Originally published in the Learning and Teaching weekly newsletter (internal publication) at Saskatchewan Polytechnic.
There are many reasons why students cheat. It is recognized in the research that situations of extreme stress often cause individuals to act in a way that they would not normally (Curtis, 2021). Factors that contribute to cheating include financial issues, physical and emotional burdens, or illness. Students may also have good intentions yet have fallen victim to the global contract cheating industry that is designed to lure them in. According to a recent podcast with Dr. Sarah Eaton, it is common for these companies to reach out to students on social media. Companies are using bots and algorithms to identify statements such as “I’m struggling with my paper” or “I need help.” Eaton (Day 6, 2022) states that “anywhere that there are students, there are companies out there searching for them, so that they can recruit them, so that they can be their customers” (5:06). These helpful bots then lead students to websites that use helpful and supportive language. In turn, an unbalanced transactional relationship begins under the guise of tutoring and academic help wherein the company knows the students’ name, credit card information, assignment instructions, instructor, course, and institution. Such biographical information is more than enough information to successfully blackmail the student in the future.
Instructors enter this fraught and complicated situation
faced with assignments that are plagiarized, while simultaneously trying to
ensure that every student is successful.
What steps can the instructor take to not only assist students but also
to mitigate the issues of plagiarism and cheating? A discovery interview is a
very useful place to start as it can help the instructor to understand what has
happened and see the situation from the student’s perspective. Tips from the Discovery Interview
document include using a neutral tone and approaching the conversation with
curiousity (Eaton, 2019). Instructors should inquire about the research
process, the materials that were used and also why they were chosen. Asking
probing questions will assist instructors with delving deeper into the topic
and determining if the student has a strong understanding of the content
(Eaton, 2019). Ultimately, institutions of higher education are trying to help
students, not catch them cheating. For more information on using the discovery
interview, watch this clip
(starts at 19:42).
References and Recommended Viewing/Listening
Allen, K. M. (2021,
Apr. 1). Navigating difficult conversations [Video]. In Leading a Growth
Mindset. LinkedIn Learning. https://www.linkedin.com/learning/leading-with-a-growth-mindset/navigating-difficult-conversations?autoplay=true&u=57683345
Centre for
Learning and Innovation. (2021, Oct. 20). Contract cheating: Identifying and
addressing outsourced academic student work [Video file]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBY2dRa4c9o&t=1824s
Curtis, G.
(2021, Dec. 16). Can negative emotions increase students’ plagiarism and
cheating? [Blog post]. BioMed Central. https://blogs.biomedcentral.com/on-society/2021/12/16/can-negative-emotions-increase-students-plagiarism-and-cheating/
Day 6. (2022,
Mar. 19). Why Canada is vulnerable to a $15 billon global academic cheating
industry [Podcast]. CBC Listen. https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-14-day-6/clip/15901629-why-canada-vulnerable-dollar15-billion-global-academic-cheating
Eaton, S. E.
(2019). U have integrity: Educator resource - how to lead a discovery
interview about contract cheating. University of Calgary. http://hdl.handle.net/1880/111077
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