In two recent blogs, we've looked at a few modern ways students may misuse technology to cheat, including some of the most popular homework-help sites.

Today, let's focus on the exam experience, specifically. Whether a student takes an exam in person or online, today's tests are far from exempt from cheating trends.

How are students at all levels using tech to cheat on their exams when — in theory, at least — they don't have time to check Chegg or wait on WolframAlpha to solve their equations?

The Tech Today's Students Use for Cheating on Exams

Smartwatches. These small wrist-based screens allow students a covert way to check answers, text their friends, turn on audio resources, and more. Some smartwatches are slim enough to fit under sleeves! (Students online have reported purchasing a smartwatch primarily for ease of cheating on exams — and there are entire online forums dedicated to distributing ways to cheat with Apple Watches.)

Smartphones and earbuds. Whether smartphones are allowed in an exam environment or not, if a teacher's back is turned, students can access crib sheets, calculators, and more on their devices. However, this is nothing new. The latest trend? When a smartphone is paired strategically with earbuds or smartwatches, a student can set up a sophisticated solution-delivering system. For example, a student could judiciously stow their phone in their backpack — but set it up to parrot exam solutions into a tiny earbud throughout their test.

Online Outsourcing. Today, not only can you contract someone else to write all of your papers for an entire semester or access software that makes it easier to cheat, but you can also provide your unique academic login credentials to someone else entirely for the purposes of test-taking. This allows students to pay others to take online exams and even attend classes for credit.

While some teachers have started to seek ways to reduce a student's perceived need to cheat (or at least their ability to do so) by administering more frequent, lower-stakes tests or structuring their exams, so cheating is easier to detect, many more are simply meting out misconduct allegations and moving on.

In Trouble Over Using Tech on a Test (According to Your School)?

Technology has given academia myriad gifts over the past few years. In many ways, it makes life easier for both students and teachers. This does not mean that every application of tech in the classroom is licit — or that your school will understand the way students use their favorite devices, applications, and websites.

Unfortunately, this means that even completely innocent use of technology can result in an academic integrity investigation.

When this happens, you need to be proactive. By the time your school decides it needs to learn more, your teacher or another authority figure may have already decided that your student is responsible for tech-related cheating. Even if your school cannot demonstrate that your student cheated, they could recommend a sanction for the use of unauthorized materials, classroom disruption, or another related offense.

Attorney Joseph D. Lento and his Student Defense Team can help ensure that your school doesn't jump to conclusions and does observe your student's rights throughout its disciplinary process. If you require assistance protecting your child's future, call 888.535.3686 to discuss your options.