Hi Greg,
A divider is a good way to deter cheating because they can not see other's work.
Patricia Scales
I use computer-generated tests from a bank of questions delivered to the students computers in random order. I have noticed certain students who simply are unprepared and take excess advantage and time on my shorter quizzes, as I allow these to be open book. I am wondering if this policy of open-book / open-notes, which is a campus wide policy is good for student growth and development on the Mid-Term and Final Exams, which are much longer exams. I do have the ability to have the test setup with a time limit. Should I consider that approach on the Final Exam?
The way I reduce cheating in my class is having the students to sit in every other seat. In other words, I have an empty seat in between each student and I walk around when I give exams and quizzes.
Putting students in groups and giving the responsibity to the cheating student to lead the discussion.
Because of I teach phlebotomy most of my test are hands on which does not allow for a lot of cheating.
i use a deviter on the tables 4 students to a tadle
Hi MALCOLM,
You are right! With technology, generating various versions of a test is painless. It is almost impossible not to have different versions of a test with your students seated so closely together; this a must to deter cheating.
Patricia Scales
Different versions of tests and quizzes have become a necessity. Most of my classes are large enough that the students are all but sitting sholder-to-sholder.
test-gen technology, and ease of changing Word documents help tremendously
Malcolm
A good way to stop or prohibit cheating, is to be mobile in your class.
Make tests short answer instead of true or false or multiple choice. This forces students to use their own thoughts as opposed to taking an opportunity to copy responses form a neighboring student. It also challenges the student to use critical thinking skills necessary in the field.
I give test that require the student to give short answers to the questions instead of multiple choice and true false type test. I also spend a good amount of time reviewing the subject matter before hand so that the students know what to expect on the exam. The largest problem I have is students trying to use their mobile devices/cell phones.
Hand out different types of the test
I spread the students out when the space is available. I make sure that their desks are compeltely clear except for their writing utensils. Then I make sure to constatnly scan the class and walk around once in a while. Often preparing their mind set before the test can help ie showing them the relevancy of the information for practice in the field. Cheating will not help them once they are practicing clinicians.
I have started having students take all of their belongings to the front of the back of the room and even hang up their coats. They are not allowed to have anything besides a drink and their pen/pencil at their work station. The students are also required to have one chair between them and their neighbor at minimum. Their phones are to be silenced and not be going off during quiz/test time.
I had a student turn in a typed final assignment to me that had another student's name on it that had previously taken this course. When I approached the student about the work not having thier name on it the response was "oh I forgot to change that before I printed it." So I now require all my students to handwrite that assignment.
To reduce cheating you can:
-have different versions of the test, It works
-Walk thru the room while the test is going on making sure that the students are focused.
-I have even broken the test up into different sections and given out different sections to each student. It works as well
I think making the assignment or test not worth cheating. For example on homework give personal experience or personal examples to resolve the problem. It would be a lot easier to catch the student if they were cheating giving examples of someones else s situation. Also in tests if there are methods to give longer responses, or smaller text it forces the cheating student to really have to look closely at the other students assignment, making it easier for them to be caught.
I think that reducing student cheating is to develop all the things that we should do naturally. Develop rapport and trust, develop a positive mutual respect, but most importantly is have them PREPARED for assessments. Obvious sure but I observed and been a student where that's not always the case.
This is true in my classes as well. The class are informed often that no electronic devices are allowed. I also have the students take a restroom break before hand. Students are not to leave before test completion. Weekly quizzes have no more than 20 questions.
