Detecting Mobile Phones for Exams

[Disease]

We have a big problem here with Mobile hpones in exams, we did buy a couple of Cellphone Detector Plus' but they do not pinpoint mobiles , only detect them in an area and are very random at best.

 

What do you do, if anything to detect mobiles for exams?

 

I am now considering metal detector wands as we had 2 phones found in a mock today.

[Guest richard]

The only real way to find mobile phones is to search each and every student as they enter the exam.

[SYNACK]

Probably illegal in your country like here but you could employ a cell phone jammer during the exam. That way it does not matter if they have them, well unless they resort to bluetooth messaging.

[PEO]

line the room with tin foil

[gaz350]

handheld metal detector is the only way scan them as they come in

 

while your at it you might find the odd gun, pocket knife, screw driver depending on what type of school your in

[mac_shinobi]

The other side of it is most mobile phones now come with a memory card so am sure they could store answers n other stuff ( inc audio ) on there mobile phone. so its not just about blue tooth or jamming a signal.

[EduTech]

yh i hacve to agree.. alot of the latest phones these bays have notepads in them etc.. and if some posh kid has a PDA lol then theres all sorts iof ways he could be getting answers off a PDA.. Internet!! .. and also theres the calculator on most phones now

 

so i think really the only way is to search every student.. or use a metal detector as they enter the exam..

 

Be like trying to ge through customs haha! people will be making un-detectable pacages now lolz

 

James

[gwendes]

My phone has a flight mode - you wouldn't find me

 

Just remove anyone from the exam if they are found with a phone? Why do problems like this become IT problems?

[PEO]

My phone has a flight mode - you wouldn't find me

 

Just remove anyone from the exam if they are found with a phone? Why do problems like this become IT problems?

 

aaa my phone has that. its called airplane mode or something of that nature.

[ICT_GUY]

As an ex prison officer who supervised visits, I would probably go for supervision and some video cameras. Make them scared of being caught, even putting detector warning signs up, plus warnings about what will happen if even caught with a phone inside exam room, let alone caught using it.

[EduTech]

LOL I like that about the Flight mode haha! hope no kids read this they will be doing it

 

Yh put signs everywhere lol make them so scared not to even put tere hands near there pockets :twisted:

 

James

[richard.thomas]

Why not put a faraday cage around every desk? One each, that'll sort the bluetooth issue out aswell. Suppose they could resort to infrared... Hopefully the staff in the hall aren't lazy enough to not notice that!

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/Elektrisch_dode_kamer_(kooi_van_Faraday).JPG/180px-Elektrisch_dode_kamer_(kooi_van_Faraday).JPG

 

No... It's not OTT

[Disease]

Gone for these, it says they detect the circuit boards as well.

 

Garret Superscanner

[Disease]

Why do problems like this become IT problems?

 

I was wondering that as well.

[CyberNerd]

Why do problems like this become IT problems?

 

I was wondering that as well.

 

How about employing people to 'moderate' the exam. The could identify anyone using a phone and ban them for the exam. I think exam boards publish stuff about how to do this, your exams office might know.

[gwendes]

Get a project box and write 'MOBILE PHONE DETECTOR' on it. Drill a hole and put a flashing LED through the hole. Connect the two legs of the LED to a battery.

 

That'd do exactly the same thing as a real one here!

[K.C.Leblanc]

This isn't perfect, but I remember when playing about with a Smart Bluetooth tablet I noticed a lot of students had their bluetooth switched on.

[gwendes]

This isn't perfect, but I remember when playing about with a Smart Bluetooth tablet I noticed a lot of students had their bluetooth switched on.

 

I get messages from them... my office is right next to the field.

[beeswax]

check this post from Geoff. You might find it useful.

[EduTech]

check this post from Geoff. You might find it useful.

 

I will second that.. i have been using that software that geoff posted a few months back.. very useful and does the job

 

will find pupils bluetooth no problem

 

James

[Andrew_C]

1) Blocking or otherwise interfering is illegal in the UK

2) You can get (can't now find) signs to 'remind' theatre/cinema audiences to turn the damned things off that are triggered by the phone. A few of these would help.

3) A school or two having the spine to exclude candidates caught, and publicising the exclusion and the subsequent consequences.

[Bromcom_John]

More invigilators may also help.. and, correct me if I am wrong but, I think that the next round of workforce reforms is going to suggest usage of non-teachers for invigilation purposes. Don't know how its going to work but it includes the possibility of getting parents to do the task ie. cheap labour!

[GrumbleDook]

I heard about one school (maybe an urban myth) that used a text messaging service to give announcements, lateness to parents, etc. They also sent out exam reminders to students. One day they sent out a message just before the exam started to remind students to make sure mobiles are turned off during exams and left in bags .. or not brought in at all.

 

Over a dozen phones bleeped.

 

Now all students know a random message can be sent at before exams start.

[mrcrazy04]

A mate of mine didn't hand his phone in for a mock exam on one occasion - so we rang it. Luckily for him he'd had the foresight to turn it off, otherwise he may have had some explaining to do (as it's usually still noticeable to some degree if it's on silent). He handed it in for the real exam though!

 

It's a shame there's not a signal you could send to all phones to make them ring.