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Do Students Use Cell Phones to Cheat?

Posted on: Sunday, 26 March 2006, 15:00 CST

By Gayle Perez, The Pueblo Chieftain, Colo.

Mar. 26--It used to be that when students wanted to cheat on a test, they'd write the answers on the palm of their hands.

Others might write the answers in minuscule printing on a tiny sheet of paper they could hide under their arm while it rested on their desks. Still others would write answers on their large, pink pencil erasers and leave it in plain sight on their desk.

For today's students, cheating has gone high-tech.

Students can now text message from their cell phones the answers to the test questions to their buddies sitting across the room.

Still others are using the cameras on their cell phones to photograph the answers that they can then view easily from the palm of their hand.

Well aware of the impact that technology can have on the performance of exams, officials from Districts 60 and 70, Pueblo Community College and Colorado State University-Pueblo are keeping a close eye on the issue.

So far, none of the institutions have had any serious cheating offenses reported that are related to cell phones.

But that doesn't mean that they aren't looking out for the electronic cheaters.

"We do talk about how cheating through electronic methods is not allowed," said Marjorie Villani, interim vice president at PCC. "It has surfaced where students are using cell phone messages to cheat on tests, but we have never had an incident of that on this campus."

Villani said instructors are aware of the potential for cheating using electronic devices and they are looking out for it.

Several CSU-Pueblo professors said they also monitor students' use of electronic devices, particularly during exams.

"I do not allow the use of any electronic device during my exams," said Tim McGettigan, a sociology professor and chair of the Faculty Senate. "I have not found any incidences of students attempting to use electronic devices to help with exams."

Jack Seilheimer, who has been teaching biology at the university for 43 years, said pointedly "I do not allow any of that technology on my exams."

Seilheimer said he once did catch a student leaving the classroom and text messaging his classmates with the answers from the restroom.

But for the most part, Seilheimer said all he does is post a message on the board during exams reminding students that electronic devices are prohibited.

"I have not had to tell anyone to put away their phones during an exam," he said.

Both CSU-Pueblo and PCC officials said if a student were to get caught cheating by text messaging through a cell phone, it would be a violation of their respective academic conduct policies.

Similar to the colleges, the public schools don't allow phones during exams, either.

"We watch very closely because the students today do have the capabilities of taking a picture of the test to take home or to text the answers to each other," said East High School Principal Alan Nelms. "We're aware and so far we haven't caught anyone yet."

In District 70, Superintendent Dan Lere said there has been in an increase in students receiving text messages during exams that is prompting the district to look at strengthening its policy.

Lere has discussed the issue with the school board and they are hoping to develop a policy that would help prevent in the future.

"One thing we've talked about was a temporary thing but maybe requiring students to put their cell phones at the back of the room during class time," he said.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Pueblo Chieftain, Colo.

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Source: The Pueblo Chieftain

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