New technological devices may make cheating more accessible to students, but also more noticeable.

NIU instructors say they are well-aware of the issue.

It seems the more advanced technology becomes, the more inventive ways students come up with to cheat, said Elaine Davies, a COMS 100 instructor in the department of communication.

Davies said she prohibits any electronic devices being used during exams.

“If a student brings any electronic device to class, they are instructed to turn it off and put in on my desk ‘for safe keeping,’” Davies said. “There is no reason why a student would need a calculator, cell phone or PDA to take a COMS 100 test. I also use a pretty sophisticated method of tracking tests.”

However, in classes such as math, a calculator may be necessary on a test.

Though students are occasionally allowed to use calculators, some calculators can be used to store notes and formulas into memory, said Joseph Stephen, an associate professor in the department of mathematical sciences

Stephen, who teaches in Cole Hall, said any electronic device used during a test, even a CD player, could result in a student automatically failing the class.

Students know what kind of calculator they are allowed to use for tests. The memory will be erased from the student’s calculator if cheating is suspected, Stephen said.

“A student’s behavior changes when they use [the calculator] to look up something than when they are using it to actually calculate because they have to scroll down,” Stephen said.

Though students may think faculty are unaware of the new devices, Stephen and Davies said many departments hold meetings to discuss the issue.

“Sometimes students don’t give teachers enough credit,” said April Donohue, a psychology instructor of 55 students. “Students should be aware that teachers are paying attention to what they do when they are taking a test; they can’t always get away with what they think they can.”

Instead of using electronic devices, many students are using the “old-fashioned” ways to cheat such as paper, notebooks, note cards, writing on their hands or making a study guide and taping it to their pen,” said Keith Likosar, a junior political science major.

“People who cheat and get an ‘A’ deserve it just as much as those who study hard,” Likosar said. “They take the risk of getting into a lot of trouble for cheating in the first place.”

Freshman English major Sherelle Green said she has not seen or heard about anyone using electronic devices to cheat.

“It’s not as easy for students to cheat because most of the time, teachers make you remove all items from your desk,” Green said.

Students should not feel the pressure to cheat, Davies said.

“If a student has worked hard throughout the semester, they should be confident in their abilities,” Davies said. “I have found that cheating is never a good substitute for good old-fashioned work. The risk of getting dismissed from the university is too high of a price to pay.”