The Level of Cheating among the Students - Case Study Example

[Teacher’s Proposing a Solution-Remedying the Rise of Academic Dishonesty in the College System Introduction Cheating inacademic work is something that has always existed in the college environment. However, the academic dishonesty is something that is on a rise in the American education system and there questions on the source of the problem and the possible solution to this issue. Studies have shown that even at school level students have openly admitted to have plagiarized some of their work as well as cheated in one form or another during a test. This is appalling as it creates a negative attitude within these individuals and they take this behavior to their higher education and other parts of their lives. In survey that was carried out at one high school, approximately 80% of the interviewed students admitted to have been academically dishonest at least once in their previous semester (Jones, 2011). This is 5% more than the number that had admitted to cheating in the same school five years ago (Jones, 2011). In a college survey students were asked if they would lie in order to attain better employment opportunities and approximately 40% answered yes. Furthermore, 50% of the students stated that it is acceptable and justifiable for a person to lie in order to achieve his or her goals (Anderman & Murdock, 2011). The data attained from this study and other investigations indicates a serious problem for the American community. This shows that rise in the lack of integrity and honesty in the society and furthermore, it is worsened by the fact that the individuals who show this level of dishonesty are the youths and the future leaders of the country (Anderman & Murdock, 2011). As mentioned above, the level of dishonesty at this level of education indicates a larger problem for the country as these individuals will occupy positions such as police men, business executives, and judges and so on. These are positions that place an individual into temptation and he or she has several opportunities to be dishonest and the attitude possessed by the youths shows no good outcome if they are to occupy such roles. Hence, there is need for an ideal solution to address this matter. There are many possible approaches as college students have many potential sources of motivation and are usually still under the guardianship of their parents. Therefore, the teaching staff and the college students must work together in devising the appropriate strategy that promotes honest behavior and inhibits any negative influences that may cause the students to take the wrong path. The aim of this paper is to provide a viable solution for the problem of cheating in the college environment, and ensuring that other alternatives are available to help the students cope with the new environment without resorting back to dishonest methods. Solution In order to understand the situation one must familiarize him or herself with the term “academic dishonesty.” Academic dishonesty involves the misrepresentation of work or intellectual property of one individual by another. However, there are many other forms of academic dishonesty and a list of the prohibited activities should be shown to both the parents and the students before admission. Many parents and students often confuse this term, and despite the number that cheat knowingly there are still some who are unknowingly dishonest in their academic work. The first step would be to make the definition of this term clear to the parents and the students and inform them that it is not acceptable within the college and if someone is caught doing so could face serious consequences (Simha & Cullen, 2011). It is essential to be firm on this topic before implementing any solutions. Before, the implementation of other strategies that are targeted towards promoting honesty among the college students, it is vital that the appropriate institutional measures are taken to decrease the possibility of cheating (Simha & Cullen, 2011). The individuals that are responsible for invigilating tests and checking assignments must adopt measures that make cheating almost impossible. In such cases students would be discouraged to try this and furthermore they will be under pressure if they decide to cheat which will make catching them an easier process. This approach will also be favorable to the honest students who may be willing to help in the process as it is not fair when an undeserving student attains a higher grade than someone who has put maximum effort in completing his or her assignment. There are some strategies that have been suggested to minimize cheating and these include different modes of testing that do not give students the possibility to falsify their work. For example, oral examinations reduce this possibility and the teacher is able to assess the student’s level of knowledge (Simha & Cullen, 2011). The solution that will be implemented to reduce the cheating involves training the teaching staff on the appropriate measures that should be taken before exams. The students should be provided with all the necessary information concerning the exam and grading system. This same information should be given to the students and they should be given adequate time to prepare before the exam. Many students complain of insufficient time and lack of sources, hence, this will help reduce this problem and discourage students to cheat based on these reasons (Koss, 2011). Teachers should also be trained to dialogue with the students and not to make them feel as if the test is a war (Koss, 2011). They should be helpful and offer them insightful tips for the examination. The teachers may even provide the students with past examinations papers to familiarize them with the structure of the questions in the exam, which may help them during their preparations (Koss, 2011). If it is possible the teacher may even give the students mock examinations a few weeks before the actual exams in order to give them an insight on their level of knowledge and the amount of preparation that is still required. However, at times it is not possible for the teacher to give past examination papers, hence; teachers should be trained to not use the same questions repeatedly. There should be modified questions if examinations are similar to the previous year. The problem with giving the same exams as the previous year is some students may have access to this information which will tempt them to cheat and will encourage others to source this old material and not study. Many institutions make this mistake which encourages even previously honest students to cheat. If the teachers are taught to modify the question, the students will need to study all their course material. This will even benefit them as they will learn the material instead of simply memorizing answers from past papers. The sitting arrangement is also essential in reducing the level of cheating. If the same test is being used for every student, the teachers should be instructed to make different variants with answers and questions located in different places. The sitting arrangement should be done in such a way that the students with different variants sit next to each other. Another problem that also exists is that two classes may have the same test but on different days. To avoid one group of students informing the other about the test, there should be combined or alternative testing strategies. This means that if two classes have an exam on the same subject, this exam should be done on the same day and at the same time. However, if this is impossible, teachers should use a system whereby the class that does the exam the following day has an alternative exam different to the one previously written. Finally the students should also receive counseling from the teachers about the rules of the exam and this should be done before the exam (Koss, 2011). The parents should also be involved in helping children prepare. The teacher should aim to inspire the students and encourage them to be independent and cherish personal achievement. Motivation is an aspect that is often lacking in the college atmosphere and the teaching staff should be taught the appropriate motivation techniques that would encourage the students to complete their work independently without illegally using any external sources. Conclusion In summation, there are many possible approaches that can be taken towards reducing the level of cheating among the students. Students should be encouraged to and motivated to be independent and achieve their own results. The college should always promote integrity and honesty through different measures such as sports or other forms of entertainment. However, despite these approaches being taken, the college should first implement the appropriate institutional barriers that reduce the possibility of the students to cheat. The college should train the staff members the above mentioned steps and strategies as this would discourage the students to cheat due to the environment created and it would also give the sufficient material and resources to prepare. It is also important that the teachers constantly interact with the students and offer them guidance to ensure that they are provided with all the information and support they need. There are many suggestions that the environment created by the college determines the level of cheating that may occur and the above mentioned strategies create an environment that is antagonistic to academic dishonesty. Works Cited Anderman, E. M., & Murdock, T. B. (Eds.). (2011). Psychology of academic cheating. Academic Press. Jones, D. L. (2011). Academic Dishonesty: Are More Students Cheating?.Business Communication Quarterly, 74(2), 141. Koss, J. (2011). Academic Dishonesty Among Adolescents Doctoral dissertation, University of Wisconsin--Stout. Simha, A., & Cullen, J. B. (2011). Cheating and academic dishonesty: proactive and retroactive solutions. Handbook of research on teaching ethics in business and management education. Hershey, PA: IGI Global. Read More