even caffeine?
If assessment fairness is valued by the university how might they address this issue?
Would random enhancer drug testing, as The Herald article above suggests, be worth considering?
What do you think?
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www.dailytelegraph.com.auIt is proposed that there should be random drug testing of university students for the use of cognitive enhancers