We have all heard that cheating is happening in our classrooms. We know the consequences. We may have even caught a student or two and seen the consequences administered. But what have we done to help prevent cheating? There are various methods and suggestions out there and I just wanted to remind you about a few of them. As our students mature, we need to help them make the right decisions and be successful. If cheating can at all be prevented by the teacher, then we need to do so to help the students.
- Have different exams for the same class and use them in each row. A, B, A, B.
- Make sure that same classes at different times (or worse, days) have different exams.
- Absent students should have a different make up exam.
- Have an honor code and read it to remind the students during exams.
- Make sure the classroom layout is spread out enough.
- Walk around the room
- No electronic devices...talking about taking pictures to share with friends later.
- Create tests and assignments with more analysis and less regurgitation of facts.
This is just a list to start and if you have any suggestions, please comment and add them. If you do implement any of these strategies, share them with your students and involve them in the process. I really hope that we can understand how we can help prevent issues before they happen. As a final example, for those who are parents, don't you try and prevent your child from mistakes and hurting themselves with different strategies you learned? Plugging electrical outlets, placing medicine and chemicals in hard to reach places, using cribs and playpens, etc. We need to do the same for our students, they are still growing and learning too.
Links:
http://www.npr.org/2012/04/27/150818706/why-do-we-cheat
http://www.ethicsed.org/programs/integrity-works/pdf/teachingforintegrity.pdf
http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/five-ways-to-tackle-cheating-in-college/
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/Cheating.JPG
