Thread: Any teachers here?

Have not posted here in over 3 months

I teach programming at the 2 year college. This semester C and Java...


Just some comments:

why somebody studying computer science or programming in university or college would try to cheat.

Why cheat?

1. Pressure (others, etc.)
2. Not motivated (easy way out)
3. Think that programming would be easy (they can do it)then realize they have to cheat to do well (really have no clue)...

I mean surely if they don't understand the basics they are going to have more problems later on.

Yep they more than likely will

You would think that, but if much of what is posted on http://thedailywtf.com is true, they just become highly-paid consultants

Not going to comment here...

I'm not a teacher, but it seems to me that cheating on homework only matters if the teacher either weights tests as only a small part of the grade or allows students to cheat on tests.

Yes, to some extent with homework. But why would an instructor allow a student to cheat on an exam.? My students take their test in a testing center where everything is controlled. I never give take home exams and always have students write some code on individual tests. I can usually tell "who knows it or not"

When I graded homework, I would mark it for correctness and would also do my best to find out why the student did things the way that they did. I would grade on style as well. I did detect cheating a few times, and was not very sympathetic about motivations -- I was always available to help the students, and when I graded, I would always explain, in detail, what they had done wrong, and what they had done right. I would reward unique solutions.

I think this depends on the course placement level (lower level-upper level) and the student ability level. not everyone has the proper prerequistes for the course- so I usually teach middle of the road.
I grade using a rubic and base there overall grade on some of the following:

correctness, following directions, indivdual style...

Programming, as far as I am concerned (and the courses that I was TA for), programming courses are to teach not just the mechanics of programming in a particular language, but are to teach problem solving.

Very well said filker- I agree but some people cannot handle problem solving...that is hardest obsticle to overcome..

JC