Taking charge of personal accountability

With the possibility of having a second device in one hand, or post-it notes with equations plastered along the wall behind their screens, or multiple tabs open to search for answers, resisting the temptation to cheat has never been tougher. Now, more than ever before, members of the Harker community depend on students to hold themselves accountable in their work, a sentiment Honor Council emphasized throughout Honor Week. 

“One of the activities [for Honor Week] was a poll because [cheating] was something that we overhear about a lot. [From the results of the survey,] many more people think that others are cheating than acknowledging that they do so,” Tchourilova said. 

Students are working to ensure that they can keep themselves accountable by implementing their own testing strategies, such as deleting tabs or windows, distancing themselves from their phones, and turning off all notifications.

“It isn’t easy [to stay focused]. I’ve caught myself trying to wander off to another website [during class] because there are so many distractions.” Harshini said.

Likewise, teachers have also stipulated new testing guidelines to hold students accountable in a more concrete and visible way. 

In Thomas Liu’s (9) physics class, his teacher has him use his phone to record his paper and sign an honor code during tests. However, his other teachers do not have the same policy. 

“Most of my teachers just trust me to be honorable, which is reassuring,” he said. 

Teachers have experienced difficulty holding students accountable when students are in their own rooms, making it even more important for students to be able to follow personal accountability and keep themselves responsible for their own learning. 

Dr. Brown holds the perspective that there is not more cheating happening this year, but he also acknowledges that remote testing presents challenges in comparison to on-campus assessments.

“In person, I can have a much higher degree of confidence that I’m seeing something that is cheating,” Dr. Brown said.

Because of the online learning environment, students can encounter a multitude of technical issues that complicate the testing process, such as difficulties with setting up cameras. Ultimately, teachers like Tchourilova prioritize students’ learning over an overbearing enforcement of testing restrictions. Additionally, teachers like Dr. Brown believe that overly emphasizing surveillance may only incentivize certain students to find other means of cheating. 

 “The internet is strange. Our computers are on all the time, phones run out of batteries, you only have so many chargers, and your brother and your sister and your father are all on the internet on their own computers. It is time for some understanding,” Dr. Brown said. 

Given the countless uncertainties and variables subject to change from student to student, the best way to ensure an honorable school environment is for students themselves to reflect on the importance of maintaining personal integrity and take action to enforce those values in their academic work.