Honesty is a priority at Bicol University College of Engineering in the Philippines. To make sure no one was actually cheating, the students were asked to wear “anti-cheating hats”. The headgear was intended to prevent them from copying from others. The move went viral on social media, the BBC reported.
Mechanical engineering professor Mary Joy Mandane-Ortiz asked her students to create a simple design out of paper. Inspired by a technique that had become popular in Thailand in 2013, students glued sheets of paper to the sides of their heads.
Her students, future engineers, took the task seriously – developing complex headgear in just minutes. Some students also used helmets or Halloween masks to complete the task.
Positive results
The professor posted photos on Facebook to showcase the students’ creations. The posts quickly generated several thousand likes and the photos were shared worldwide. Other schools and universities have also been able to gain inspiration in this way.
Professor Mandane-Ortiz is proud of her action. The idea was “really effective” because: there was no cheating – and the students actually performed better because the strict exam conditions made them more motivated to learn harder. (lrc)