The world of cheating has come a long way since technology has advanced. I remember when writing notes on the computer and shrinking the font was the most high-tech way to cheat. Now. you can stick your flash drive in a Chap stick so it blends in as you type. I amazes me the ideas students (of all ages) have in order to try and be successful. My father told me of a time when he had cheated and wrote a little cheat sheet. When the test was done he shoved the paper in the heat vent (this was back in the 60’s at a Catholic school…he was about 12). Anyways, he turned in his test and all was well….until the heat kicked on and the cheat sheet blew up into the air and on to the nun’s desk right in front of her. Needless to say, he was in big trouble. But, as teachers we seem to expect “cheat sheets” to be the only form of cheating…besides looking on another classmates paper. It wasn’t until class that I learned HOW advanced this “art” had become.
I was really blown away by the telephone number you could call, ask a question and they’ll text you the answer. My first thought was that involved parents should be all over that because they get the phone bill and they’re will be these extra charges…however, a parent won’t know if the student called for a test answer, or for a genuine question…As for i-pod…I know the technology is different, but, burned Cd’s were the same thing…students did it all the time in high school with their CD players….burning the content on to their CD and labeling it as if it were music and the teacher would let them listen during a test.
It takes so much to come up with these cheating ideas and a lot in order to execute them successfully… I guess studying really is that tough….
Kmerman9's Weblog 
When the stakes get uncomfortably high for students, the temptation to cheat also rises. There have always been cheaters. But it is the new mentality that “I have to do it to stay competitive” or that “everyone is doing it so I have to as well” that really concerns many. It also drives educators to create more authentic ways (which is better, anyway) to assess student achievement. In the end, do we want students who can recall 100 names and dates or students who can produce an artifact that demonstrates that they understand the significance and underlying themes that those 100 names and dates represent?