Good points - thanks for sharing! - Jon
Great points about some of the new technologies available!
Larry,
Great question - I try to compare work throughout the term to ensure it's consistent.
Best,
Jon
Yes, since we are teaching adults, we can only assume they will adhere to the ethical standards we expect of them. Taking the necessary measures to prevent cheating is all we can do.
Sharon
I don't believe it's possible to monitor all activities a student may be engaged in with respect to online education. In my opinion, cheating is cheating no matter what media a student uses. I think as an online educator, we can only try to account for certain aspects of cheating (plagiarism, timed tests to prevent look-up of information) and stress that students are only harming their educational experience by using unethical habits of learning.
Cheating will always be present. It will be fostered when there is the opportunity to do so, the likelihood of getting caught is low, and the punishment, once caught, is not appropriate. Just as one example, while a student may not physically look over another's shoulder, they can share work outside of the online platform.
I think cheating may be the 'same' only because it can be done in both on-ground and on-line settings. The differences, it seems to me, is possibly the added ease of cheating online. Someone pointed out, however, that with security software, it can be monitored online.
I don't think we can obliterate it. But I don't think we can do it on-ground either. In large classes at large universities, students are going in and taking tests for other students all the time.
As far as limiting it, the technology is literally right at our fingertips. Fingerprint scanning technology is readily available. Many computers have scanners and software built into them for security right now. And there is an easy piece of software that analyzes if the student has the quiz screen in the front when in a given class.
i not sure if it is the same BUT i do have big concerns about if the student taking the course is the the student getting credit for the course! even with password, all you need is two people willing to "coporate" -- how can we limit this type of problem!!
You're absolutely correct! excellent point Paula.
Brandon,
I agree - it must be something to watch for and correct.
Jon
We should still be concerned about students cheating. Students will always try to find the quick or easy way to do something. You have to assume that eventually every teacher will come across this. Teachers, whether online or in person, should always try to stop it. It short changes the student and cheapens there education. One advantage of online classrooms is that we utilize computers, so it is very easy to access software that can greatly aid teachers in finding cheating and/or plagiarism.
Nick,
I agree! It is a new world when it comes to online and I think we need to adapt both our detection tools, as well as the assessments themselves.
Jon
Jon,
Assestments are great but make sure it shuffles answers and the questions to maintain academic integrity.
Thanks,
Nick
Jon,
Good question, but I actually think cheating is worse online than in a traditional classroom. Technology has sparked new ways to cheat, thank you for turnitin.com and other plagiarism checking devices. I also find if I ask a student to complete an assignment I will Google my assignment. I can see what they are looking at online and familiarize myself with the ways a student might have approached the task. I also have found people post my question or assignment to answers.com. I think you need to be diligent in academic integrity. I also try to help students in learning the material. Most cheating in my class happens when students are completing papers.
Thanks,
Nick
Mary,
Good point - I think we need to make it more difficult to cheat and use assessments that make it less likely.
Thanks,
Jon
Jon,
As I am directing an online program in my present position, I find that the ability for "cheating" in an online environment is very easy and of great concern to accrediting bodies. One of the items that you must prove to accrediting agencies is that the school has ensured that the student at the other end of the online course is indeed who they say they are and that their work is their own. The integrity of the school is at stake if the school does not pay attention to all the possible opportunities for students to cheat.
Mary
Michelle,
I agree - it must be something that is treated seriously!
Jon
yes,
Students may forget that assignments are due and contact another student for their responses and cut and paste. As with the traditional class there will always be somebody to test the system or the professor
We MUST be concerned about cheating no matter what the circumstance. I work for a career based technical institution and my first day lecture involves an “Academic Dishonesty” policy review and tell every student that it will be strictly enforced. I am training students to be professionals in their field of study; you can’t cheat in the real world or you won’t have a job. I too feel as many others do that there are a lot of opportunities for students to cheat in an online classroom environment but it is the responsibility of the professor to stick to the institutions policy and enforce it. If I create an assignment that I am concerned about students cheating on (but I don’t want to get rid of the assignment because it meets the course objectives) I will often make it a group assignment. In my opinion, students need to collaborate with their classmates on assignments, but they have to be told that collaboration is okay and that cheating is not. In the real world, students are often working with a partner or someone on their shift that will help them through a difficult decision or writing an appropriate memo where collaboration is necessary. I have found that if you take a hard line with the students – in online and on-campus classes when it comes to cheating and plagiarism, those boundaries will not be crossed.
