Kerrie's Reading Notes #6

The statistics on cheating are shocking to me. Lang mentions that research conducted by McCabe in 2005 showed that “On most campuses, 70% of students admit to some cheating” (Pg. 198). Davis provides similar statistics in her chapter on academic dishonesty (Pg. 38). These statistics are much greater than I expected in higher education. By beginning with these statistics, both Lang and Davis grabbed my attention through showing me that I am very likely to experience this as an instructor.

A topic I would like to discuss in class is confrontation with students once you realize they have cheated. My concern is how to confront students you see cheating during an exam. Should it be brought up right away in front of other students or should you wait until after the exam is over and confront them privately? Davis suggests whispering to a student with wandering eyes during an exam (Pg. 355). What if you see a student with answers on a note card or texting during an exam when you stated that this is unacceptable? I would like to know how to deal with situations other than just wandering eyes from students during exams. Davis also recommends, “If you have suspicions about students, allow them to complete the exam, take notes on what you observe, and flag the exam for close review” (Pg. 356). I feel if you clearly see students cheating, it should be addressed at that time.

Davis brings up the topic of group or paired exams. She states that “According to researchers, group exams offer three advantages: group work promotes deeper understanding of the material, groups outperform individuals, and group tests are less stressful” (Pg. 368). One way to give group exams is to offer group testing as a stand-alone exam (Pg. 368). I do not agree with having the group grade on an exam as the final score for each student. I feel that this may cause more issues for the teacher due to students feeling it is unfair or who are unhappy with their groups. I feel the same about paired exams. Another option Davis gives is having students take the exam individually first and then taking it as a group. She suggests adding bonus points to each individual score if the group score is higher (Pg. 368). This is an example of group exams I agree with. This may promote learning yet will not lead to controversy of fairness. I would like to see how others in the class feel about this topic.

Another topic I would like to discuss further in class is dealing with students’ complaints about grades. We have discussed it a little before but I would like to get into more detail on the topic. Davis gives many tips on minimizing complaints about grades (Pg. 410). Although following these tips will help, there will still be students who complain. Davis suggests remaining calm when students complain about grades (Pg. 411). I would like to hear people’s stories that have experienced this and how they dealt with it.