There are many things to consider with the fact that online education is a growing industry. Students are able to access class remotely instead of having to be in class to produce their work. Cheating becomes something that is on the back of every instructor and students mind.
So the questions are: Is cheating something that people have to worry about more with online learning? Are online classes designed for academic dishonesty?
The reasons that students have to cheat seem to increase with online learning. Reasons such as weak connections between students and professors, professors can’t really get to know a student so it might be easier for a student to fool a professor. Little supervision, because students are on their own in the online classroom it could be easier for them to let someone else sit down in their place. Students are becoming more internet capable, they are able to know where to find answers without actually learning the material.
Even though there seems to be more reasons for students to cheat it isn’t as frequent as people expect. A study conducted in 2009 showed that of those who admitted to cheating there were more students who cheated in class rather than online, even given the fact that there were three times as many online students surveyed. Why don’t online students cheat as much? On average online students tend to be older than traditional students, such as parents who are seeking a second degree. Online students are allowed more time to prepare for things and therefor panic less. Online students also tend to be more motivated, internet courses require more time and attention from students because they are the ones managing their educations.