Watches ban for exams
A WA university is considering banning students from wearing wrist watches in exams in response to the rising popularity of “smart watches” and fears they could be used for cheating.
Even though smart watches have been available for about two years, the imminent release of Apple’s first smart watch next month has heightened concerns students could use the devices to retrieve stored notes or search the internet during exams.
The emergence of wearable technology such as smart watches, which often look like traditional wrist watches but are capable of internet access and file storage, has prompted some overseas universities to impose bans on all types of watches in exam rooms.
City University London recently announced candidates would no longer be permitted to wear any kind of wrist watch in an exam venue “due to the introduction of smart watches”.
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Curtin University deputy vice-chancellor education Jill Downie said the institution would also review its exam protocols in light of the new technology.
“Curtin University does not currently ban wrist-worn devices in exams, but it is something the university is considering due to the introduction of wearable devices such as smart watches,” she said.
A spokeswoman for the School Curriculum and Standards Authority, which sets and marks final school exams, said the 2015 Year 12 handbook would be updated to include a specific statement that smart watches would not be permitted in exams.
For the past two years, exam supervisors had been trained to recognise different types of smart watches and reminded of the need for vigilance.
Edith Cowan University said its exams advice was changed last year to ban any portable electronic device with capacity for wireless connectivity or data storage.
Murdoch University said it was monitoring technology developments but had no plans to stop students from wearing watches in exams.
“Our rules for conduct of examinations state that laptop, palm computers and other electronic devices are not permitted in exams and this will include watches that can communicate with other devices or store and retrieve information,” a spokeswoman said.
The University of WA said it was committed to providing a fair learning environment and was responsive to the prevalence of portable devices.
It required students to obey rules that prevented the use of any digital devices with communication capabilities.
Notre Dame University said exam supervisors were trained to identify potential exam aids and deal with them appropriately.
