I point out they will receive a zero grade if caught cheating. I also clearly do a test or quiz review the class before test day. Finally I space out the desks so they don't feel an oppertunity exists to cheat.
Hi Carrie,
This was fair punish. I especially like how you had a firm converstion with the student and together you all came up with a revised schedule that will allow her time to study.
Patricia Scales
I believe reducing cheating in the class is always helpful to keep track of the test questions and mix up the sequence or numbers for each test question.
One way to reduce cheating is to prepare the student for testing through study sheets, or hands on assignments, and the second way is to keep a good eye on all of the students during the testing period.
I have created four versions of the same test. All versions of the test are the same exact test just jumbled up. When I pass out the test I have the test already in order, so no student is sitting next to another student with the same test. In addition, I position myself at the back of the classroom to survey the room. By being at the back of the classroom students do not know exactly where I am, so they do not want to risk being caught looking at their neighbors test.
Some ways to reduce the opportunity for cheating is to make sure that students have enough space between them and also having tests that are not just multiple choice or true/false.
There are several ways I have tried and they seem to work. I have them remove all items from their desk. And I will also make varies copies of a test and no one has the same test. Usually its 2 versions.
I gave her an F for the test and I spoke to her at length about what was going on in her life that might have encouraged the cheating. Together, we found time in her schedule to study. I warned her that I would dismiss her from the program if it were to occur again. It never did.
During tests & quizes, I make sure the desks are cleared of any paperwork or materials. I also make sure the students are spread apart appropriately in the classroom.
Hi David,
Open book tests will definitely stop cheating. There is no need to cheat because what you are looking for is in the book.
Patricia Scales
Hi Carrie,
You had concrete evidence that this student was cheating. Did you do anything to reprimand the student?
Patricia Scales
i frequently give open book tests. but not on final. this gives them the opportunity to to learn the material better while taking the test also less cheating. daa
I have students in assigned seats and sitting apart as much as possible. Their desk tops are cleared and I make it a point to sit at the fron of the room and watch them. I found if I get distracted, they will take the opportunity to cheat.(I do not allow cell phones in class, so that is never an issue). I had one person sitting in the front row and drop her cheat sheet right in front of me. I casually picked it up, smiled at her and went through the entire class. When class dismissed I asked her to stay and the tears began to fall. I asked her what she needed to do to resolve her cheating and she came up with a plan to study.
The students are assigned seats. I will purposely separate groups that often associate together. Also, I have either the questions arranged in a different order or I will hand out the short answer section to half of the class first and the multiple choice to the others. They are required to finish the first half before being given the other half of the exam.
We make our students spread out during an exam, and everything must be off their desk, cells phones are off, anf the instrcutors are constanly monitorign the class.
Christine: These are great ways to reduce the opportunity for cheating! I really like the idea of randomly selecting seats for students for tests!
Use a different seating plan for each test/exam. Use different versions of the same exam (questions in a different order). Make sure all electronic apparatus is not available.
My first term teaching I had a large amount of students plagiarizing in my English course: from homework assignments to final papers, and I found that in talking one-on-one with the students the complaint I heard was they were scared of what I thought of their answers or paper. This changed the way I begin a class because I found that in a career school when a student hears, “English major,†they start judging me as a stickler. So I always begin class with a simple assignment that has them tell me their concerns towards writing. I then respond by the next day giving them words of encouragement and clarity of what this class will cover. We also use Turnitin.com, so my life has become much easier.
I like to space my students out in the room, and I also will use different tests in the same class. Using Scantrons works well for that because you can put out multiple tests and grading is still done quickly. On my online tests that are taken in a computer lab, I randomize the answers.
I think most of the strategies to reduce cheating have already been mentioned. However, it think it is important for the teacher to pay attention to the the classroom environment while the students are taking a test. Being aware of what is going, and not sitting and reading a book, will let the students know you are aware of what they are doing; This includes paying attention to the students non-verbal gestures.
