Computers Increase Students' Temptation To Cheat

Access to the full article requires free registration or [limited access] or Premium Access [not going to jump for that!]

However here is the extract and the link which piqued my interest:

Quote:

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By Jesse Leavenworth, The Hartford Courant (MCT)

The link between teenagers' computer abilities and an increase in academic cheating is evident across the nation.

From Manchester, Conn., to Newport Beach, Calif., high school students have been accused of tapping into school computer systems to change grades, erase absences, and lift exams before they're given.

There's nothing new about cheating, said Lt. James Wardwell, a computer forensics expert with the police department in New Britain, Conn., "and the computer is just another tool to help someone...

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I thought it interesting that computer hacking into school networks should be so prolific that it would warrant a statement from the local police confirming it. I am sure that none of our networks suffer such a fate. If I thought my network was subject to such action I would take whatever measures were needed to suppress/prevent the activity and assist the authorities with the tracking down of those responsible.

Wouldn't you?

Edit: Article source: Education Week

nothing new. I know someone who used to change his own marks for registration. Teachers used to leave the usernames and in numbers on post-it notes.

Yes i would take that kind of action, and make sure it was dealt with and not just let it pass like most things.

I Suppose like Zak said though, alot of it really isn't hacking it's just students being handed access to those systems by staff i.e. leaving credentials on post it notes.

James.

We get the same problems that Zak has highlighted above - teachers not logging out/locking screens/leaving (or giving out!) usernames and passwords on show to one and all!

We've had Students look into one of our Databases for Student Information about their homelife etc (student profiles) and then when they didn't like what they had seen emailed their sons form tutor, critiscising our network security and that we had not set the right permissions on the account so they could get onto it from their account.

Didn't like it when I emailed back, after checking the securus/logs (as they said they did it in the music room ... one of 2 computers potentially) that they had in fact not used their account but purposely used a teacher's account that had left their computer logged in, and accessed this Database (yes, no password on it ... NOT my choice ... I would have a pw on it) - then blamed it on us.

They shut the criticism quite quickly when I politely emailed back with screenshots and logs - and got an apology. Teacher/Student in serious trouble... the SMT also quickly changed their mind about the screensaver lock I wanted to put on!