In a time of fake news and information overload, its easy to see how perceptions take hold with little evidence other than the agenda driving them.
Vicky Mose
Founder/Menopause Mentor/Consultant/Governor/Board Member/Leader/Fitness & Well-Being Expertise/BSc Psychology
Cheating vs Assessment Innovation
Introduction
The issue of preventing academic cheating has long been an area of great debate in the education sector. Some institutions are letting the fear and perception of widespread cheating dictate their assessment methods, believing some methods are less susceptible than others.
Some of the questions this article looks to answer are:
To be clear, answering these questions will not provide the reader with a ‘magic formula’ to eradicate cheating once and for all, but it will provide insight and understanding as to the multi-faceted components that lead to students cheating and concludes with suggestions for minimising this behaviour.
What are the drivers that lead to cheating?
There have been a vast number of studies looking at the motivating factors that lead to students partaking in cheating.?The reasons for cheating include the perception of the seriousness of cheating, with some types of cheating being seen as worse that other types and therefore diminishing the belief that mild types of cheating are even really cheating. There is also evidence to suggest that those who have a lower grade average are more likely to cheat than those that achieve a higher grade average, those with higher grades perceive they have more to lose if caught cheating, this is highlight in a study (Teixeira and Rocha, 2009) where they cited research carried out by Bushway and Nash in 1977 which showed students who were lower in achievement may cheat more frequently.
Lack of consequences was another driver for cheating, student who are studying in universities with ‘honour codes’ are less likely to cheat, this is shown in the same study (Teixeira and Rocha, 2009) where they cited McCabe and Tervino 1993 who found lower levels of cheating in students bound by honour codes .
As well as students cheating, the issue of gross misconduct amongst teaching staff also needs to be addressed as a driver to enable cheating. This very problem was described as ‘the uglier underbelly – a lack of moral rectitude’ the study cites a University in Uganda, who when investigated, it was that found 5% of their student’s degree results were obtained ‘through corrupt activities’ and they found that ‘these integrity breaches were often aided by absent or weak systems and poor control environment because of resource constraints’(Baijnath and Singh, 2019).
Is cheating perceived by students as unethical and a serious offence? What % of students have admitted to cheating is some form?
Whilst students admit to cheating being unethical, studies by the Center for Academic Integrity (CAI) have shown 60% still admit to cheating in some form (McCabe, 2005). This is concerning because knowing something is unethical and still partaking in the activity could suggest that our workforce and leaders of the future will take this ethical fading and apply it in their professional lives, this is further highlighted a study (Teixeira and Rocha, 2009) where they cited Lawson 2004 who found that students perceptions of ethics and ethical behaviour will have an influence of their actions in the workplace in the future.
What types of cheating are most popular?
Continuing on from the section above, research into cheating carried out by Dr Donald McCabe (one of the founders of the International Center for Academic Integrity (ICAI)), showed that more than 60% of university students freely admit to cheating in some form, across a range of assessment types. Follow up research by ICAI researchers in March 2020 (academicintegrity.org, 2020) found the following:
Source: (academicintegrity.org, 2020)
Interestingly ‘Ghost Writing’ (getting someone else to write your assessment) only accounted for 2% of the types of cheating.?‘Ghost Writing’ is typically seen as impacting the validity of open book exams and often cited as a reason why an institution will not offer open book style assessments, citing parents and employers as not trusting the method.?
Based on the statistics presented above, this perception it could be argued is skewed by those insidious companies and individual that offer these services. Parents, colleges, employers all see the vast amounts of advertising these companies carry out and then leap to the assumption that the majority of their students will use them, even though the evidence suggests otherwise.
In a time of fake news and information overload, it is easy to see how perceptions take hold with very little evidence other than the agenda designed to drive them. For this reason, institutions need to keep an open mind and look to reputable research and data to form opinions on assessment validity.
Are some assessment methods more open to cheating than others?
When seeking answers to this question the first thing that became apparent was that there is very little research carried out into assessment type, the research cited thus far shows that it is the drivers to cheat and the types of cheating that are prevalent, in fact research on academic cheating dates back to the turn of the century. So, understanding those drivers and how to minimise and tackle this in numerous settings seems to be the approach most studies have taken.
Technologies are always changing and since the Covid-19 pandemic we have seen the introduction of widespread online proctoring with paper-based tests and assignments being moved online.
In a study published online in 2018 (pre-pandemic) on the impact of technology on cheating, it was conclude that technology plays a major role in the detection of cheating and that the method of assessment doesn’t prevent or encourage cheating but the increase in technology solutions is now starting to alert students to the fact that they cannot easily plagiarise without detection, the study states;?‘teachers found the solution for cheating and plagiarism in technology, both teachers and students who support technological solution of the problem determined as the most important factor in dealing with academic dishonesty the use of plagiarism software.’ (Peytcheva-Forsyth, Aleksieva and Yovkova, 2018).
Devising an assessment strategy that aligns assessment to reflect the intended outcome and minimises cheating
When deciding on an assessment strategy and method, we do not want to stifle innovation and we want the assessment to be the best reflection of the job roles the qualification can lead to. Some of the elements to considered are:
A key consideration when devising any assessment is validity, so what does this mean??
Validity is the ability of the assessment to test what it intends to measure, so for example a test for reading should not be heavily formula and maths based.
There are many types of assessment that will test theoretical knowledge; open-book, closed book etc., but each type requires different skills to prepare for those assessments:
When considering assessment type you should not only look at the validity and reliability of the assessment, but also consider the end user’s onward journey.
Which employment field might our end users find themselves in and can we create learning and assessments that will serve their future employment?
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Similarly, if their onward journey is to university or higher study will the learning and assessment experience best equip them for further study?
Once all of these areas (and many others) are considered it is then time to look at the potential that each assessment type has for academic malpractice and what mechanisms can be deployed to minimise cheating and impersonation.
Minimising impersonation and cheating
The facts remain that all assessment types are open to cheating and impersonation, but the use of technology is rapidly improving to help detect cheating and it is hoped over time deter it.?This is further highlighted in the previously mentioned study when it concludes: ’that according to the perspectives of SU students and teachers the role of technologies for prevention (rather than occurrence) of cheating and plagiarism in the assessment is emphasized. The authentication and authorship checking systems such as TeSLA allow multi-component verification of the students’ identity and the originality of their submissions thus having the potential to change the perspectives of sceptical teachers on e-assessment and prevent students’ attempts of cheating and plagiarism.’?(Peytcheva-Forsyth, Aleksieva and Yovkova, 2018).
The 1-2-3 guide to minimise cheating and enable assessment innovation
1)????Choice of marking process and adequate resources
Many Awarding Organisations opt to allow internal marking by training providers, if those qualifications are regulated by Ofqual they are required to have a CASS strategy, this is to ensure assessment practice is standardised and scrutinised, this requirement is a recent introduction so it remains to be seen if further safeguards will be implemented.?
Another option is to externally mark everything, removing marking from local settings, so that teachers are not conflicted or pressured to grade inaccurately
Robust external marking processes and procedures ensure that cheating and impersonation are minimised, and centres remain unconflicted and can focus all their time on teaching and delivery and supporting the students.?This choice to externally mark comes at a great cost to awarding bodies and assessment organisations but shows a dedication to up hold integrity and quality. Regardless of where students are in the world, they can be assured that their assessments are being marked alongside all other assessments by an experienced and dedicated academic team.
2)????Investing in technology and process
Whatever assessment method an awarding or assessment organisation opts for they need to factor in the cost of have the appropriate technology to minimise the desire, instance, and opportunity to cheat.?Investment in a high quality external marking team and ensure they are fully equipped with the most up to date anti-plagiarism and collusion software or having online proctoring to detect cheating.
Having and implementing malpractice policies and processes is essential. As highlighted earlier in this paper research has shown that ‘Honour Codes’ and firm processes when in place and followed can reduce the likelihood of a student cheating.
3)????Criminalise essay mills
In 2022 the UK government made Essay Mills illegal, in an article published on the GOV.UK website, the then Skills Minister Alex Burghart had written to internet service platforms to make sure they know that essay mills – which facilitate cheating by helping academic writing, often by appearing to be legitimate – have been made illegal and to call on their support in making sure they can no longer advertise online (educationhub.blog.gov.uk, 2022).?
Australia and South Africa banned Essay Mills back in 2020 and the consequences are high.
This is a step in the right direction as criminalising these practices will not only deter companies from offering and advertising these services, but it makes it clear to students that they are using an illegal service.
Having a strong stance that is government driven is something that can help tackle the problem.
In conclusion
This paper has clearly shown that any assessment type is open to cheating, be it using a third party to write the assessment, colluding and plagiarising or gross misconduct of teaching staff.?The key takeaways are:
Not offering a particular assessment type due to fear of cheating will stifle innovation and prevent students from being ready for real world application.
The recommendations and evidence presented in this paper need to be seriously considered and the ‘myths’ around certain assessment types being more open to cheating dispelled.
Training providers, colleges, universities and awarding organisations need to work together to ensure they can provide innovative learning and assessment which truly prepares their students for the workplace of today and the future.
To not do this would be a dereliction of duty to our students and the next generation entering the workforce.
Reference List
academicintegrity.org. (2020). Facts and Statistics. [online] Available at: https://academicintegrity.org/resources/facts-and-statistics.
Baijnath, N. and Singh, D. (2019). Examination cheating: Risks to the quality and integrity of higher education. South African Journal of Science, [online] 115(11/12). doi:10.17159/sajs.2019/6281.
educationhub.blog.gov.uk. (2022). Essay mills are now illegal - Skills Minister calls on internet service platforms to crack down on advertising - The Education Hub. [online] Available at: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2022/04/28/essay-mills-are-now-illegal-skills-minister-calls-on-internet-service-providers-to-crack-down-on-advertising/.
McCabe, D. (2005). Facts and Statistics. [online] academicintegrity.org. Available at: https://academicintegrity.org/resources/facts-and-statistics.
Peytcheva-Forsyth, R., Aleksieva, L. and Yovkova, B. (2018). The impact of technology on cheating and plagiarism in the assessment – The teachers’ and students’ perspectives. The impact of technology on cheating and plagiarism in the assessment – The teachers’ and students’ perspectives. doi:10.1063/1.5082055.
Teixeira, A.A.C. and Rocha, M.F. (2009). Cheating by economics and business undergraduate students: an exploratory international assessment. Higher Education, 59(6), pp.663–701. doi:10.1007/s10734-009-9274-1.