Non-Technological Ways to Combat Cheating?

blackcoot asks: "I'm currently T.A.ing for a required senior level class in algorithms. Having just graded the latest set of homework, I'm amused / sickened (can't make up my mind on that one) at the level of cheating. Slashdot has covered automated cheating detection in the past here and here, but I'm hoping to find some (necessarily nontech) ways of encouraging students to be a bit more honest (or at least a little less spectacularly stupid in how they cheat). I've been reporting the cheating as I've found it to the relevant profs, but it doesn't seem to be having much of an effect. Any suggestions?"

Comments

Re:Let the job market sort it out.

[BoomerSooner]

There is a difference between lazy and using all the available resources at your disposal.

For example, in your job do you ever look at a reference manual or book? In college that would be considered "cheating". In the business world that is considered okay.

It's all relative. Perception is everything. College is really just a proving ground. Outside of true applied learning (ie, engineering, architecture, medical, ...) most college courses are just bullshit. Why the hell does a freshman need to take East Asian History from 1800 to Present to make them a better software developer? Answer: they don't. I have no problem with someone who uses every available resource to pass a worthless class. Trying to make students "well-rounded" is a fucking waste of time, resources and money, especially since they forget 99% of what they learn anyway.

I bet if you did a poll of everyone you work with and asked if they have ever cheated in their lives, over 50% would respond with a yes (if they answer honestly).

My guess is you won't have many opportunities to avoid cheaters. Just get used to it.