Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Okay, I have a new one. Apparently, I have students who are simply copying lab reports from last year and turning them in. I know this because I made major changes to a lab because it didn't go well last year and I'm looking at half a dozen lab reports with the same values and equipment issues as last year (I replaced equipment so we didn't have these issues this year).
I'm guessing I'm now going to have to go to multiple labs like I have multiple tests. UGH.
I'm going to guess this has been going on all along but I just didn't catch it. What really bugs me is these students didn't even have the sense to realize that the values and equipment are different from last year. Seriously???
I intend to give them zeros. My concern is how to stop this or catch it in the future. I caught it this time because I changed this lab from last year. I'm guessing this is not the first time this has happened.
This is really annoying. I have to spend a rediculous amount of time trying to catch cheaters. It slows down grading of everything. I'm wondering how other teachers make sure their students are not just copying last year's work.
Exactly....it's called natural consequences, much more effective than teacher-imposed consequences. Kids will have natural consequences in life, so it gets them ready.
I make sure students aren't copying last year's work by changing work year-to-year....just like you did. You don't have to change it dramatically (so it shouldn't to that time-consuming) just change it enough so verbatim copying will reveal itself.
I teach digital literacy and internet research, so I do spend plenty of time catching "copy-and-pasters", but it is worth it because word gets around. I initially give them a zero, but also give them the option of redoing it correctly for 50% possible credit. I found lazy students simply never did it....much too easy of a way out for kids who already don't care.
I approach the natural consequence like this:
"I'm sorry you made that choice. I would also feel upset and ashamed if I had to redo an assignment for that reason. Please let me know if you decide to redo the assignment for 1/2 credit."
I don't pause even for a minute to let them interject or argue.
I intend to give them zeros. My concern is how to stop this or catch it in the future. I caught it this time because I changed this lab from last year. I'm guessing this is not the first time this has happened.
This is really annoying. I have to spend a rediculous amount of time trying to catch cheaters. It slows down grading of everything. I'm wondering how other teachers make sure their students are not just copying last year's work.
Just have them email you the item as a word document. It makes it really easy to catch.
I intend to give them zeros. My concern is how to stop this or catch it in the future. I caught it this time because I changed this lab from last year. I'm guessing this is not the first time this has happened.
This is really annoying. I have to spend a rediculous amount of time trying to catch cheaters. It slows down grading of everything. I'm wondering how other teachers make sure their students are not just copying last year's work.
If the school has an environment of sharing previous years' work among students, the only way you can stop the behavior is to vary the assignments each year. That's how you caught this one, and once the kids know that they can't get away with it, it will stop.
Varying assignments from year to year is good practice. You made changes from last year- why did you do so? I try to take time after my units to reflect on what went well, what did not go well, and how I can streamline the unit for the next time around. This process does take time, but since you are concerned with this specific problem, it is time well spent although we both know it is not time well compensated.
If the school has an environment of sharing previous years' work among students, the only way you can stop the behavior is to vary the assignments each year. That's how you caught this one, and once the kids know that they can't get away with it, it will stop.
Varying assignments from year to year is good practice. You made changes from last year- why did you do so? I try to take time after my units to reflect on what went well, what did not go well, and how I can streamline the unit for the next time around. This process does take time, but since you are concerned with this specific problem, it is time well spent although we both know it is not time well compensated.
There is a limited number of ways to vary a lab meant to teach a specific chemistry topic.
I intend to give them zeros. My concern is how to stop this or catch it in the future. I caught it this time because I changed this lab from last year. I'm guessing this is not the first time this has happened.
This is really annoying. I have to spend a rediculous amount of time trying to catch cheaters. It slows down grading of everything. I'm wondering how other teachers make sure their students are not just copying last year's work.
You can't stop it. But you can alter labs year to year..just enough so that YOU know if it's been copied.
I caught 2 girls cheating one time..their work was exactly the same with one word replaced. I put them side by side and show them the work and asked.."So, these are the exact same outputs with one word changed..even the number of "!" and the simileys are the same."
You know what they told me.."Well, we're cousins so we think alike".
They both got a 0.
There is a limited number of ways to vary a lab meant to teach a specific chemistry topic.
I took the OP's problem to be the report out as opposed to the lab itself. The report can certainly be tweaked enough from year to year to avoid this problem. There is more than one way to describe how to peel an orange.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
