Some students find it easier to cheat in an online environment
An online student can sign on anywhere, and complete their lesson or test. No one knows if they have someone there helping them with the answers or even have someone else take an exam for them. Knowing this, what can be done in an online environment to lessen the instances of cheating?
Jacquie
Jacquilin,
I suggest having something personal in each and every assignment or have projects instead of exams.
Shelly Crider
Yes, I see your point. I also feel that as an instructor, it is easier for me to 'check things out' in an online classroom. In fact, when I do teach onground, I have students submit papers electronically so I can help them to learn proper APA, etc as I can better check things when I feel they are off. I tend to rely more on authentic assessment too (personal/job focused papers connecting to theories) versus tests. I also feel that people will get what comes to them. If they don't get the real knowledge it will show up someplace.
I can see how a student can cheat by allowing another person do their assignments. I think as instructor with online teaching experience, the instructor can see intergity of a students work and writing style. What I enjoyed about online class work, is that the instructor encourage me to discuss on subjects with my personal life and career experience. I think the instructor gets to know their students in the that fashion.
Jaime,
Exactly! Personal experience really enlightens students...the instructor as well as the students experiences.
Shelly Crider
This is true. However, I find cheating always catches up with the student. Either they get caught red handed, or are not able to demonstrate or apply the knowledge they had tried to claim as their own.
To avoid the temptation, we have most of our online assignments created so that the student must provide unique information including personal views and/or solutions.
Aubrie,
I am glad cheating always catches up with the student! It may not for awhile, but it will eventually!
Shelly Crider
But does it really always catch up with the student? I suppose not.
Anne,
At some point in time I do think things like this comes back to the students!
Shelly Crider
This is an interesting topic. At our school we used to have all the students come in to campus in order to take their final exams. This turned out to be a big pain. Students who couldn't come in to campus would have to sign up with a third-party company that would proctor the exam through a web-cam. We have done away with this practice now. It is less work this way, but it does leave me wondering if the students are cheating.
Amber,
We would like to think that our students will not cheat and those who do will cheat no matter where they are.
Shelly Crider
