Writing in Inside Higher Education, Doug Lederman discusses the current concern about the level of student cheating in online courses, particularly those hastily moved online in the spring of 2020 due to the pandemic. Two major themes run through the article.
On the one hand, those suspicious about what they believe to be a higher level of student cheating are calling for greater monitoring of student behavior and more vigilant policing of student honesty in courses. This could include measures such as greater scrutiny of student data and assignments as well as technical measures to lock down browsers and enhance online proctoring.
On the other hand, a consideration of the factors that contribute to cheating suggests ways to alter such factors to reduce the forces that lead to cheating. Along with adjusting some of the conditions for assessment, for example moving to pass/fall grading during the pandemic, the other major approach to reducing cheating is to improve pedagogy. In the case of online courses, this might entail retooling the class to promote greater student interaction and active engagement.
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