AboutJames J. Kovalcin Expertise I am teaching or have taught AP physics B and C [calculus based mechanics & electricity and magnetism] as well as Lab Physics for college bound students. I have a BS in Physics from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Arts in Teaching from same. I have been teaching physics for 27 years.
Question What if Jenna and Jane are studying for a test.
Jenna has already taken the test but is helping Jane prepare for the test.
Jenna tells Jane one of the questions on the test but not the answer.
Jane does not cheat during the test and does not look off of anyone's paper and does her own work.
Is this cheating?
Well me and my friend were studying and I didn't ask her to tell me about the question.She just told me and I couldn't forget it.And it's been making sad all day long,I can't live with it.I have not had the time to tell the teacher so that he could change my grade.But it's not like she told me this during the test,this was about an hour before the test!What do I do?I didn't know that it could be considered cheating.
Was I really cheating even though I didn't want to know?
Answer I think the answer to this question depends on the teacher! In my class I have virtually no security except numbers. I always distribute many different versions of the same test or quiz such that students sitting next to one another have different versions of the test/quiz! I actually encourage the students to share their tests/quizzes after the fact. The more problems that they have been exposed to the better. This does, of course, require a substantial number of versions and requires a significant initial input from the teacher but the results are excellent. The real problem here seems to me to be the teacher who uses the same test over and over, class after class. It is unrealistic to expect students to not discuss the test questions with their peers.
