Covid’s Cheating Crisis

by Kaliya Trias, News Editor

Photo Credit: Dong Seon Kim

The recent virtual component to schooling has brought into question the honesty and integrity of students. Technological advancements have made it so practically all information is at one’s fingertips making cheating on both assignments and exams more possible. Although students sign an academic honesty contract at the beginning of each school year, many faculty members have voiced their concerns and observations regarding the rising levels of plagiarism.

“There seems to be many reasons for the increased cheating. First of all, I think students feel unprepared and are trying to get a good grade on an assignment, and the grade seems more important these days than actually learning or perfecting skills,” English literature teacher Kimberly Weir said. “Students do not really know me, so it is much easier to be dishonest with someone you do not have to look in the eye everyday. I think students are depressed also, and they feel like the system has failed them, so they rationalize cheating.”

A survey conducted by digital publishing and education company Wiley found that 93 percent of instructors believe students are more likely to cheat virtually rather than in person. Staff and students are unable to build a genuine relationship which would promote a more honest working environment. The major differences between the online learning environment and the in-person learning environment are factors in the distrust between staff and students when it comes to academic honesty.

“Based on my experience I’ve noticed that there has been an increase in cheating because students are just trying to pass rather than putting in the work due to their lack of motivation,” senior Alissa Carnes said.

After analyzing 79 research studies, Texas State University found a variety of motivational factors are driving the recent uptick in cheating which they published in the Educational Psychology Review. Whether the reason lies with the motivation to retain high grades or the lack of academic confidence, the key reason for cheating is currently ‘motivation.’

“There’s definitely been an increase in cheating because it’s much easier to cheat,” Oxford Acadmy senior Briana Greeley said. “A lot of people I know just look up answers to tests, and teachers pretty much know this so they’ve stopped giving so many tests in general.”

The accessibility to answers along with its convenience seem to be two more driving factors in the increase both students and teachers are observing when it comes to cheating on schoolwork. With multiple avenues available for students to use, such as Chegg, Quizlet, and Sparknotes, instructors are not always able to detect academic dishonesty which adds to the lessening of trust between student and teacher.

“While technology is an important tool in the detection of misconduct, I am concerned that entering a high-tech arms race with students will expend resources and good will that would be better spent toward improving student motivation and efficacy as learners,” Microbiology assistant professor at the University of California, Davis Miriam Martin said.

Although instructors have the option of using plagiarism detection sites such as Turnitin.com, not all do.

The noticeable surge in the number of cheating students brings into question the reason behind their actions. Whether that be the unaccountability surrounding virtual learning or the overall lack of motivation, there has been a distrust between students and staff during distance learning.