Experimental-Teaching: ‘Help-sheet’ in Examination of Engineering-students

The-purpose of this-unfunded, miniature-study is to-examine the-potentials of student-created ‘help-sheets’ and attitudes of undergraduate-students, towards the-sheets, used, at university-examinations, at school of Engineering. A-specifically-designed-experiment, a-survey, and a-document-analysis, were used, as main-instruments, for this-study. A-paired t-test was run on a-sample of 24 students, to-determine whether there was a-statistically-significant mean-difference, between the-student-performances at the-CAT#1 (where ‘help-sheets’ were-used) and: (1) CAT #2, where ‘help-sheets’ were not used; (2) final-exam; and (3) student-average weighted-mean-score, for the-previous-year. Moreover, unpaired-t-test was-employed, to-compare performance, between the-students, who used ‘help-sheet’ (in CAT #1) and these who did not, assuming unequal-variances. Mean; Standard-Deviation (SD); and Standard-Error of the-Mean (SEM) were calculated via Minitab 17.3.1. This-study revealed vast-diversity, in the-quality and composition, of student-created ‘help-sheets’. Moreover, positive-attitudes towards ‘help-sheets’, were identified, in-particular: 88% of the-class have-prepared and utilized their-‘help-sheets’ for the-experiment; 76% reported to-be less-nervous, than usual; 95% agreed, that the-use of ‘help-sheet’ was-beneficial; and 81% confirmed, that they would-like to-use the-same-approach, in other-subjects.  Comparisons of student performance indicated, that the-preparation and use, of student-created ‘help-sheets’ have no impact on student-performance. Academic-performance, however, is just one-of the-many variables, potentially influenced, by the-use of ‘help-sheets’. As-such, the-research-findings show students self-reported reduction of test-anxiety; moreover cheating at-examinations, being-considered as pervasive-practice, at-the school, was not observed, during this-experiment. The-main-recommendations, of the-study were: (1) to-use ‘help-sheets’ in-examinations, on the-grounds that they potentially-reduce both; test-anxiety, and cheating, at-examinations; (2) to-deal with test-anxiety, lecturers should-help students, mastering-it, by self regulation relaxation-techniques; and (3) specific-areas, for future (more-deeper)-research, were identified. Moreover, to-give a-broader-reflection on the-subject-matter, the-following-topics were-also elaborated upon: Traditional examination-modes: ‘closed-book’ vs. ‘open-book’; Alternative-examination-approach: student created reference-material (‘help-sheet’); Cheating, at-exams, at local-context; and Anxiety (concepts, types, mechanism, and consequences; test-anxiety; and self-regulating relaxation-techniques). The-author trusts, findings of this-study, in-conjunction with theoretical-background, given,  adds to-the-body of knowledge, on experimental-teaching, particularly, on the-use of student-prepared reference-materials, such-as ‘help-sheets’, at university-examinations. The-results of the-experiment can also-help university-lecturers decide, whether to-allow their-students to-use ‘help-sheets’. Keywords: ‘cheat-sheet’, test anxiety, exam type, exam performance.

Representation and content in student's exam note sheets

Various forms of representation are used to understand physics concepts. This study aims to reveal the representations used by students in summarizing their physics teaching materials. The observed representations include mathematical equations, verbal statements and graphs. The participants were students who attended lectures in two academic years, namely 2016 and 2018. Students were permitted to freely write a summary of lecture material that would be used as resources during the exam. The research investigated the types of representations used and their percentages. In addition, the content in the summary was also taken into consideration. The results showed that the representation of mathematical equations or formulas, verbal explanations and graphs were used by 100%, 97% and 40% of the total students, respectively. This finding is also reflected in the percentage of paper area used in the summary; the uses of formulas are 60%, verbal explanations are 32.5% and the remaining 4.2% are graphs. Most note sheets contain almost all of teaching material. This students’ tendency should be considered for teaching strategy

Putting Security on the Table: The Digitalisation of Security Tabletop Games and its Challenging Aftertaste

IT-Security Tabletop Games for developers have been available in analog format; with the COVID-19 pandemic, interest in collaborative remote security games has increased. In this paper, we propose a methodology to evaluate the impact of a (remote) security game-based intervention on developers. The study design consists of the respective intervention, three questionnaires, and a small open interview guide for a focus group. A validated self-efficacy scale is used as a proxy for measuring effects on participants' ability to develop secure software. We tested this design with 9 participants (expert and novice developers and security experts) as part of a small feasibility study to understand the challenges and limitations of remote tabletop games. We describe how we selected and digitalised three security tabletop games, and report the qualitative findings from our evaluation. Setting up and running the virtual tabletop games turned out to be more challenging and complex for both moderator and participants than we expected. Completing the games required patience and persistence, and social interaction was limited. Our findings can be helpful in building and evaluating a better, more comprehensive, technically sound and issue-specific game-based training measure for developers. The methodology can be used by researchers to evaluate existing and new game designs

The Structured Process Modeling Method (SPMM) : what is the best way for me to construct a process model?

More and more organizations turn to the construction of process models to support strategical and operational tasks. At the same time, reports indicate quality issues for a considerable part of these models, caused by modeling errors. Therefore, the research described in this paper investigates the development of a practical method to determine and train an optimal process modeling strategy that aims to decrease the number of cognitive errors made during modeling. Such cognitive errors originate in inadequate cognitive processing caused by the inherent complexity of constructing process models. The method helps modelers to derive their personal cognitive profile and the related optimal cognitive strategy that minimizes these cognitive failures. The contribution of the research consists of the conceptual method and an automated modeling strategy selection and training instrument. These two artefacts are positively evaluated by a laboratory experiment covering multiple modeling sessions and involving a total of 149 master students at Ghent University

“This Is Anonymous, Right?” A Qualitative Study of Why Higher Education Students Cheat

Academic dishonesty occurs in higher education. Students who choose to cheat will find a way no matter the assessment type, learning environment modality, and deterrents. Academic integrity in online assessments has been prevalent even before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, due to the recent increase in online learning modalities, cheating is at the top of faculty concerns, and many instructors believe that online assessments open the door for cheating. I conducted a root causal analysis using an improvement science framework to identify why students cheat in higher education. This study identified two major themes of reasons students participate in academic dishonesty. First, the pressure of grades and GPA influence students to cheat. Second, personal pressures such as family expectations, time management skills (or lack thereof), and education expenses can lead students to believe they have no other options but to cheat. Recommendations to alleviate grade and student pressures include a steering committee to identify updates to current policies and procedures related to GPA, a required academic integrity course for all students, time management and study resources for students, and assessment training for faculty. Educational leadership can create and implement interventions to help address the student pressures and, therefore, decrease the amount of academic dishonesty at higher education institutions

Academic Integrity: A Correlational Study of Private Christian College Students\u27 Religiosity and the Propensity to Cheat

Creating a campus culture of academic integrity is a target aimed for by colleges across the nation. A religiosity level and academic dishonesty survey was administered for a predictive correlational study investigating religiosity levels and the propensity to cheat as they relate to students on the campuses of large, medium, and small private Christian college campuses in the southeastern United States. These factors were further tested to determine if they align with the determinants of behavior identified with the theory of planned behavior and self-efficacy. A volunteer response sample was utilized from the answers received by way of the online survey, and a bivariate linear regression analysis was conducted to predict the relationship between the level of religiosity and the propensity to cheat on Christian college campuses. The use of correlation and bivariate linear regression required that assumption testing for normality, reliability, linearity, and homoscedasticity be met. This predictive correlational study produced rigorous statistical information providing educational institutions insight as they work toward creating campus cultures of integrity

University Students\u27 First Online Exam Experience: Is It Stressful or Joyful?

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine university students’ views on online exams during the pandemic. The study was carried out with the participation of 15 undergraduate students studying at an engineering university in Azerbaijan. Methods: Interpretive phenomenology guided the study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using content analysis. Results: Research findings showed that students experienced various problems in the online exam process. The inability to solve the technical problems encountered during exams and the perception that the instructors did not have sufficient knowledge about the conduct of the online exams made it difficult for the exam process to be carried out effectively. Conclusion: Research results indicated that students who are taking their first online exam bring attention to both the positive and negative aspects of the process and discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of online exams in this context. Implications: It is critical to develop infrastructure and train human resources at this point in order to easily adapt to different crisis situations that may arise in the future that require nontraditional assessment methods

Faculty and Students\u27 Perceptions of Cheating Behavior;a Journey into Moral Development

Research has shown that academic misconduct is an issue of concern in most subject areas across both secondary and post-secondary education. However, variation in both investigators\u27 research interests and definitions of the behaviors being investigated leave many unanswered questions regarding the seriousness and nature of the problem, as well as how educators and their students perceive these behaviors. Although comprehensive data have been collected and continue to inform the field, most major studies of academic dishonesty have assigned what is referred to in the research as cheating behaviors based on the researchers\u27 experiences with cheating or the definitions used in previous research. Very few studies have investigated both faculty and student perceptions of the seriousness of pre-defined cheating behaviors, and a surprising lack of research exists which asks participants to define the behaviors they consider to be cheating. This, then, was the foundation of this research. This research took place at two Northeast Ohio universities, selected for their similar academic offerings and service to comparable communities. Faculty and student participants from all colleges at both universities were self selected by completion of an online survey that was sent via e-mail. Both faculty and students perceptions of cheating behaviors are complex. Faculty and student perceptions of the reasons people cheat fell into four categories. When asked to list cheating behaviors, each group listed behaviors which fell into four categories. A factor analysis indicated that there are between five (students) and six (faculty) underlying factors of cheating behaviors. In each case faculty consider student-cheating behaviors to be more serious than students do. In comparison, faculty-cheating behaviors fell into five categories that when comparison could be made, students reported these behaviors to be more serious than faculty did. Students\u27 perceptions vary across colleges of study on the seriousness of many behaviors howe

ANALISIS PEMBUATAN CHEAT-SHEET OLEH MAHASISWA DALAM MENGERJAKAN SOAL UJIAN MATA KULIAH SINYAL DAN SISTEM

Proses ujian tertulis di Departemen Pendidikan Teknik Elektro FPTK UPI masih banyak yang menggunakan sistem ujian dengan cara sistem close-book dan open-book, akan tetapi ada beberapa mata kuliah yang ujiannya mengunakan cheat-sheet. Salah satu mata kuliah yang menggunakan cheat-sheet adalah mata kuliah Sinyal dan Sistem. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis manfaat pembuatan cheat-sheet oleh mahasiswa dalam mengerjakan soal ujian mata kuliah Sinyal dan Sistem dan menganalisis faktor-faktor yang dipertimbangkan mahasiswa dalam menyusun cheat-sheet. Penelitian ini diterapkan pada 30 mahasiswa dan mahasiswi yang membuat cheat-sheet dan mengontrak mata kuliah Sinyal dan Sistem. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah metode kualitatif deskriptif dengan pengumpulan data observasi, wawancara, dan dokumentasi. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa, cheat-sheet membantu mahasiwa dalam proses belajar (membantu dalam pemahaman dan penghafalan materi), membantu memprediksi soal ujian (membatu dalam merangkum dan memilih poin-poin yang akan keluar diujian), membantu mengerjakan soal ujian (membatu mengurangi tindakan curang), (membantu mengingat materi yang sudah di pelajari), (membantu mengerjakan soal ujian tanpa harus menghafal materi), (membatu dalam proses penilaian). Adapun faktor-faktor yang dipertimbangkan mahasiswa dalam menyusun cheat-sheet diantaranya yakni responden membuat lipatan lipatan khusus dan memperkecil tulisan untuk memenuhi materi yang akan ditulis materi berupa (teori dasar dan contoh soal), isi cheat-sheet hasil merangkum dari buku, catatan dan bekerja sama bersama teman materi berupa (teori dasar dan contoh soal). Responden memilih materi yang dipahami dan dimengerti begitupun juga sebaliknya materi berupa (teori dasar dan contoh soal).;There are still many examinations in the Department of Electrical Engineering FPTK UPI that use the exam system by using close-book and open-book systems, but there are some subjects that tests use cheat sheets. One of the subject that uses cheat-sheets is the Signal and System subject. This research aims to analyze the benefits of making cheat sheets by students in working on the exam questions in the Signal and System subject and analyze the factors of students consider in preparing cheat sheets. This research was applied to 30 students who made cheat sheets and took the Signals and Systems subject. The research method used is descriptive qualitative method by collecting observational data, interviews, documentation and triangulation. The results of this study indicate that, the cheat sheet helps students in learning process (helps in understanding and memorizing the subject material), helps predict exam questions (helps in summarizing and selects points that will come out on the test), helps to work on exam questions (helps reduce action cheating), (helps remember the material that has been studied), (helps to do exam questions without having to memorize the subject material), (helps in the assessment process). The factors that were considered by students in making cheat-sheets are the respondent making special folds and reducing the writing to fill up the subject material to be written in the form of material (basic theory and sample problems), the contents of the cheat-sheet resulting from summarizing books, notes and work together with friends in the form of material (basic theory and example problems). Respondents choose the subject material that is understood and the form of material (basic theory and example problems)

Faculty Perceptions on Cheating in Exams in Undergraduate Engineering

Cheating in examinations transpires in every-country of the world, and it is a fraudulent-behavior that involves some-form of deception, in which a candidate’s efforts, or the efforts of other-candidates, are altered; it has negative educational, social and psychological-effects. Even though cheating is widespread, it has been observed that some-faculties rarely-discuss rules and consequences of academic-dishonesty with their-students. The main-objective of this-study is to comprehend, cheating-phenomena, on a deeper- level, by evaluating perception of the-trend from the faculty’ perspective, so that ways could be proposed for preventing it from happening. This-study is a fraction of a larger-research on cheating at the School of Engineering (SOE). The study-design used a descriptive-survey-approach and a document-analysis. A designed confidential self-report-questioner was used as the main-instrument for this-study, with the sample-size of 25-subjects and response-rate of 84%. The tool was pre-tested to ensure its validity and reliability. The study focused on the Attribution-Theory and Constructivist-paradigm of research that view knowledge as socially-constructed from the context of cheating in examinations. The data collection-instrument was subjected to the statistical-analysis to determine its reliability via Cronbach’s alpha-coefficient, and found high inter-item consistency (a > 0.9). The results of the survey, where 81% of the respondents agreed that students frequently indulge in examination-malpractice, clearly revealed that cheating, indeed, is a significant-problem in the SOE. The challenge for the school is, therefore, to tailor effective-strategies to prevent cheating-opportunities, and to establish and enforce valuable-means of dealing with particular-patterns and types of cheating. Specific-recommendations on how to deal with cheating in examinations are also highlighted. Keywords: cheating, engineering, faculty, questioner, integrit