Cole's course work was done: No way to verify who did it. Some have suggested that a high percentage of work in many DL programs is completed by someone other than the registered student. I wonder how prevalent this is?
A "certain" percentage of work in many traditional academic settings is also completed by someone other than the registered student. Opportunities to cheat are myriad.
Thanks for the evidence Thanks for the example - I am collecting them. A week ago I was discussing with colleagues the points raised by someone on this board about the web notice of our up-coming DBA programme in October 2003. This mentioned that 30 per cent of the degree assessment came from course assignments, and someobody rightly challenged me on this point, given my constant campaign against applying such procedures to DL programmes on degreeinfo.com. They are barely acceptable on an on-campus degree programme, let alone on a DL degree programme because of potential fraud. Apart from being against EBS pedagogy - measuring performance solely by output, which we can be reasonably sure is the person's whose name appears on the attestation of their fitness - the file I have collected on widespread fraud by students using other people to complete their assignments, downloading from the Internet useable essays, even paying people who advertise their services for specific MBA course assignments (notably in India at present), when it was passed round won unanimous endorsement that the announced 70:30 assessment was to be removed. I did not have to invoke any powers of instruction. Nobody, serious about academic standards will resist the blatant evidence of widespread internaiton DL fraud and defend having less than reasonably secure final exam regimes (there will always be some cheating at the margin, but why invite it?).
I think notice needs to be taken of the fact that this is a case of a so-called student-athlete who was allegedly aided and abetted by his coach, an agent of the university. My assumption is that assistant coach Harrick (probably along with other UGA officials) placed performance on the court above all else. Another relevant question: How much is this tolerated, condoned and arranged at schools with big money-making sports programs when the student in question is an athlete.
Professor Kennedy refers to "reasonably secure final exam" protocols. Soon after our company took on marketing the Edinburgh Business School MBA in 1991, I wrote a memo of concern to Professor Lumsden, founder and then-head of the program, expressing concerns about several aspects of exam protocol. One issue was that exam sign-up forms could be faxed in, along with the required photo. You know what a faxed photo looks like. Theoretically, the proctor (invigilator) has a copy of this, to match with your phiz at the exam. I suspect I could have faxed in a photo of Albert Einstein, Dolly Parton, or Dolly the Sheep, and gained admission. This was changed. Students were required to mail a clear photo to Edinburgh. But there was (and quite possibly is) nothing to stop them from mailing in a photo of their smart cousin who would take the exam. Picture ID? In these times of color digital copiers, no problem. Another issue was that of allowing calculators, but not programmable ones, or ones with data storage. But proctors were not required to be experts in calculators. Would they really know the difference, especially with a lesser-known brand or model? Fingerprint technology is used in some exam situations, but that is typically not compared with reliable ones from the student at the time of the exam, but only if there is suspicion later on. Yes, there will always be some cheating. What is the tolerable level? 5%? 1%? .01%? Some exam-only degree programs (where there are no other clues as to whether that person is capable of having written that exam) use the practice of telephoning a sample of students just after the exam for a 5 or 10 minute chat about one or two of the exam questions. Of course the smart cousin could be the one on the phone as well, but there is a lesser chance, especially with a non-scheduled call.
How long until we have some kind of practicable authentication mechanism based on DNA? E.g. http://www.promega.com/geneticidproc/ussymp13proc/abstracts/01_itakura.pdf Still leaves the problem of identical twins. And Dolly the Sheep (and other clones).
There are really two questions. What is the tolerable level of ACTUAL cheating? And what is the tolerable level of PERCEIVED cheating? I think the level of actual cheating may be fairly low (perhaps 10%) but the perceived level is very high. People I talk to about DL programs think that most participants cheat. I don't think DL degrees will get much respect unless this perception changes.
Two scenarios: 1) Assessment is based upon one final exam only with little or no input by the student. 2) Assessment is based upon course assignments, participation, and a final exam. If I were the instructor, I'd choose the latter since it provides (at least) a modicum of checks and balances. If, for example, a student offered little or no participation, did poorly on assignments, and scored extremely well on the final, I'd have cause for suspicion. Conversely, if the student participated regularly, did well on the assignments, and botched the final, I might assume the student folded under pressure, did not adequately prepare for the final, or used a surrogate for the "classroom" component of the course. Regardless, I'd be in a much better position to figure out precisely what might have happened than if a comprehensive exam were the only measure of the student's performance.
Pass or perish John Bear: Things have moved on a great deal since 1991 when you were associated with EBS (and Professor Keith Lumsden is still very much in charge). I have no wish to detail our security measures to prevent personation at our over 300 exam centres across the globe, but photo ID is very much tighter (and digitised) and a potential fraudster would have to cheat 9 times over 2-3 years, not just once. Calculators are from an approved set, not any make, and invigilators from the British Council, who do most of this work for the University, are much more sophisticated than the odd clerk who used to do it. Exam invigilation by the British Council (not just for EBS) is a significant business activity. Next time you are in the UK, pop up to Scotland and see how things have moved on. One significant measure of the level of cheating being low is the fact that since 1991 the pass rates in our exams have not risen - we do not have grade inflation - which it would if cheating was prevalent and spreading. Homer: You are raising something not relevant to a DL programme. The campus choice is different from the DL mode. Whether it should have assessment as part of a pass award is a trend I am doubtful of supporting, but in DL such a choice invites fraud, which when caught casts doubt on all previous passes. DL on any scale that is viable financially cannot be sure of the provenance of the graded script, and increasing evidence of people caught cheating will create a 'scandal' that does damage to the DL mode. You can only take notice of student participation in a small class not one of several hundred, and a dispersed DL at that. People learn differently - elementary research shows this and instructors should be aware of the differences - and class participation may reflect different learning styles, not competences. In an exam only regime we test the student's learning not the mode of learning. A pass mark in unambiguous. Whether they deserve to pass or not is subjective and open to pressure not criteria. Charles: The incident is just one of many in my file and the particular details of an athletic scholarship (or an arts scholarship/ or a positive discrimination scholarship/or any of the other inducement pressures, such as a parent donating to the university and expecting a son or daughter to be admitted, as was tried at Oxford recently) indicates the methods of cheating - pre-sight of the exam paper in this case - and is inexcusable. Sports' coaches should not make university grading decisions - I do not choose the University's football team.
An invitation to cheat? Hi I posted a response and went to look at another site (mbainfo.com) and found today's exchange of dubious integrity (if the words mean what they seem to): "Hello friend, All of Ignou student can contact me for any kind of help regarding MCA, MBA, BCA for their TMA PROJECT SOLUTION or also they contact me for CS-11, CS-17, CS-76 Project report I Provide you any kind of help at unbeatable price MANISH Reply: can u provide me the solved assignments for MS-11,41,42,43,44 for SEM 1 2003" This is typical of many similar exchanges and refers to a popular Indian MBA programme. DL or on campus, it discredits the MBA awards of all who study at Ignou. That is my concern as a advocate of DL as the only viable means of bringing education opportunities to an age group not catered for by brick and mortar university courses. Turning a blind eye to such practices, or endorsing campus grading practices that expose DL when replicated, i.e., dilute the exam regime, will bring genuine DL institutions, otherwise accredited within their country's high criteria, down to the same level as degree mills. In fact, can you be sure we will be able to recognise the differences?
I dont think IGNOU MBA is highly regarded in India. The only top tier Business schools are IIM's and next would be MBA programs of UGC Recognised Universities. Ignou is a Open University and it spans across the whole country and less control over the program. I felt too bad to read the Q&A page http://www.mbainfo.com/questions.html Below is the link where the faculty is selling solved assignments. IGNOU SOLVED ASSIGNMENTS :- AVAILABLE ALL THE SOLVED ASSIGNMENTS AND PREVIOUS YEARS SOLVED PAPERS OF IGNOU MBA / MCA / BCA / CIC AT NOMINAL CHARGE. CONTACT AT :- [email protected] IGNOU COACH (26 February 2003) AVAILABLE ALL THE SOLVED ASSIGNMENTS AND PREVIOUS YEARS SOLVED PAPERS OF IGNOU MBA / MCA / BCA / CIC AT NOMINAL CHARGE. CONTACT AT :- [email protected] , [email protected]
