Teens Admit to Cheating in School via Mobile Device

A new report by Common Sense Media out today “revealed that more than 35% of teens admit to cheating with cell phones, and more than half admit to using the Internet to cheat.” Apparently teens don’t even think that these methods should be considered cheating. Frankly I am shocked it’s only 35% considering how few teens can make change without looking at the register for the amount. When I was in school we passed our abacus’ around to get the right answers.

The report says that kids are texting each other with answers during the exams along with storing notes on their phones. I guess I am confused – when I was in grad school, we had to leave our bags at the front of the room and could only have a bottle of water/drink that was clear, pens, pencils, etc. Clearly the professor could see if someone pulled out a mobile device.

Other key findings from the poll include:

• 41% of teens say that storing notes on a cell phone to access during a test is a serious cheating offense, while 23% don’t think it’s cheating at all.
• 45% of teens say that texting friends about answers during tests is a serious cheating offense, while 20% say it’s not cheating at all.
• 76% of parents say that cell phone cheating happens at their teens’ schools, but only 3% believe their own teen has ever used a cell phone to cheat.
• Nearly two-thirds of students with cell phones use them during school, regardless of school policies against it.
• Teens with cell phones send 440 text messages a week and 110 a week while in the classroom.