Curbing cheating in online exams
In this day and age, more and more educators are learning towards
online exams as opposed to the traditional paper-based exams.
Usually, these teachers are involved in a distance-learning course, where almost everything is done online.
There are a lot of benefits to this, such as improving grading
accuracy, less time to grade and evaluate, and giving students instant
feedback. Furthermore, allowing students to take exams online gives
them more time for other learning pursuits.
However it can be said that while the benefits of online exams are
numerous and obvious (less trees cut down with less paper), some
teachers also take into consideration other concerns.
These concerns include lack of access to local computer laboratory
facilities, possible system failure during the test itself, possible
stress for the non-technologically oriented student, and the likelihood
of cheating in online exams.
Some ways to do online cheating are as follows:
- Having someone other than the student take the exam
- Going past the posted time limit for each question
- Copying and collaborating with others during the exam
- Downloading or distributing the exam to others
- Using material that is not allowed (textbook or class notes)
Now that these methods have been identified, here are some ways to minimize the occurrence of cheating in online exams:
- Students are required to input a unique user ID and
password to access the exam. While some can just give their ID and
password to other students who will take their place, at least this
prevents unauthorized access and can make it more difficult for
students attempting to cheat.
- The testing software can
tackle the issue of exceeding the posted time limit (for example, sixty
minutes) by automatically submitting the exam whether or not the
student has finished.
- Inappropriate collaboration takes
some effort to detect. Since teachers cannot physically observe
cheating in online exams, cheating can be tracked through the time logs
(for students who take the exam together), the similarities of the
errors and correct answers, and the tracking of the IP addresses. Video
cameras can also assist in monitoring students online.
- Timing
the exam is very effective in discouraging using textbooks or Googling
during the exam itself. By allotting only forty-five seconds per
question, there are less opportunities for cheating.
In Indiana University Southeast, students report more satisfaction
with the online exam method because they can take the exam when it is
convenient for them. Even in the Balikesir Universitesi in Turkey,
results of a survey of 103 students indicate positive perception for
web-based homework testing.
Computers have long been touted for their efficiency and ease of
use, the ability to make lives easier for people, even teachers and
students. Apparently, testing, checking papers, and waiting for test
scores are all moving online now.
Sources:
Demirci, Neset. “University Students' Perceptions of Web-based vs. Paper-based Homework in a General Physics Course.” Retrieved April 8, 2009 from
http://www.ejmste.com/v3n1/EJMSTEv3n1_Demirci.pdf
Eplion, David and Keefe, Thomas. “On-line Exams: Strategies to Detect Cheating and Minimize Its Impact.” Retrieved April 8, 2009 from http://frank.mtsu.edu/~itconf/proceed05/dEplion.pdf
(Published 20 April 2009, Smart Communications, Inc.)
