Students are also concerned about cheating: it can diminish the hard work and achievement of students who complete assessments honestly, and when students perceive cheating by others many feel pressured to cheat themselves. Creating a sense of mutual accountability and communicating clearly about expectations can remind students about the importance of integrity and reduce some pressures to cheat.
- Set expectations around proper ways to take an exam. Taking exams in the privacy of one's own room doesn't feel like taking a traditional exam and means the usual reminders not to cheat are not visible. With that in mind, there is value in revising the story and reminding students that this is still an academic enterprise. This might include discussing the importance of integrity in this project, reminding students what it means to take an exam, or talking about expectations – or better still, getting students to voice those expectations themselves. Some faculty ask students to write a statement of their own indicating what it means to take the exam with integrity.
- Frame academic integrity as a collaborative effort and part of one's responsibility to peers and to scholarly activity. Remind students of the larger impact of inappropriate collaboration and use of resources, such as text books, during exams.
- Remind students of the purpose of exams and other assessments. Though sometimes stressful, they are opportunities for students to display their hard work and progress.
- Clearly define what kinds of behavior is and is not appropriate. For instance, in an open-book exam, what sources (including collaboration) are and are not legitimate.
- Maintain clear and open instructor-student communication during the exam window so students know where to turn with questions, rather than seeking out peers.
- Let students know that you are checking to make sure students are not cheating. Faculty have said that being specific about this (perhaps letting the class know when an instance of cheating has been determined – though without any names), can make this feel like something instructors take seriously, which can be reassuring for students
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