Have students' perceptions of cheating changed post-pandemic?

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed education in many ways, including an uptick in students cheating on exams and assignments (Newton and Essex 2022). This study gains the student's perception of cheating behaviors before, during, and after the pandemic to aid academics in understanding the current landscape of cheating in higher education. In addition, this study aims to understand the student's perception of what types of behaviors constitute cheating. Previous literature has found that students do not agree on what behaviors and/or resources are considered cheating (Gullifer and Tyson 2010; Kazley et al. 2024; Rodr & iacute;guez et al. 2021). Through a study of almost 4,000 students from diverse backgrounds, this study explores how students' definitions of cheating have evolved. Surprisingly, this study shows that over 85% of students have reported cheating since the pandemic. Over half of the students reported that they cheat because their instructor is aware of and expects their cheating behaviors and that they could not get through their courses any other way. The implications of this study make it clear that it is up to individual instructors to make classroom policies and expected behaviors clear and establish an environment of deterrence and monitoring.