We need to consider that for students, the social and professional circles vastly overlap, which makes it more difficult to separate what\u2019s permissible and what isn\u2019t. This is not to absolve students who cheat, but it\u2019s something to consider. Students often live in the same place they go to class, which is essentially their workplace. Their friends are also their colleagues, and their \u201cbosses\u201d\u009d (professors and TAs) are often their friends. All this blending makes can make lines of conduct a bit more indistinct.<\/p>\n
None of this is meant to make light of the problem of cheating, or to imply that it\u2019s excusable. But if we want to prevent such things from happening again, we need to think about not just the students, but also the system in which they live and operate. Thus, professors need to work on being crystal clear in instructions. Telling students, for instance, \u201cspeak to no one other than the professor or your TA about any aspect of the exam\u201d\u009d leaves no gray areas. All that said, it will be interesting to see how things at Harvard shake out \u201d\u00a6<\/p>\n