Better Learning = No Impulse to Cheat

Charlie Brown couldn’t have been more right when he observed that, “In the book of life, the answers aren’t in the back.” There is no easy way out when learning life’s crucial lessons, and when we take short cuts, or cheat our way through learning opportunities, we usually get burned.

I recently came across an article that shares Charlie Brown’s perspective, addressing cheating on IT certification exams specifically. IT exam fraud is a growing problem that could potentially mitigate the value of IT certifications. This is why big certification names such as Red Hat and CompTIA are actively combating the issue.

In the article, Randy Russell, director of certifications at Red Hat, emphasized that there is a widespread lack of test security — and students are taking advantage of it. Russell said that, not only is there a security problem, but a mindset problem as well.

“Study after study finds that cheating on exams at the university level is growing, and the sensibility that it's the wrong thing to do seems to be lost,” said Russell. “People are going to cheat ... and it's our responsibility as the exam publisher to make it as difficult as possible for people to do that."

Russell believes that the best way to make cheating difficult is by taking a hands-on approach and conducting exams in a classroom setting. Bryan Kainrath, CompTIA’s vice president of certification development, stated that his organization is also taking extra precautions to ensure test security.

Russell and Kainrath agree that recruiters and hiring managers need to take an active role in asking their candidates about their certification testing. If cheaters know they will face monetary and career altering consequences for their actions, then they are less likely to cheat. This is why CompTIA has even threatened to decertify anyone caught cheating.

At TestOut, we understand there are no short cuts in true learning. This is why all TestOut courses are designed to give you the best, most realistic experience-based training. Each course is full of simulations, lessons and practice questions designed for optimal preparation. When you master these resources, you will never feel the need to cheat. You will walk into the exam with the confidence that you will pass. Learning comes through experience, not by relying on the answers in the back of the book.

About the Author — Jake Slater is the social media manager for GoCertify and a graduate of Brigham Young University. Jake is maybe not what you'd call a clothes horse, but he has more outfits than Charlie Brown.