{"id":121,"date":"2012-07-31T13:50:41","date_gmt":"2012-07-31T06:50:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/neilcommons.com\/?p=121"},"modified":"2012-07-31T13:50:41","modified_gmt":"2012-07-31T06:50:41","slug":"the-issues-of-academic-honesty-and-the-class-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/neilcommons.com\/?p=121","title":{"rendered":"The issues of academic honesty and the class test"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Some rights reserved by albertogp123<\/p><\/div>\n

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In theory a test can be an excellent assessment task and devoid of all academic issues.\u00a0 We like to think it as a pure moment; a student walks into a class, answers the questions the best they can and then walks away.\u00a0 Thus, leaving a true insight into the ability of the students\u2019 ability to use the tools they have learnt.\u00a0 Furthermore, a test can act as excellent piece of formative assessment if the students are given the opportunity for a supported review.\u00a0 With these honest aspirations I want to consider some of issues relating to academic honesty which need to be considered for this to be a truly fair assessment tool.<\/p>\n

Please note that for this blog post I am considering a test which a student might sit at the end of a unit.\u00a0 I am purposely avoiding the issues related to nationalized testing – such as exam style bias, or manipulation by teachers due to a range of outside pressures.\u00a0 I am also not advocating this as the only suitable assessment task \u2013 I think it is one of many assessment tools which I accept some students perform better with than others.<\/p>\n

So with my caveat out of the way here is my initial list of issues that need to be considered by both the teacher and the school institution:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Issue<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

Description<\/td>\nSolution<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Institutional test history<\/td>\nWhen used as a formative tool it means that a test gets given to the student community and this becomes a reference for future generations of students completing this unit.<\/td>\n1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 As a teacher we need to revisit the test we set each time and make adjustments<\/p>\n

2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Only use as a summative tool \u2013 which to me is an educational failing.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Different test times<\/td>\nWhen timetabling causes tests to be held at different times it means that those students who take the test first can provide an insight to those taking the test later.<\/td>\n1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Set the timetable with an opportunity to have at least one shared period (this might put another subject out once in a while but what goes around should come around for them also)<\/p>\n

2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Set a different test for every class \u2013 which to me would not help the teachers with their work-life balance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Oh no I have missed the test due to\u2026.<\/td>\nStudent misses the test so completes it later hence benefitting from the shared insight of other students<\/td>\n1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Set one catch-up test which has been suitable adjusted and informs all students that this is the only other opportunity to complete this assessment.<\/p>\n

2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0There should be other chances to test students during the year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Crib sheets<\/td>\nSecret additional notes brought into the test<\/td>\n\n
    \n
  1. Set a test which is based on application of knowledge and not recollection e.g. give them all the formulas they need<\/li>\n
  2. Consistent rules relating to students being caught cheating in this manner<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The useful toilet break<\/td>\nA well placed toilet break provides an opportunity for a student to use their phone to access a world of information<\/td>\nSchool rule that you cannot go to the bathroom until you have finished the test, unless you are accompanied<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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I mentioned earlier this was my initial list because I am hoping this blog post will provide an opportunity for further issues and solutions to be voiced.\u00a0 So please do add comments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  In theory a test can be an excellent assessment task and devoid of all academic issues.\u00a0 We like to think it as a pure moment; a student walks into a class, answers the questions the best they can and then walks away.\u00a0 Thus, leaving a true insight into the ability of the students\u2019 ability […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-121","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-academic-honesty","category-myp","count-0","even alt","author-neilcommons","last"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/neilcommons.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/neilcommons.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/neilcommons.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/neilcommons.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/neilcommons.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=121"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/neilcommons.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":124,"href":"http:\/\/neilcommons.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121\/revisions\/124"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/neilcommons.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/neilcommons.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/neilcommons.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}