About “Faking the Grade…”
Admittedly, I came into the semester knowing very little about the subject of academic dishonesty as it relates to the academic library. What little I did know was from my own experience as a student where I was asked to read the school’s “honesty code” every semester. I knew that academic librarians were tasked with teaching Information Literacy courses, but I was not clear on their roles in preserving integrity. I soon realized that I had never before examined this issue through an ethical or philosophical microscope!
To get a feel for just how widespread the issue of academic dishonesty is, I decided to look for documentaries or other non-fiction media that could give me a brief overview of the topic. This was how I stumbled upon “Faking the Grade.”
“Faking the Grade” is a documentary film by Andy Blicq that explores the structure of the modern educational system, the psychological factors that drive students to cheat, and solutions for educators (and I would posit librarians, too) about prevention methods. I feel that it is an excellent place to start if you are new to the subject of academic honesty ethics or if you have heard about it, but are curious to learn more.
The only downside to this film is that I was unable to find a free or low-cost version of it anywhere. Even the “educational” version of the film was $120.00! Cost aside, this would make an excellent film to add to a of professional development collection (which will be discussed in a later blog post). I wish that I had been able to see the entire documentary.
Key Highlights:
From what I was able to glean from the two video clips, the most compelling information I found was that half (50%) of the undergraduate students who responded to a Canadian study about academic integrity admitted to cheating while attending a university. Furthermore, the study reported that three-quarters (75%) of respondents said they cheated in high school (Blicq 2012).
Additionally, it was very surprising how technology was being used to both facilitate and discourage cheating. The first clip discusses how students are using tiny Bluetooth earpieces to help them cheat. In the clip, they are no bigger than an eraser head (Blicq 2012)! Teachers are also armed with technology and are on the defensive, as in the second clip (below the cut) that shows a cellphone detectors and cameras that proctors can use that can be hidden inside every day devices (Blicq 2012).
Brief Reflections:
What surprised me most about about these clips is just how prevalent cheating is in colleges and universities. Perhaps I live in idyllic world, but I assumed that given the pressures and serious consequences with cheating in college (such as being kicked from the program) would be enough to detract from academic dishonesty. I know that cheating does happen in college, but I suppose I thought the number would be much lower. It makes me wonder if technology may have contributed to an increase in dishonest behavior or if the statistics from the film have been consistent over time. Is cheating a constant when exposed to external pressures? Is is a part of human nature? Can we, as librarians, do anything to influence this behavior? I plan to explore this more in my next post about some of the theories behind what motivates us to cheat.
Discussion Questions:
Do you agree with the documentary’s stance that the nature of the higher education environment encourages cheating? Do you feel the response would have been different if the integrity survey was given in a different country (in other words, is this issue unique to North America)? Is it ethical for proctors, teachers, or librarians to use hidden technology in an attempt to catch students in the act? Does recording students in an attempt to reveal dishonesty constitute a privacy violation?
Feel free to leave a comment on any of these questions or anything else that you found interesting!
Video Clip #1:
Blicq, Andy. 2012. “Faking the Grade.” Merit Motion Pictures. YouTube video, 3:18. Accessed March 16, 2015. http://meritmotionpictures.com/portfolio-items/faking-the-grade/.
See the entire review below the cut!
Video Clip #2:
Blicq, Andy. Posted by Scott Schober. 2012. “Faking the Grade: Classroom Cheaters.” YouTube video clip from “Faking the Grade,” 1:00. December 6. Accessed March 16, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcjQ1fVlMPk.
Brief Description:
"Faking the Grade" is a documentary that explores the reasons behind the high rate of student cheating and academic dishonesty in North American colleges. Blicq (2012), the director, found that 50% of the student polled admitted to having cheated in college and 75% of those students say they cheated in high school. The documentary examines the reasons behind why more and more students are turning to dishonest measures to complete assignments and tests. It also looks at how students are using technology to help them cheat and some of the counter-measures that schools and teachers are taking.
Reasons for Selection:
What I like about this documentary is that it explores the reasons behind why students turn to dishonesty, (i.e. the psychological and emotional motivations that act as a precursor to cheating.) Additionally, rather than serving as an instructional guide for students, it acts as an introspective look at academia as a whole, including how standards have changed and put increasing pressure on students in the last several decades. Finally, I like that the director looks at how technology has changed the face of education, both from a cheating standpoint and a detection standpoint.
Usefulness:
By informing themselves about the motivators that drive students to cheat, librarians can develop content that focuses on de-incentivizing dishonesty. For example, if a motivator for cheating is a perceived lack of time, a librarian can ensure that the databases they provide are quick and easy to access and are advertised as such. Additionally, by understanding how technological developments change the ways that students are getting their information, librarians can respond and embrace these trends. For example, librarians can ensure that students have access to library materials via tablets and smartphones. Finally, the documentary provides solutions for addressing new methods of cheating (such as with the cellphone tracker/blocker featured in the second clip). Librarians can work with instructors to ensure that new methods are being explored that increase the difficulty level of cheating in addition to educating students about the ease of using library materials.
Personal Conclusions:
The documentary brings up some important ethical questions for library staff and faculty to explore in twenty-first century classrooms. Is cellphone blocking in the classroom or in the library (in the case of a proctored exam) considered ethical? What if a student had an emergency during the test and needed to dial out? Is it ethical to keep cheating detection devices hidden by using water bottles, books, or pens to “trick” students into a false sense of security? If they knew these methods were in place and clearly visible would it mean that they would be less likely to cheat because they knew they were being monitored or would they attempt to find ways around the devices if they knew they were in place?
Post References:
Blicq, Andy. 2012. “Faking the Grade.” Merit Motion Pictures. YouTube video, 3:18. Accessed March 16, 2015. http://meritmotionpictures.com/portfolio-items/faking-the-grade/.
---. Posted by Scott Schober. 2012. “Faking the Grade: Classroom Cheaters.” YouTube video clip from “Faking the Grade,” 1:00. December 6. Accessed March 16, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcjQ1fVlMPk.
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