ORLANDO, Fla. — The frontier in the battle to defeat student cheating may be here at the testing center of the University of Central Florida.
No gum is allowed during an exam: chewing could disguise a student’s speaking into a hands-free cellphone to an accomplice outside.
The 228 computers that students use are recessed into desk tops so that anyone trying to photograph the screen — using, say, a pen with a hidden camera, in order to help a friend who will take the test later — is easy to spot.
Scratch paper is allowed — but it is stamped with the date and must be turned in later.
When a proctor sees something suspicious, he records the student’s real-time work at the computer and directs an overhead camera to zoom in, and both sets of images are burned onto a CD for evidence.
It's a very interesting article.
Unfortunately, technology has given students the idea that they can beat the system. Part of my dislike for cell phones in class has to do with photographing tests as well as other students without permission for later posting on social websites. I predicted that once cameras became common on phones, that there would be abuse. Witness the problems with sexting in high school ages and younger and I think I have proved my point. But the problems are far more widespread than people want to admit. At a local high school students were sited for cheating on an AP exam. I've given those exams and unless you have a procter that is not following procedures, it is almost impossible. Our own state testing is so tightly monitored that I dread the testing dates more than the students do. I don't know what the answer is, but our society has rewarded dishonest behavior with the label of being clever. Until that changes, testing will always be a challenge.
ReplyDeleteI like the closing lines: "A heavily tattooed student was found with notes written on his arm. He had blended them into his body art." So no matter how high-tech we get, the low-tech will still slip by.
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