Would you expect high school students to think that cheating is cheap method to get through a class? Their answers might surprise you:
Some say, “It’s so easy to cheat, and it doesn’t cost a thing.” Others respond, “It would probably take some time to do the cheating sheets, but definitely less time than it will take me to study.” And the most bold reply, “Of course cheating is cheap. Sometimes you cheat and get a good score to pass your finals instead of failing and having to repeat your grade. That would cost time and money.”
Beginning in January 2011 the Bicharaf team visited more than 40 public and private schools around Lebanon, in addition to the Dar Jana School in Jeddah, KSA. We met with students to hear their perspective on academic integrity, cheating, ethics, and related topics. Bicharaf’s presentations focus on real-life examples and cases so that students realize the severity of academic dishonesty and its long term effect. I believe the techniques we are using are quite effective, and we are aiming to reach middle school students as well.
In our presentations, we associate cheating with stealing physical items like cars or money. Students agree that that kind of stealing is wrong because there is a direct monetary value at stake. However, we realize that some students still don’t appreciate the value of information and knowledge, and therefore do not necessarily find that cheating is wrong. It is important for students to understand that in the long term, cheating could be very costly. If students cheat now, they receive credit for information that they don’t actually know. But in the future, students might need that very knowledge for which they deceitfully received credit.
Working with students gives the Bicharaf team a great opportunity to shape a more ethical society. However, working with students also poses a big challenge, as students try to justify their wrongdoings. As a member of the Bicharaf team for the past 4 years, I’ve learned a lot about how students think and what they expect. One of the most important things I have found is that the environment in which they are raised directly impacts how students think and act.
I personally believe that academic integrity awareness is imperative, especially for this generation that lives in a society in which cheating is often considered as simply “helping.” Making a change in the culture and in society requires the joint efforts of students, their parents, and their teachers. Many students we have met have expressed excitement about making this change, and already are making extra efforts in their schools to educate their peers about academic integrity and ethical living.
Bicharaf can’t change everyone’s point of view, and it certainly doesn’t aim to do so. Integrity and ethics are a way of living, and they’re not limited to the issues of cheating and stealing. At the end of the day, personal beliefs and values determine how a person behaves.
As Jim Stovall writes, “integrity is doing the right thing, even if nobody is watching,” and this is the message we hope students learn.