How Educators are Preventing High-Tech Cheating

Essay by cheyennee3 March 2007

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ABSTRACT

From hand written "cheat-sheets" to Cliff's Notes downloaded onto MP3 Players. Educators used to worry about students peeking over a neighbor's shoulder during test time. Now they have to be concerned with students using cell phones to send answers across the room to each other. The growth of technology has changed the typical classroom environment and opened new doors for students to cheat. Their reasons for cheating range from family pressure to maintaining a scholarship. It seems students' views on cheating may have changed due to the availability of technology. Whatever the reasons may be, educators are faced with an on-going battle to stay technologically ahead of this new generation of cheaters. In doing so, they hope to minimize or even eliminate cheating within the classroom.

How Educators are Preventing High-Tech Cheating

The growth of technology has changed the classroom environment and opened new doors for students to cheat.

Preschool to college classrooms alike are equipped with computers that are often incorporated into the curriculum. However, computers are not the only high-tech gadgets making their way into schools. Students are also bringing items such as personal digital assistants, MP3 players and cell phones into the classroom. Not only are these distracting students from focusing in class but they are also using these items to cheat. Educational Testing Services mentioned that out of the country's best and brightest, statistics indicate that approximately 80 percent of the students cheated to get to the top (Academic Cheating Background, 1999). What are the motivating factors for students to use these extreme measures to receive a better grade? Are there more pressures for students to succeed today? Whatever the reasons may be, educators are faced with an on-going battle to stay technologically ahead of this new generation of cheaters. In doing so, they...