Is Cheating the Same?
We should not be concerned about students cheating in an online environment; they may cheat in traditional classes as well. Do you agree or disagree? Explain your answer.
Jim,
I, too, will allow a do over if the assignment is not a word for word cheat.
Shelly Crider
We should not be concerned. Homework that requires critical thinking skills can't really be cheated on without blatant plagiarism which can be avoided by using a service like turnitin.com. In the case of test, time limits really restrict the amount of cheating possible. We might not test the ability to memorize as well, but then again if the information is easily accessible, why memorize it.
Cheating is the same in the classroom and online. Online environment gives several opportunities for cheating to occur. Each student have to make up their minds to not cheat.
I don’t think cheating should be a concern with online classes. It would be too hard to monitor all the students. Plagiarism is pretty easy to catch these days, as Daniel pointed out. I allow my students to use books on the test but I tell them the time constraints on the test won’t allow them to look up every answer. Also the college I teach online classes administers the finals on campus, so cheating on finals isn’t really a concern.
If there is one thing I have learned over the past 12 years of teaching at the college level is that students will cheat, it doesn’t matter if it’s online or face-to face it’s the same result, you end up with an inaccurate evaluation of that students knowledge. I’ve come to believe that students cheat for a variety of reasons such as not being prepared for the assessment, or they acquired the habit during their primary school education so they would not have to repeat a grade, or they simply don’t think they can be successful by being honest. For me cheating has to be taken very seriously because my students are eventually going to work in the healthcare field and will be involved in direct patient care. So I have to take a very tough stance if I encounter someone cheating.
Cheating has changed but it still goes on and so instructors are charge with making sure the students know the penalty for cheating and report those how do this. Plagiarism is a big problem in the online environment and it is cheating.
Daniel,
I do love homework that uses critical thinking skills!!
Shelly Crider
Catherine Affiong ,
This is true. Same in the work world. Each employee has to decide to give 100%.
Shelly Crider
Bret,
We do not want anyone cheating, but know that a medical student who might just end up working on you is a bit scary.
Shelly Crider
At the work place, people give less than 8 hrs of work most of the time...from taking extended breaks and lunches to coming to work late and leaving early. The issue of cheating is ingrained in the fabric of society. How do we honestly uproot cheating from society? Is this a possible mission?
I believe cheating occurs online and in the classroom. It is important to discourage cheating in both settings by addressing it in the syllabus and online classroom announcements.
People cheat in life - in all areas of life, but they pay consequences. School is a learning environment, one in which students are given opportunities to practice at situations that life may present. If a student cheats, he/she is usually dealt with sternly. In life, you may be sued, fined, put in jail, or have other more drastic consequences for cheating. Therefore, it can be fitting to have strict (though not necessarily detrimental) consequences put in place for student's that cheat - just as they do in traditional classes.
We should be concerned with cheating in the online environment. Online classes are just as important as onsite classes and the same rules apply. We should communicate this to students to ensure they realize that the same implications for cheating would apply to online classes as they do to onsite classes.
Cheating is not the same due to all the security systems that are in place with the online programs. He or She may use notes when at home taking an exam, but I do not see the benefit or how they could actually use what they have to complete a test in a cheating way.
Zachary,
I like this analogy. People do cheat in life and pay consequences...so should they in school.
Shelly Crider
Greg,
I would like to think there is no difference between online and traditional. Both are educational and integrity should prevail.
Shelly Crider
Natasha,
I agree. Let them know right up front what will happen if cheating occurs.
Shelly Crider
Catherine Affiong ,
Cheating has been around forever, and will continue. We as instructors can stress the importance of doing our own work and the feeling of self-worth.
Shelly Crider
Yes, sometimes it can be a challenge to explain to students how this works in the real world until they experience it.
