While cell phones are a useful means of communication, they have become versatile enough to be used for cheating. According to "U.S. News," one-third of teenagers admit to using cell phones for cheating on tests. Mobile phones are used to store notes, search the Internet or text friends for answers. Compounding the problem is that many students are in denial -- when asked, one in four young people claimed that accessing information on your phone during a test is not cheating.
MP3 players used to be simple. During their infancy, they could do little more than play music. Now, the devices can be used for much more, including voice recording. Earbuds are the headphone of choice because they are small and easy to conceal. Students have been known to run the headphone wires through their sleeves and then conceal the objects by simply resting their head on their hands. Any kind of information, such as mathematical formulas, can be stored as audio and retrieved with MP3 players.
Personal data assistants (PDAs) are miniature storage devices that can be used to save a wealth of notes, formulas and other information. Additionally, students can send each other messages in rooms with wireless Internet access. Some more complex PDAs can dial into the Internet from anywhere, much like a cell phone.
Students who are taking courses like math, science or engineering often use complicated graphing calculators. However, these devices can do much more than complex math. They have the capacity to store a variety of text. As a result, students are able to store material, such as definitions and formulas. Teachers and professors are aware of this fact and often allow students to bring in notes with them.