1. Cheating in Online Classes: How Concerned Should We Be?
Jennifer Peterson, MS, RHIA, CTR
Department of Health Sciences

2. Online Classes Great growth in recent years One drawback: cheating
BUT – is cheating really more prevalent online?
AND – how concerned should we be?

3. Your Experience How many of you have taught an online class?
How many of you think that students cheat more online?
How many of you think that students cheat more in class?
Let’s see what the literature says . . .

4. College Student Cheating In General
Studies show students admit to cheating - 60%+
Studies show faculty estimate cheating %*
Big disconnect!
Volpe, Davidson, & Bell, 2008, para. 12

5. Why Do Student Cheat? Better Grades!
Fraud triangle:
Incentive/pressure
Opportunity
Rationalization/attitude
“Everyone does it”
“It isn’t hurting anyone”
Grade more important than learning
King, Guyette, & Piotrowski, 2009, p. 3

6. Differences in Perceptions of Cheating
Everything on internet is public information
Everyone cheats so they’re at a disadvantage if they don’t
Don’t see dishonest behaviors as wrong
Cheating is legitimate and necessary*
Cole & Swartz, 2013, p. 744

7. Current Culture Normalized cheating
Morals and ethics surrounding cheating have changed
“Temporary social groups of universities, where culture control may result in students’ rejection of general societies norms” (Kidwell and Kent, 2008, p. S14).

8. Who Cheats the Most? Traditional Aged Males
Members of Greek organizations
Athletes
Business majors
Also, based on culture of college or university

9. Cheating in Online Courses
Belief that there is more cheating
Why?
Harder to identify cheating
Students better at using online resources to cheat
Distance between student and instructor leads to more cheating
Lack of face-to-face contact makes it more acceptable

10. Reality of Online vs. On-Campus Cheating
Findings mixed
Some studies find more online (one study found 41.1% compared to 20%)1
Other studies found the same (one study found 65% of students felt it was the same)2
Many studies find more in on campus setting!
Panic cheating
Collaborative cheating
1. Lanier, 2006, p. 249; 2. p. 253

11. So, Why The Focus on Online Course Cheating?
Focus on online course cheating due to increase in number of online classes
Questions about quality of online courses
Affects perception of online courses
AND perception of institution
Speaks to integrity and ethics of graduates in workforce
Government requires measures to insure academic integrity

12. Should We Just Accept Cheating?
Yes: Acknowledge cheating and create other types of assessment
No: Duty and responsibility to teach ethics and morals
Again, government has weighed in

13. So, How Can We Prevent Cheating in Online Courses
Proctoring exams and assignments
High-tech – web cams, fingerprint analysis, IP address tracking, iris scans
Middle-of-the-road:
Increase students sense of community
Keep online classes small and encourage interaction and lessen feelings of isolation
Design classes with open book and other types of assessments (essays, projects)
Timed exams, randomized question pools, assessment modifications

14. Challenges With These Methods
Must discourage cheating
Must be cost effective and acceptable to students
Must not interfere with learning process
No one best answer

15. Institution Commitment to Academic Integrity
Culture in which cheating not tolerated
Clear policies and procedures for violators
Faculty discussing academic integrity in classes
Honor codes

16. Conclusions
True or not, belief exists that online course cheating higher
Acceptance of cheating isn’t a reasonable practice
Our duty to prepare ethical and moral students
Must consider academic integrity in online course design

17. Your Feedback What methods do you use?
Which have you found to be effective?
Which are the most acceptable to students?
Which disrupt the learning process the least?

18. References
Cole, M. T., & Swartz, L. B. (2013). Understanding academic integrity in the online learning environment: A survey of graduate and undergraduate business students. Proceedings from ASBBS Annual Conference February 2013.
King, C. G., Guyette, R. W. Jr., & Piotrowski, C. (2009). Online exams and cheating: An empirical analysis of business students’ views. The Journal of Educators Online, 6(1).
Lanier, M. M. (2006). Academic integrity and distance learning. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 17(2), DOI: /
Volpe, R., Davidson, L., & Bell, M. C. (2008). Faculty attitudes and behaviors concerning student cheating. College Student Journal, 42(1),