Cheating: Making It a Teachable Moment, Article Review Example

The article, “Cheating: Making it a Teachable Moment,” examines the issue of cheating in academics and highlights various ways that students cheat, what is usually done about it, and how to prevent it. The author also focuses on false assumptions of cheating and how to correctly and legitimately punish cheaters in a way that is fair to all students. Additionally, he talks about allowing students’ voices to be heard on the issue and ways that cheating can be prevented in the first place. It is noted that cheating is not just an anomaly but it is often common and widespread. One of the most compelling ideals in the article deals with whether it is advisable for instructors to personally confront cheaters or have administration simply fix what is broken with a school’s evaluation system. Additionally, the subject of methods for failing students who cheat should be handled in a manner that is equitable for all students. The focus of the article regarding cheating, however, is whether cheating incidences can become teachable moments. It is interesting to note that the article outlines the benefits observed from a case study that includes a classroom exercise to promote integrity in the classroom.

The stakeholders highlighted in the article include the students, instructors, and other administrators in the academic institutions. These are all the entities that are affected by the issue of cheating in academics. The reputation of schools reflects commitment to academic excellence, as illustrated by the instructor’s disdain for cheating and his efforts to catch perpetrators and bring them to justice. The reputations of students who cheat are also at stake. When a student is accused of cheating and is caught doing so, then that student’s academic integrity is called into question and the student is failed and possibly expelled from school.

The article points out the severity of cheating and how it has become more widespread with the emergence of new technologies such as mobile devices. Students are using their cell phones to text answers to each other as a form of cheating. The article explores how the instructor caught students cheating in this manner; he issued a test with dummy answers and found that many students had the same pattern of answers, which suggested that they shared the answers with each other.

Another significant point made in the article deals with the notion that cheating by a few affects many. For example, if a student receives an “A” grade after cheating, then it lowers the morale and motivation of the student who receive the same grade legitimately. It is unethical and unequitable. Additionally, doubts are casts about a student’s academic reputation in other areas and it casts doubts about the legitimacy of all students’ grades in a class.

To apply the topic of this article to my personal and professional life means taking inventory of my own habits and making sure that I continue to earn my grades, money, etc. in honest ways, as cheating and committing unethical acts may only result in, not only failure, but negative consequences. This is something that can also be applied in the organization in which I work, as many people are seen committing unethical acts, such as not paying for snacks that are made available through the honor system, even though they cost the company money. Business leaders must ensure that they are well-trained and stay abreast of possible ethical issues that could arise in the workplace, particularly if gaps are left open that may tempt people to be unethical and cheat, as was seen in the article. The more people cheat in school, the more others are tempted to do so, especially if they see they can get the same grades as working hard and earning them legitimately, which is just unacceptable.

References

Rosile, G. A. (2007, October). Cheating: Making it a teachable moment. Journal of Management Education, 31(5), 582-613.