Every time we have a math quiz, MOST of the people in my class are using their phones (they usually get a high grade) , I know that I won’t be able to cheat and I feel so bad because I’m getting a B and they are getting an A for something they didn’t even studied for. It took me hours to study while they were just using their phones to calculate equations. I’m crying right now because it feels so unfair. I feel so down and I know I shouldn’t really mind them but they are just sitting beside me and I can always see when they do that. How do I deal with a situation like this? I feel so depressed just thinking about it. Please help.
I am a math prof and do not allow phones on exams. Where’s your professor in all this? Is this at a testing center? Your instructor should have rules about putting away all phones before taking the quiz. If not able to approach your professor, then go to the math department chairperson or even the dean.
Many old school math profs are not even aware that many math questions can be looked up on the internet - seriously.
I would approach prof and suggest that it isn’t fair to the honest students when he is letting the other students look up problems on their phones. Are students able to use a calculator? Do you believe they are googling the question rather than using the calculator on their phones?
Be proud that you are taking the class, trying to learn the material, and approaching the exam with integrity. Do make an appointment with your professor, the department head, or dean as previously suggested above to discuss the problem, not to grade grub or complain that it is fair, but rather that using phones or any other material not allowed is cheating and it’s wrong. Your professor can’t do anything about it if he/she doesn’t know about it.
Does your college have a honor system?
I think what I would do is during office hours go to my prof and say "Prof, I wanted to let you know that during our quizzes I see many people using their phones to help calculate. I don’t think you can see them from where you sit, but it is frustrating to me. An idea is to have everyone take out their phones and turn them off and leave them upside down on their desks. "
Maybe I’m behind in the times, but wouldn’t phones be prohibited on any tests? The rules should be, at least it was in my kid’s HS, for any classroom quiz or test, phones off and not on the person (ie in the school bag). To me it would seem pretty easy for any proctors to walk up and down the aisles and spot a phone user. In fact, from what I understand for some university classes, they even have proctors guarding the bathrooms.
If phones are allowed in class, then how do you know that they are cheating ?
My advice is to just do your own work & move on.
Check your class syllabus or class TA to see if there are any rules or guidelines regarding the use of calculators, computers or phones for the class, for homework and for exams. If there are rules, then you can alert the TA or prof if the rules are being broken. If there are none, then you can ask the prof for clarification and express your concerns. But you need to know what the existing policies are.
I feel for you. I really do. I think the rampant cheating is the main thing that is going to drive me out of the profession. Here’s a little context from a professor’s point of view. This is JUST MY point of view–please, parents, don’t haze me for my perspective.
- Most profs do care, and will do what they can to stop the cheating. However, some simply don't. For them, having students get good grades means fewer issues, and they don't care about the learning, so they just pass the buck. I have one colleague whose students rampantly cheat on his online quizzes. I worked up the courage to tell him about it, and he said, "Oh, I know. I don't care." Ummm... okay. Surprise, surprise, students flock to his class and not to that of the harder teachers. Thankfully we don't teach the same courses, but I've seen really good teachers driven out of courses because his classes fill and theirs don't.
- Some faculty have administrators who will not back them up. Accusing a student of cheating in many schools starts off a very long, arduous process in which the responsibility is on the professor to prove wrongdoing. At any step of the way, a chair, dean, VP, or President can side with the student, even in the face of irrefutable evidence. This often happens for political reasons, or parental pressure/defense of the student. Administrators don't like angry parents, and parents will often defend their children vigorously because they do not believe their children could have cheated. I have had this happen to me, I have had this happen to colleagues. It takes hours and hours and hours of time, and often ends up not worth the effort, as the student is given a slap on the wrist at best, a chance to make up the work they cheated on, etc.
That is my reality, across several institutions, both universities and community colleges. Take it for what it’s worth.
I will add, after graduation, you will know how to do the math, and they won’t. So hang in there, and realize that good work does pay off for you. Unfortunately, cheating pays off too. It’s part of our culture, unfortunately. Some people get caught, but many don’t.
But OP does not know that others are cheating. In my opinion, making a false accusation against another is far worse than any alleged cheating on a math test. Is it even clear that phone calculators are forbidden ?
The OP is at a great disadvantage if the class is being graded on a curve. Definitely talk to the professor.
Seems like professors should just not allow phones at all.
Thanks for all the replies. My seat mate was once asked how she did on the exam and she proudly and loudly said 105 over 100 (including extra points) because I saw her using her phone. She had a lot of things on her desk to cover it up and I wish the Professor would even see it! I can’t even focus because I’m struggling and it’s so quick for them to do the equation. Our school have a wifi so they can definitely just calculate it or look it up. I don’t like causing any trouble since MOST of them uses it. Before the class starts, I’m reviewing everything while they are just chatting and they get a higher grade because of cheating. It’s so unfair. Sometimes I even wonder if I should also do it but I never have the guts to. I’m stuck with feeling depressed about it because I can’t do anything and at the same time wanting to but I can’t. Maybe I’ll just try to move on, it’s just hard and I don’t want any trouble…
How do you know that others are cheating ?
If most students in your class are using their phones, then maybe it is permitted for calculations.
Thank you. It’s really hard to find someone who will understand my situation because whenever I do open up about it they would just say “Use your phone too”. The thing is, I don’t have the guts to do so. I just feel sad that the people who never gets the problem in class (gets a perfect score). Most of the people in class uses it so I don’t want to cause any trouble. I just don’t know how to deal with it. It always bothers me whenever there’s an exam or quiz and I’m struggling and I see them all using their phones (obviously calculating it) since seats are close to each other, I can tell that they are cheating. Maybe I’ll just try to move on. I just wish I wouldn’t feel sad about it anymore. It makes me so unmotivated.
OP: Based on your past posts on CC, I suspect that the other students are not cheating, just working more efficiently.
LOL of course, let’s say that.
If you don’t feel strong enough to try to get it addressed through the professor, department head or dean, that’s your choice. But remember, successfully handling something usually takes action of some kind. If you can’t or won’t take action then you just need to ignore what others are doing and focus on your own studies and doing the best you can. Your degree will be your degree whether or not they cheat. They aren’t responsible for your deterioration in motivation.
Concentrate on your own work, if other people want to cheat then fine. You know you will get further in life as once you are working you cant fake your way through life forever. They are fools to be honest.