“I decided never again to give a “closed book” test. I encouraged my students to make detailed “cheat sheets,” and we dedicated one entire side of the classroom as a “reference” area. Students brought in all the references they could find relative to the topics being studied in class, and I created tests focused on process over product and on thinking over simple recall. It was the best way I knew to prepare my students for a world in which using what you know is far more important than the rote memorization of isolated facts.” – Daniel Kinnaman

In business it’s smart collaboration, in education it’s cheating. Why are teachers so vehement in giving work or tests that lend themselves to “cheating?”  Where did we get that?  I know I went through school and memorized facts, completed worksheets, etc. where it was easy to cheat. I cheated in high school, and I’m sure most others did at one time or another.  If we don’t want students to cheat, why do we keep giving them work that makes it easy to do so? Is it because it’s easier for us to grade multiple choice and worksheets?  Is it because we can feel like we have a higher moral ground by saying, in effect, “Here’s something that’s easy to cheat on, but I expect that you won’t cheat, because it’s the right thing to do, and I wouldn’t cheat (because I’m a good person).” If we give students the information ( as suggested in the above quote) and let them use each other, digital recorders, etc., what are we afraid will happen?  They’ll remember what they did?  We’ll be bad teachers?  We’re giving up control?  We’re communicating an immoral idea that it’s okay to work with others? 

Why are we so scared?