Colleges are wrestling with the increasing problem of student cheating.  This extends beyond test situations.  The Internet has moved cheating into the age of technology.  Websites that allow students to upload papers and past exams are booming.  In response, colleges subscribe to services designed to detect cheating and plagiarism. 

All of this is depressing, but there is some hope.  Online tutorials focusing on cheating and plagiarism have shown some promising results.  We support this type of proactive approach as opposed to after-the-fact detection.

Here are some anecdotal examples of what is going on. 

• A principal at a charter school instructed teachers to look over students’ shoulders and point out wrong answers as the students took state tests.
• A principal pressured teachers to use an overhead projector to show special education students the answers for state reading assessments.
• A principal and an assistant principal erased students’ incorrect responses and pencilled in correct responses.
• Teachers identified the questions on a state science test by squeezing the test booklet without breaking its paper seal, thus forming a tube that allowed them to see the questions inside.  They then distributed a detailed study guide to students based on the questions.

It’s difficult to know for sure how much cheating is going on.  Estimates are 1 to 3 percent of educators, which means thousands.  We fully understand how much pressure teachers are experiencing.  Further, we believe that there is an overemphasis on standardized test results as a basis for evaluation.  These are imperfect measures of effective teaching.  That being said, there is a moral imperative that educators  not cheat under any circumstances.  It is hypocritical to expect students to toe the moral line when their teachers don’t.

Trachenberg and Kauver maintain that shortening degree programs to three years would allow graduates to enter the workplace more quickly.  But here’s the rub.  In an article in the Times the same day, it was reported that just 24% of 2010 college graduates who applied for a job have one waiting.   So, one might wonder, “what’s the rush?”

Teachers need to be especially careful in their email correspondence with colleagues, parents, and students.  An email is considered a written document that can be used as evidence in any legal action.  This behooves teachers to be certain that they are applying moral sensitivity and judgment in their emails.  Teachers should reread their emails regarding tone and meaning before sending them on. 

The Internet has opened enormous pathways for teaching and learning.  But, the Internet has also has created pitfalls that teachers must be aware of and avoid.  Do you have some ideas for teachers in this regard?

Critics see such coaching as yet another example of the over-scheduling over-programming of children.  As a psychologist who has written for years about the importance of unstructured imagination time for children, you’d expect Elkind to join with the critics.  However, noting the radical changes in childhood in recent years, Elkind states that the coaching trend makes sense. 

Elkind points out that in past eras, the culture of childhood was a socializing process.  This culture has changed.  Rather than children interacting with each other free from strict supervision, today’s children pursue solitary experiences such as video games or watching TV.  “Playtime” often takes the form of play dates arranged by parents.  According to Elkind, this lack of socialization is related to the increase in bullying, teasing, and discrimination in our schools. 

Elkind concludes that recess coaches can be a good thing if the coaches focus on play, give children freedom of choice about what they want to do, and stay out of the way as much as possible.  In any case, we agree with Elkind’s conclusion that recess coaching is a vastly better solution than eliminating recess in favor of more academics.

Learning in college requires deep involvement in what you are learning. Here are some suggestions to follow.

Find passion in a subject

Don’t take on a course unless you are genuinely interested in at least a certain aspect of it. If it is a required course which you can’t get out of, work to find something within that course that you are passionate about, and make that your focus for the semester. As an example, I hated (and still hate) graduate statistics. However, my degree required I take advanced statistics. Instead of forcing myself through the course, I instead asked the professor if I could do a single research project on immigration theory (one of my passions), instead of a smaller set of assignments. He agreed, and doing that project allowed me to learn more about statistics than then did the rest of the course.

Learn holistically

Learning holistically is possibly the most important skill you can learn, but it is sometimes the most difficult skill to learn. Many students get so caught up with minutia that they “forget the forest for the trees.” Instead of looking pieces of each lecture, test, or paper,  look at each in their entirety. One of the best guides I’ve found on this subject is Scott Young’s  book on holistic learning.

Think Critically

Thinking critically is a skill that all students should develop during college regardless of their degree. Whether you plan to be an artist or a zoologist, thinking critically will give you the tools to not only approach problems efficiently, but creatively as well. Look for possible solutions to a problem, weigh the solutions, and look for assumptions within each solution. Doing this will put you on your way to being a critical thinker.

Examine how parts of subjects interrelate

Examining the way in which the parts of a subject interrelate with each other will augment each component I have spoken about above. Interrelating the parts of subjects creates a network in your mind. Each part connects with other parts to allow for complete learning.

Work toward knowledge

How would you pursue school differently if instead of working for a grade you were working towards knowledge? Learning something for the sake of learning is a powerful way to become successful. What I’d like for you to do every time you sit down to learn something is to go through the above points I just reviewed. Write down your motivations for learning the content. Break the content down critically to see how it connects with your overall subject. Finally, connect what you’re learning now with what you’ve already learned.

Liam McIvor Martin is a tutor for college students. He’s helped thousands of students achieve academic success through his tutoring program, as a teaching assistant, and as a lecturer.

The last two decades have brought a “zero tolerance” discipline policy into effect in many school districts.  However, there is increasing research to show that the heavy use of suspensions does less to pacify schools than to push troubled students toward academic failure and dropping out.  Experts question whether zero tolerance creates safer schools or better learning environments.  Over the past several years, a number of major school districts have moved away from this policy in favor of anti-bullying programs, positive-behavior feedback, and conflict resolution training for students and teachers.  Initial results for this switch have been encouraging. 

Where do you stand on the issue of school suspension?  Has your school instituted any innovative measures?

Children are exposed almost daily to stories of criminal activities and political corruption.  Teachers should make every effort to make their students aware of positive events and good people.  Role models are an important way of providing children with inspiration and self-confidence.  When presenting role models, we are explicitly encouraging children to emulate these models.  The stupidity of the three teachers cited above is not representative of the teaching profession.  We applaud the Los Angeles Unified School District’s strong action.

Writing in Education Week, Thomas Hehir, professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, made the following recommendations:

• Monitor charter schools, and enforce federal law where necessary.
• Consider reducing reimbursements to charter schools that fail to enroll representative populations of students with disabilities.
• Provide support to charter schools to help them serve students with disabilities.

We agree with Professor Hehir.  We would also recommend concerted recruiting efforts by charter schools to attract highly qualified special education personnel.  Do you have further recommendations?

Certainly, students seem to under increasing pressure.  Certainly, students are aware of role-model athletes, entertainment stars, and even elected officials who cheat and often appear to prosper as a result.  Certainly, techology and the Internet makes it easier than ever to cheat.  These “certainlies” certainly don’t make cheating right or acceptable. 

We can never eliminate cheating.  What can we do to control it?  What can we do to get students to take the high moral ground?  Any ideas are welcome.