Cheating on the Rise Among High School Students
A new survey of American teenagers finds that academic dishonesty is rampant and getting worse at high schools. A whopping 64 percent of high school students surveyed by the Center for Youth Ethics at the Josephson Institute in Los Angeles said they had cheated on a test at least once in the past year, up from 60 percent in 2004. Thirty-eight percent said they had cheated two or more times, while another 36 percent said they had used the Internet to plagiarize an assignment, up from 33 percent two years ago. Cheating on homework is also widespread; 82 percent said they had copied another student's work at least once in the past year.
The survey results underscore the pervasiveness of academic dishonesty even as schools employ more sophisticated means to catch cheaters and take a tougher stance to discourage unethical behavior. (U.S. News recently explored the efforts to stop cheating in higher education.) The students' responses raise questions about why cheating is on the rise and whether high schools should emphasize character education. Nearly 30,000 students at 100 randomly selected high schools participated in the survey; all respondents were guaranteed anonymity.
Besides cheating, 30 percent of students said they have stolen from stores. More than 8 in 10 students said they have lied to a parent about something significant. The survey finds that unethical behavior is prevalent at both public and private schools, but in some instances it happens less frequently at private schools and among honor students. Boys are more likely than girls to behave dishonestly, although there is virtually no difference when it comes to cheating.
Among the most troubling findings is that students who engage in dishonest acts still hold a positive view of themselves. For example, 93 percent of the respondents said they were satisfied with their personal ethics and character, and 77 percent said that "when it comes to doing what is right, I am better than most people I know." It's not clear how the behavior of public figures, including company executives involved in the financial crisis, has shaped students' cavalier attitudes. Asked if they agreed with the statement that "In the real world, successful people do what they have to do to win, even if others consider it cheating," 59 percent answered in the affirmative.
Tags: high school | students | education
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cheating
i think that cheating is awesome!!!
Good grades vs. success
Cheating to achieve good grades gives the illusion of success. In our society, the acquisition of knowledge is secondary to achieving and maintaining high marks in school. There are few students who can be counted on to truly achieve both good grades and acquire the the knowledge they are responsible for learning. It is proven through study and experience that the major factor in a young person's edification is parental involvement. How many times as a parent have you sat down with your child and helped them study or review? Have you actually checked on your student's ability to handle his coursework, or have you relied on report cards, notes home or what your child reports to you? When your child comes home and you ask about their day, do you settle for, "fine?" Make all the excuses you want: blame it on the teachers, overcrowded classrooms, lack of funding, or this ominous "pressure" JT from OR is using to mask the issue. American students are spoiled, impatient and unwilling to earn success. The traditional grading system is set up to identify a student's measured success with the coursework. An "A" student has mastered every aspect of the material while a failing student may have to repeat the course to achieve an acceptable level of skill and knowledge to pass the class. As much a child may believe, repeating a course is not the end of the world. Yes, there is the issue of losing face among peers, but school is for learning. What we do when we water down the material, our standards or expectations or "ease up" on these kids is a great disservice. This disservice spreads like a cancer through many aspects of our society and it's malignancy is proving fatal. Let their mettle be measured and encourage your kids to keep trying. It's only OK to fail if you didn't learn from your mistakes and try, try again.
Cheating... Texas or otherwise
I am a Texas computer teacher, and I find that students are pressured to "succeed". We have kids who have their parents grandstanding getting "good" grades when they have so many activities on their plates they do not have time to do anything resembling homework, and God help us if it interferes with athletics. They give them "passes" if they are good athletically but not academically, and we are pressured to "get them thru". So, the no pass no play is a joke (unlike in Michigan where I grew up and thay had that back in the 60's) because athletes have to pass!!!
Another thought, we have ipods, mp3 players, cell phones, and other electronic devices...texting makes test giving a true challenge when they can text during a test. We are challenged when we ask to remove phones. Everyone thinks they have a right to do what they want. And, people wonder why teachers leave....
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