Week 6 Post: Students Cheating Using the Web

Aloha e ILD Classmates, 

I am delayed in my post this week. I was discharged from the hospital on Friday, along with the newest addition to my family, Melissa. Since she is currently milk drunk and sleeping, I'm going to work on my blog post. And, of course, the first few times I sat down to write this, she woke up. Ugh! 4 day old babies, amiright?

To Start...

One issue that has been an interest of mine is students cheating using the web. Cheating has been around for quite a while. However, with the onset of the pandemic and the increase usage of the internet, it has become easier, quicker, faster, and more convenient to cheat. The question always remains -- is it ethical?

What is Ethics?

Ciulla suggests ethics deals with human relationships, and is what we should do/how we should behave as humans and a society. Ethics, then, helps us define a moral code (Ciulla and Forsyth). And to make sound ethical decisions, University of California at San Diego reminds us we have to have character values including trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and good citizenship. These items can help us decide if cheating is ethical or not (spoiler alert - I don't believe it is).

Ethics and Cheating

In their blog, Steven Mintz writes about ethics and cheating. He states, "cheating depends on how each person views it. It's relative to their point of view." If someone does not see something as wrong or unethical, then they will continue to do it. Chugh et al. and Simmons further explains that people will cheat up to the point where they feel they are still good people; however, once that line crosses, they will no longer cheat. What we might be asking ourselves is does the end justify the means? In addition, Kaufman suggests we think about what success is and how it is measured and that could help us understand the ease and/or desire behind wanting to cheat. 

Subin, Simmons, and Long reported many students cheat because they want to pass the test or class, or get into an Ivy League school. The knowledge isn't important but maintaining the GPA is. One student in this article described their mindset as get the answer and move on. Students aren't showing their work, so they can use any tools necessary to get to their answer. Furthermore, with the switch to online classes, many are inclined to cheat since they do not feel their professors care (seems like a common thread of conversations throughout the weeks!). Students might not feel the professor supports them, so why should they try? 

How to Cheat with the Web?

To find answers, students can do a simple google search to help them find answers. When the professor reuses the test year after the year, the results are easily found by googling the questions. Students also have more access to books and materials when they are learning online, and not in the classroom (Olt). Furthermore, the lines of plagrisim are not always taught, especially with the sharing of memes, videos, and social media (Simmons). Students frequently share items without providing proper citations.

So what can we do about it? 

First, there are programs that exist to help cut down on cheating: TurnItIn.Com (we use this for our DIP!), Honorlock, Respondus, ProctorU, and GoGuardian (Mintz; Subin). Some of these programs inact a camera to be used so students can be proctored, but this doesn't stop old school cheating - notes on legs, papers, etc. 

Second, Corwin publishers, Simmons, and Olt suggest teachers could make the tests use application or analysis thinking tasks (the two higher levels of Bloom's) as compared to using remembering or comprehension thinking tasks (the two lower levels of Bloom's). The addition of critical thinking in assessments will encourage students to apply their knowledge and not feel the "drill and kill" types of problems teachers frequently assign (Simmons). Simmons continues by saying the application process might make the assessment more interesting for students so they will be excited to try. Personally, when I was in the class, I would give each student the option of demonstrating their knowledge of the topic by taking either a test or completing a project for their summative assessment. I noticed there was less cheating during the projects because the students could have fun and make it their own.

Third, Simmons suggest we need to encourage students to have a growth mindset (again, something else we already talked about in a previous week) and work at their own pace (Goldman). By encouraging students to not give up and to use their grit, the students can feel less pressure about getting good grades and provide more emphasis on understanding the process. Also, by allowing students to get the individualized support they need, students can learn at their own pace. Before I left the classroom, my summer goal was to create a program in my class where students would work at their pace to learn the material. Would it be hard for me to have everyone in the class at a different place? Yes. Would students benefit from the learning? I would hope so!

Fourth, teachers and/or schools can include lessons about digital ethics. Common Sense Media provides lessons and activities for teachers to use to help include this topic in their units. In addition, Goldman reminds us that teachers should not reward cheating and encourage students to receive consequences when they do cheat.