User Comments - xiaophil

Posted on: The Mysterious Student Record

Well, just telling a story told to me, which yes, could be false or even rare. (I should have added that disclaimer.) That said, I don't know about New Zealand, but I was never required to show my ID in my American university before taking a test. I can't see why it isn't plausible to have a stand in, especially if there are many, many students taking a test.

Posted on: The Mysterious Student Record

bodawei

I have two quizzes that at first glance look the same. In fact, the only difference is the order. Some students don't even bother to look at the questions they are trying to answer. They just copy the student next to them. If the person next to them has a different quiz, the answers will be wrong. I am not exactly sure what is the preferred cheating method, but my guess is simply looking over at another students paper when I am looking the other way or whispering quietly out of the side of their mouths.

I find that the problem of cheating varies according to the situation. The younger the students (and I mean university level students) and the smaller the class, the less likely they are to cheat. For example, my freshmen don't cheat much (as far as I know), and I think the biggest reason is because there are less than 30 students in that class and so I can keep an eye on them. The quiz that I mentioned above is from a class with over 200 students. I caught 5 red-handed. Another 10 or so I'm sure cheated, but since their score was almost zero I didn't call them out. Now in addition to them, I figure a significant number of them managed to successfully evade me. Altogether, I estimate at least 30 students outright cheated the whole quiz (and I believe it was more than that), with who knows how many others cheated on an answer here and there. If I keep an eye one group of suspected cheaters, that means the cheaters on the other side of the room will have all the freedom they want to cheat. It is simply hopeless to prevent all cheating.

By the way, my all time worse group of students were the MBA students. I'm embarrassed to say how little control I had over that test.

Bodawei, personally, I would be shocked to find out that cheating wasn't normal in your university. I teach adult students as well. They are from just about every part of China, and this topic comes up from time to time, and I have never heard anyone say that cheating isn't common, and almost always they say it is the norm. Maybe not every class, but definitely it happens here and there, and often is quite organized. Not saying you are wrong. Just saying that I'm very skeptical.

Posted on: Discussing Contract Renewal

Second that.

Posted on: The Mysterious Student Record

A New Zealander told me that many Chinese study abroad students now are not, well, good. This has has prompted a new industry. There are some Chinese that if paid, will take a test for a Chinese student who isn't quite up to the task, provided they look similar enough to each other to fool the teacher.

Posted on: The Mysterious Student Record

By the way, your "Shame vs. Guilt" notion is quite interesting. I do find Chinese values are quite different from what I'm used to. Americans usually stress "right and wrong". I sometimes ask Chinese adults what values they want to stress to their children, and usually number one is "respect for elders". Now I wouldn't even begin to argue that is a bad value. My point is, do many Chinese even feel guilty for cheating? Maybe judging "right and wrong" is something peripheral to them, whereas face is put to the front.... must honor my family...

Posted on: The Mysterious Student Record

suxiaoya

Cheating is rampant here in China. I have never heard a Chinese person say otherwise, and this has been my observation over and over. If we deny it, we are just trying to be polite. It goes without saying that all countries have cheating. The difference is that in China, everyone thinks it is normal and would never think of complaining to the teacher, administration, etc. That isn't to say there isn't honest students here. There (usually) are, but they seem to feel that it would be hopeless, or wrong even, to try to fight back.

Posted on: The Mysterious Student Record

suxiaoya

Funny you should bring this up. Some of my students today are going to get a cultural lesson. I rather despise cheaters, and I do try to catch them early on so that they will straighten up for the remainder of my class. I say cultural lesson because, I'm not sure, but I think Chinese teachers normally don't care much. Anyway, I generally pass out two quizzes, but I don't tell them there are two, and from a quick glance they look exactly the same. It is obvious who the cheaters are because their answers are all wrong but are identical to the correct answers of the corresponding quiz. Let's just say five students are going to lose face today despite their efforts to save face. I won't make them a public example, but I'm sure word will spread fast.

Posted on: Piano Class

这个播客是刚好出版的。上周我买了一个吉他，我想复习乐理，所以我现在可以一边学习音乐一边练吉他。

Posted on: Giving up a Seat on the Bus

One time my feet really ached while riding the subway, and so I wanted to sit down.  I was standing near a lady who was getting ready to stand up.  I was watching her seet with anticipation, but then she motioned an old man to sit down.  The old man said 谢谢 with the utmost sincerity.  I of course didn't mind as he was quite old, and he must have been mored tired than me. But when he had his grandson sit down instead, I about lost it.  It is definitely very petty to get angry at an old man for being nice to his grandson, but at that time I sure did resent that 小皇帝 (little emperor).

Posted on: Monopoly, Uno, or Twister?

其实，你没懂我的意思。我明白了他们说的那些句子。我只是觉得打牌是一种通常的活动，不过这个简单的活动的专门单词比较多。