Students cheating on tests....

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I am having an ethical dilemma. There are several students in our class that have most of the answers for every test. Just about everyone in the class is now aware of this and think it is unfair. Noone wants to bring it to light because they don't want the teacher to make it hard on everyone for what time is left in the program. I keep telling myself that it will get them in the end, when they can't pass the HESI or the boards. But the truth is, about half of them will pass it with no problem. They may all pass. What irritates me is that some have gone from C students to A students, one very well could end up valedictorian, they cheat and then brag about their grades to everyone, spend all weekend with their families doing fun stuff (not studying) while i'm busting my tail to do it the right way! So, what would you do?

Babylady, honestly, I cannot explain it any clearer. But you still do not understand. I would never report anything unless I was sure. It is not rumor. I have held what they have in my hands and I KNOW. End of story.

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I don't see this as cheating. If the student stole the physical test and passed it on to another student, okay, I see this as a black and white issue and it is clearly cheating. But a student who has a good enough memory to later write down everything on the test and the answers too, I see this as being somewhere between black and white, a grey issue. I don't see how the students could get in trouble for this, and really, bringing it to light would look badly on the teacher for being so lazy as to use the exact same test every year. Teachers know we talk... and there's nothing wrong with that! It's a huge advantage to know "how" a teacher not only tests, but grades, but shame on the teacher for using the same exam over and over. Another thought, the students are taking a risk that their friend has a good memory, and remembers the questions and answers correctly. I commend you for taking the harder road and doing it on your own, but I also don't see what the other students are doing as being cut/dry cheating. If they really aren't learning the material, however, I don't see how this won't come back to bite them in the butt.

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Babylady, honestly, I cannot explain it any clearer. But you still do not understand. I would never report anything unless I was sure. It is not rumor. I have held what they have in my hands and I KNOW. End of story.

If this is the case, then there is no question; report it.

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REPORT IT. It's pretty disgusting to see people who pass from cheating. Even if it gets them in the future, might as well bring that future NOW.

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Specializes in CNA.

I sure understand what you are going through, it is annoying to know that you are studying hard and trying to do what you have to do to pass and other people are out there cheating. you can either talk to the professor privately or let the students keep on doing what they doing. Things will catch up with them. Maybe not for the moment but in the long run it will.

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
Babylady, honestly, I cannot explain it any clearer. But you still do not understand. I would never report anything unless I was sure. It is not rumor. I have held what they have in my hands and I KNOW. End of story.

I think it is you that doesn't understand.

Unless you took this class before, you DO NOT KNOW for a fact it is the same test questions.

You were not there when she ALLEDGEDLY copied down the answers.

You have no idea of where she got her information from.

So far you haven't witnessed a thing.

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.

I sat right beside of a student that failed the same semester that I was taking the first time....every time they would lecture, she would 'nudge' me when they were going over material that she knew was covered on the exam she took the year before.

I still had to learn the material.

There was no guarantee of what was on the test..anything was fair game.

She said AFTER several tests that they were COMPLETELY different than what she took before.

Made no difference to me...I still had to learn the material.

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Forget about them and focus on studying.

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