Summer midterms

I gave my midterms today.  The women scored almost exactly where I thought they would but the men scored much higher.  Naturally, I assume there is cheating but I am not certain how.  I gave them assigned seats.  The test was online and the questions came to them random with no way of going back after they answered a question.  I stood in the back of the room to watch their screens for most of the exam.  I told them to keep their hands above the table at all times (to avoid using a cell phone in their lap).

At one point I was answering a question and I saw a guy near the front literally turn his computer to another student.  I yelled, "What the hell  are you doing?"  If you're reading this and feeling deja vu it's because I've written about this happening before.

When it comes to cheating there are easy tell-tale signs and the biggest is that on a question most of the class missed they will all have the same answer.  There is literally no evidence of the men cheating.  *shocking*  In fact, there is some pretty good evidence the women cheated.  Less shocking, but still surprising. They had two questions where 70% answered the same wrong answer.

 *****
I, umm, don't know how I can write about this.  In my three years here I have never received outside pressure to give a better grade to a student.  Let's just say that yesterday I was approached by an assistant to a person in power about a student.  (The credentials of this person were sealed by the vehicle he drove and the incredible level of respect given to him by the students who passed by - the locals all knew him.)

I lost sleep over this.  Basically, I freaked out.  What if the kid bombs?  I'm not giving a good grade because someone is politically powerful... but I also don't like the idea of possibly losing my job because I pissed of someone who is politically powerful.

The good news?  The guy performed well.  By coincidence his assigned seat was near the back of the classroom where I spent most of my time.  He performed well and I know he didn't cheat because I was standing six feet away from him.