University Students "Gather to Solve, Share Answers Online" Midterm Cheating Highlighted
Posts Suggesting Sharing Answers on Anonymous Communities Openly Posted
Daekyo Association "No Way to Recommend to Universities Unless Ministry of Education Provides Guidance"
Amid the impact of the novel coronavirus infection, universities nationwide have replaced the entire first semester academic schedule with online classes. However, it has been revealed that some students are gathering in cafes and other places to solve problems together, leading to a surge in 'midterm exam cheating.' The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. / Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon, Intern Reporter Kim Seul-gi] "I found students who gathered together to take the exam. I really hate it."
Amid the nationwide universities implementing online semester openings due to the aftermath of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), suspicions have been raised that some students are committing cheating during exams.
There are claims that students are blatantly violating campus rules by taking midterm exams together or even sharing answers in group chat rooms such as KakaoTalk. As midterms intensify, such cheating is expected to become more rampant.
On the 17th, Ewha Womans University, Konkuk University, UNIST (Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology), Soongsil University, and others announced that all first-semester lectures would be conducted online and remotely, while Seoul National University, Hanyang University, Sungkyunkwan University, Daegu Catholic University, and others extended the end date of online lectures.
Previously, universities planned to conduct online lectures only for the first two weeks after the semester started, but the Ministry of Education indefinitely postponed the end of online lectures and the start of offline classes to prevent the spread of COVID-19, following the implementation of online semester openings for elementary, middle, and high schools.
The problem is cheating. As some universities conduct exams online, suspicions have arisen that students are violating campus rules by sharing answers or gathering to take exams together.
On the 20th, a university student A, an anonymous user of the university student community 'Everytime,' expressed frustration, saying, "I want to report the cheating, but since it's a close friend who only told me, I'm afraid of being suspected, so I can't report it." In response, another student B commented on the post, "Most of them probably took it together except you? I knew this would happen. How do they expect to prevent cheating if it's online?"
Kim (26), a student majoring in computer engineering at a private university in the metropolitan area, said, "I found out that students gathered at a cafe to take the online midterm exam together or created open chat rooms by subject on messenger apps to share answers," adding, "Knowing this made me feel that studying diligently while attending online lectures was pointless."
On the 17th, a post titled "Recruiting Avengers Pod (Group) to Take Midterms Together" was uploaded on the community of a private university. Photo by Hanyang University Everytime
Moreover, it has been confirmed that several posts recruiting participants for cheating, such as offering to take exams on behalf of others or solving exam questions together, have been posted recently on some university communities.
On the 17th, a post titled "Recruiting Avengers Squad to take midterms together" was uploaded on a private university's community.
The author wrote, "Since the major subject exams are online, I am recruiting a group to take them together. Only those who are determined to get an A+ this semester are welcome," and added, "The current plan is for 2-3 people to be responsible for each question, solve it, then 2-3 people cross-check the solutions for correctness and verification, and once confirmed, share the answers with the rest of the team."
Students pointed out that cheating is less likely to occur in oral exams conducted online with webcams (digital cameras connected to computers that transmit real-time video) turned on or in exams with strict time limits for inputting answers, but cheating cannot be prevented when exams require writing answers and submitting them within a deadline.
In response to this situation, some universities issued guidelines not to hold midterm exams for the first semester of 2020. On the 26th of last month, Yonsei University stated, "Due to COVID-19, it is difficult to conduct offline exams, and if exams are held online, fairness controversies are expected," adding, "Whether to replace exams with assignments will be decided at the discretion of the professors."
The Korea Council for University Education, an institution established to promote the sound development of university education, said, "Exams such as midterms are matters autonomously handled by each university in relation to their academic calendar. Since we function as a consultative body, we cannot issue separate guidelines or recommendations regarding cheating to each university," and added, "If the Ministry of Education or others issue recommendations or guidelines on cheating, we can provide guidance on that, but the council itself cannot issue separate recommendations."
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