It is a dilemma! I commend you for noticing it, as it is implicit in all traditional education.
Unfortunately I cannot agree with most of the comments here, there are many short cuts in life, and cheating is often acceptable, although called by other names (collaboration!). The problem is, our educational system values skills that are no longer important (memorization).
I prefer to use open book, open note tests. I prefer to see who knows how to get to the answer than who can remember the answer. This may not be applicable in all subjects, and requires that the test is on a deeper understanding of the material, and not just the base facts and dates.
It is hard to be an educator in these times of revolutionary change. What are we educating them for? I think that is the key question. Our world desperately needs people that can get along and work together to solve problems, and has very little use for people with heads stuffed with facts.
Blessings to you!
Exactly! Why memorize when you have Google? One article stated that while memorization was essential, our brains have adapted to the current technology and times. Thus, more resources in the brain have shifted to creativity and problem solving instead of memorizing. I love open book tests and projects where the students get to apply what they have learnt instead of regurgitate what was learnt. Thanks for stopping by! Appreciate it.