Cheating ADN STUDENTS in lecture

Certain students will go to extremes to cheat. Catching them is a different story. In todays technologically advanced world the cheaters are very high tech. I have found

1. texting in groups

2. taking pictures of exam and mms to someone to answer test questions and text

3. Recording the test on an optic pen that downloads the exam at a later time

4. sharing calculators with the answers on the screen

5. Memory or scientific calculators with answers and formulas entered in them.

I now have them using my dollar store special calculators and no phones or smartphones out on the desk.

Does anyone else have ideas?

I tell them not to waste their time cheating because in clinical it is pass or fail and I use the student handbook the fullest by giving oral questions or written quizzes as supplement participation grades.

1. Nothing on the desk or at their feet but their pencil, the test, and a calculator I provide (if an optic pen is a problem, have them use only writing instruments you provide).

2. No hoods, scarves, hats, sunglasses, or zip front shirts or jackets.

3. Move them to different seats than they choose.

4. Have them spread out as far as possible.

5. Give every other person a different form of the test.

6. Scramble test questions and answers each semester.

7. Give new questions each semester.

8. Before class starts, look under the tables and chairs.

9. Have them sign some sort of academic integrity statement before the exams.

Does your school have an academic integrity police where there are consequences for cheating? Ours is: first offense you fail the exam; second is you fail the course; third is you're out of school. A report also goes to the administration in case someone else has problems with a student. Then the administration can administer the consequences in second and third offenses.

Big thing is pass out your own pens/pencils. No water bottles on the table people can buy lables off the internet and put all kinds of info on them and then slap in on the water bottle so they don't have to work/study for a test...it's pretty sad...

I've heard of students writing notes on styrofoam drink cups - so they're not allowed on desks during my tests!

Who ever heard of 'sharing' calculators??? If you dont have your own calculator.......oh well, too bad.

1. Nothing on the desk or at their feet but their pencil, the test, and a calculator I provide (if an optic pen is a problem, have them use only writing instruments you provide).

2. No hoods, scarves, hats, sunglasses, or zip front shirts or jackets.

3. Move them to different seats than they choose.

4. Have them spread out as far as possible.

5. Give every other person a different form of the test.

6. Scramble test questions and answers each semester.

7. Give new questions each semester.

8. Before class starts, look under the tables and chairs.

9. Have them sign some sort of academic integrity statement before the exams.

Does your school have an academic integrity police where there are consequences for cheating? Ours is: first offense you fail the exam; second is you fail the course; third is you're out of school. A report also goes to the administration in case someone else has problems with a student. Then the administration can administer the consequences in second and third offenses.

Wow that seems really lenient. Ours was get caught cheating, you're out of the program forever in bad standing.

Big thing is pass out your own pens/pencils. No water bottles on the table people can buy lables off the internet and put all kinds of info on them and then slap in on the water bottle so they don't have to work/study for a test...it's pretty sad...

I've heard of people doing this too - seems like by the time you write all the info on the water bottle label you could've just learned it. Sad.

How sad.......is there no integrity?

It is sad. So much for nursing being the most honorable/trustworthy profession.

Testing policy is in the student handbook and specifies much of what was stated above. All of our tests are on our website so it's done on line. We scramble the questions and the distractors. Same deal with water bottles, pens, scratch paper, calculators, hoodies, books and so forth. We let them use the calculators in the desktop of the computer.

Per our policy... proven cheating and you're gone. Can reapply in a year but basically get to stand at the rear of the line.

We had a terrible time a year and a half ago. Very ugly. Since firm policies put into place, it's gotten much better.