Credit: IBO Glassdoor
During the first two weeks of May, there were widespread claims that several subjects’ questions and answers to the IB (International Baccalaureate) final exams were being shared on Reddit. The leak was allegedly conducted in a way where students who took the exams in an earlier time zone shared exam questions they remembered with students who had yet to take the exams in a later time zone. This is commonly called “time zone cheating,” and is considered relatively easy to do amongst students online.
This fiasco has led the IBO (International Baccalaureate Organization) to conduct an in-depth investigation in an attempt to identify the students or group responsible. The IBO claims in their “Update on May DP exams” announcement that “there is no evidence of widespread cheating.” However, they continue to say that they have “taken immediate action to investigate the claims and have discovered a very small number of students appear to have engaged in online “time zone cheating.”
Upon reaching out to the IBO for an interview regarding this issue, a representative from the global PR firm MSL answered. They did not answer whether or not they could give an interview, but responded to 3 frequently asked questions instead shown below:
◆ What steps is the IB taking to deal with involved students?
◇ We have identified the source of this activity and are taking appropriate steps to hold responsible students accountable. The IB has opened a formal investigation for malpractice, and students engaged in misconduct will receive no marks for their examinations and/or no grade for the relevant subject(s). As an additional consequence, no Diploma certificate will be awarded, and students will be disallowed from re-sitting the examinations.
◆ What steps is the IB taking to ensure the remainder of the exams are fair?
◇ The IB has identified the primary actor responsible for organizing cheating and will continue to monitor social media groups where students are sharing what they remember of the exams.
◇ We work towards promoting open dialogue about academic integrity and encourage students to take pride in their own achievements rather than resort to dishonest conduct. Internal review teams are working tirelessly to ensure that students who are responsible are held accountable, and students who did not engage in cheating will not be penalised.
◆ Will grade boundaries change due to this issue?
◇ To date, there is no evidence of widespread cheating, and we are confident that no grades will be adversely impacted so, as things stand, we will not be changing the boundaries.
These answers are very similar to the statement, “Update on May DP exams,” except that they mention monitoring social media sites and that they will not be changing the boundaries of grading. This may mean that unless the IBO has a foolproof method of discerning which students were cheating, a good number of cheating students may get away with earning a higher grade than they deserve.
Although the lifetime bans and failed grades may prove to be a relief to some, it does not negate the damage that “time zone cheating” causes. This can include general grade inflation, an increased number of desirable college candidates, and a growing number of students who are willing to cheat.
This is the first time that the IBO has admitted that there is even such a problem, and the only thing that students can do is hope that they soon change the way that the exams are conducted.
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