Cheating
There are students who go to school but instead of learning, they often cheat to pass the tests. To some of them the “fear of failure” lead them to cheat. Others cheat to pass exams and get a degree. Not many of them even thought that cheating will hurt them in the future. Of course, many teachers know their students cheat but ignore them because they believe that students who cheat will have to learn the consequence for themselves later in their lives.
In the first week of every school year, I always spend the time to discuss with students about the issue of cheating. I tell them that when they cheat on an exam, it looks like they are doing well, and from the teachers’ view, it looks to me like they understand the materials, so I move on to the next topics. The problem is what they do not learn in one chapter is the required knowledge for the next. Knowledge is cumulative as it builds on previous knowledge. Eventually, they will get lost and do not understand the rest of the materials, then they will get confused. Many students quit school because they do not have the foundation to continue. Even if they are very good at cheating, they may pass the course and move on to the next. Since they do not learn the basic materials, they cannot understand the new materials so they will have to keep on cheating until they get caught. Even if they do not get caught, without a basic foundation, they will not be able to learn anything further. For example, if they do not learn arithmetic then how can they learn calculus?
I often tell them: “Some of you may cheat to pass my test but you can still pass my test by letting me know that you do not know the answer. I will give you a second chance to learn the materials again. If you do not know the answer, put the word “SC” next to it and I will let you have a “Second Chance” to learn the materials then redo the test on the next day. Of course, you will only have half of the point for that question.” My view of teaching is I want students to learn, if they do not learn, they must learn the materials again. I do not like to punish them as I want them to change their bad habit. Of course, for every course, students are allowed to have three “SC.” If they still have a problem with the test, they have to retake the course. I will not allow them to continue to the next.
I explain: “When you cheat, you do not learn and do not have the skills that you need for the job. Today companies do not hire you because you have a degree but on your skills. They will test you during the job interview as they assume that if you have the degree you also have the skills. There is no way you can cheat during the interview because they are asking you to solve the problem in front of them. You should learn problem-solving skills by solving problems, not by copying answers. You should have the knowledge by learning, not by memorizing formulas because nobody will ask you to recite formulas in an interview. You need to think critically and analyze the data, then explain to the hiring manager clearly and logically. You cannot memorize the answers because you do not know what they will ask. Have you ever wonder why somebody gets a job offer after the interview but others do not? Why there are so many unemployed college graduates? Some cheat to pass exams, get a degree and please their parents but do their parents still happy when their children have the degree but not the skills and cannot find a job? How do you feel when most of your friends have a good job but you do not? What are you going to do with a piece of paper called “Degree” but without a job and still have to depend on your parents’ support?
I often let the students discuss the issue for a few minutes then ask: “Knowing these facts, do you still want to cheat? I also elaborate: “Do not think of cheating a little bit is OK. A small cheating rarely stays small because if you do not get caught, you will cheat again then it will grow into a bigger problem. You may copy a homework from a friend because you are busy going out with your girlfriends and hope that the teachers do not know. Eventually, you will do it again as you have other important activities. Students who cheat never do it once but often continue until they got caught. But cheating in school will lead you to cheat yourself in your life. You cheat to pass the tests, you may cheat to get a degree and even a job. Then you cheat on your job and cheat your boss, then you cheat the company, and you may cheat your spouse too as cheating has become a habit. To do that, you will have to lie to cover up your cheating. What kind of person do you want to be? If most of you cheat then what kind of society you will be living in? How do you feel when someone also cheats you?
By letting the students come up with their own answer, I rarely have to deal with the cheating issue in my course.
Sources
- Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University
