ATTITUDE OF COLLEGE STUDENTS TOWARD EXAMINATION FRAUD AND ITS CONSEQUENCES FOR EFFECTIVE LEARNING
Abstract
The study examined university students’ perceptions of examination cheating and its implications for effective learning, with a focus on Lagos State University. The study employed three research questions and adopted a descriptive survey design. The study employed a purposive sampling technique and a sample size of 200 respondents, consisting of fifty (50) instructors and one hundred and fifty (150) students.
Using the arithmetic mean, the replies were evaluated (X). The study revealed, among other factors, that population growth, corruption, examination anxiety, parental pressure, and student laziness all contribute to examination fraud. In addition, it was reported that parents withdrawing their children from the affected universities, the emergence of a poor reputation, employers’ loss of confidence in the educational system, inadequate performance of graduates in the workplace, and the cancellation of examinations are consequences of examination fraud.
It was suggested that adequate funding of schools, adequate re-orientation of all parties to examination fraud, secure storage of examination question papers and answer scripts, and adequate sitting arrangement of students during examinations would aid in eradicating examination misconduct in our school system.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT
FIRST PART
INTRODUCTION
1.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY
1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
1.3 STUDY OBJECTIVES
1.4 Importance of the Research
1.5 STUDY QUESTIONS/HYPOTHESES
1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE EXAMINATION
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
SECOND CHAPTER
REVIEW OF RELATED AND RELEVANT LITERATURE
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 CONCEPTUAL CLARIFICATIONS
2.3 THEORETICAL EXAMINATIONS
2.4 EMPIRICAL STUDIES
2.5 RELATED LITERATURE
SECTION THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN
3.2 SOURCES OF DATA
3.3 POPULATION OF THE STUDY
3.4 SAMPLE SIZE DETERMINATION
3.5 INSTRUMENTATION
3.6 RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF INSTRUMENT
3.7 METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS
Section Four
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION
4.1 DATA PRESENTATION
4.2 DATA ANALYSIS
4.3 DATA INTERPRETATION
SECOND CHAPTER
SYNOPSIS, CONCLUSION, AND SUGGESTIONS
5.1 SUMMARY
5.2 SUMMARIZATION
5.3 RECOMMENDATION
REFERENCES
APPENDIX
FIRST PART
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Historical context of the study
The examination is the evaluation of a person’s performance in response to a series of questions, problems, or tasks designed to determine the amount of knowledge he or she has acquired, the extent to which he or she can apply it, or the quality and effectiveness of the skills he or she has developed (Asuru, 2010).
Examinations are used for a variety of purposes in teaching and learning, with monitoring student progress, promotion, and certification being the most popular. It also offers formative and summative roles for administrative objectives, including the diagnosis of student learning issues, motivation, and improvement of student academic performance.
Educators, authors, researchers, administrators, and supervisors have defined examination misconduct in a variety of ways. Onuoha (2009) characterized examination malpractice as unfair practices, irregularities, infractions, or irregularities during the administration of the examination.
He argued that examination fraud has become a threat to the nation’s integrity in recent years. As a cankerworm, it has gnawed deeply into the fabric of the education business, becoming a global concern that has caused genuine academics and researchers restless nights.
Despite the government and other proponents of education’s campaign against it, it is expanding faster than ever. According to Ahmed (2010), examination malpractice is any act of wrongdoing or indifference that violates the rules and regulations of acceptable practice before, during, or after an examination. Nowadays, it is normal to hear people discuss exam cheating as if it were common behavior.
The perpetrators of this societal menace consider it as an activity that everyone engages in; therefore, it is widely accepted. Therefore, it is not uncommon for students with distinctions on the West African Examination Certificate (WAEC) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE),
General Certificate of Education (GCE), or its equivalent, or even first class and second class upper grades in university to be unable to defend their certificates. Examination fraud, which has permeated practically all levels of the school system, is the only explanation. These actions are unbecoming and must cease. It is a disease that requires the attention of everyone.
Nwahunanye (2004) argued that, in the past, the decision to attend secondary school was an important career decision. One of the goals of secondary education is to provide a more advanced education regardless of gender, social standing, religion, or cultural heritage. National Policy on Education (2004) section 5 subsection 22 (a) said “the extent to which these objectives are attained in teaching and learning in secondary schools,
like with all other levels of education, is typically appraised or evaluated by examination.” Additionally, it is impossible to get an academic certificate after completing an institution without being examined. Due to the way in which some of our undergraduates view the pursuit of a solid academic credential, the converse is also true.
During examination seasons, students prepare for tests in various ways. Some read a month before to the exam. Some still like to jot down points the night before a test, which they will then bring into the exam room. The majority of these kids perceive no incentive to study for the exercise and instead rely on “expo” to succeed.
In the test halls, the perpetrators of this nefarious conduct operate in a variety of ways because they wish to receive high grades and reap what they did not sow. Examination misbehavior in the hall might take the form of giraffe/peeking at another student’s examination papers, writing on palms, desks, and papers, smuggling in examination halls, etc.
Misconduct outside the classroom can take the form of sorting already-written examinations through teachers or their agents. This cankerworm has devoured the Nigerian educational system to its very core, rendering our educational institutions useless. If nothing is done and there is no time to do so, our secondary school education and all levels of education will be in shambles.
Commenting on the topic of examination misconduct, Sumnoh (2010) asserts that the government is the primary culprit. Using the example of secondary school teachers, he went on to criticize the government’s salary system as merely starvation wages. If teachers were highly compensated, he said, they would see no motive to facilitate or participate in examination fraud.
This is not to claim that high salaries and allowances will eliminate exam cheating, but they will assist to reduce it. However, it is futile to continue debating who is responsible for the instances of test fraud in our secondary schools. It is also absurd to believe that students, teachers, the government, or society can fix the examination misconduct problem in our secondary schools.
Those who are directly or indirectly involved with the educational system should bear the duty of eradicating examination malpractice in secondary schools and other educational levels. It is not true that nothing has been done regarding exam cheating. Examination misconduct has a long history in Nigeria.
In 1967, the crisis took a national aspect. Then, a committee was established to investigate the surge in exam cheating that year. In addition, decree No. 25 of 1993 on examination leaking prescribes a punishment of five (5) years in prison or a fine of two thousand nairas on anyone convicted of examination leakage. Despite this, examination fraud continues to be observed and done. Its offspring are illiterate, educated undergraduates.
To reduce the incidence of examination misconduct and improve the quality of our secondary school education, it is necessary to expose the modus operandi and myriad strategies employed by the perpetrators of this unwholesome and non-academic act and to inform students of its negative academic and non-academic consequences. This understanding will assist the government in curbing the pervasiveness of exam cheating in secondary schools and other institutions of higher education.
1.2 Description of the Problem
As envisioned by the researchers, this project would investigate the causes and effects of test malpractices among students in higher education institutions, particularly at Lagos State University. This is essential, as questions have been made regarding examination misconduct. Such questions include:
Exist reasons and repercussions of examination fraud that impede our educational system?
What are these variables, and how have they hindered examination?
Exist other obstacles to the schooling system?
The purpose of the research is to discover the answers to these questions and to examine the causes and effects of the menace known as examination malpractice.
This is significant because, according to Umaru (2005), more than 60 percent of university graduates in our culture today and a large number of undergraduates engage in test misconduct, which has wrecked the system and hampered students’ reading and diligent study. Therefore, it is vital to halt this horrible trend in our educational industry before it fully destroys it.
1.3 Objective of the Study
This study aims to evaluate university students’ perceptions of examination cheating and its implications for effective learning. In addition, the study investigates the numerous strategies adopted by students, as well as the roles of instructors, parents, tertiary education authorities, and the general public. This study aims to:
Determine the causes of examination fraud in higher education institutions;
Determine the impact of examination fraud on the academic achievement of students;
Determine adequate control mechanisms for preventing examination fraud in higher education institutions.
1.4 Investigative Questions
The following research questions guided the investigation:
What variables contribute to examination irregularities?
What impact does exam cheating have on the academic success of undergraduates?
What is the control method that will bring a permanent end to examination fraud?
1.5 Importance of the Research
This study’s importance cannot be understated. The study will be of great importance since it will aid the following groups of individuals in the following ways:
This study will serve as a wake-up call for students regarding the detrimental effects/consequences of engaging in examination malpractice.
The instructors: This research will provide lecturers with information on existing forms of examination malpractice/misconduct as well as methods for their prevention. Some professors are no longer committed to their school schedule. Some provide half-baked lessons. Their notes are left for students to copy.
These pupils copy anything and return it to the professor, who does not care whether they comprehend the lesson’s substance. No student desires failure. Therefore, they seek means of success. Therefore, these students engage in numerous sorts of examination misconduct.
Education Officials: The lecturers and authorities will gain a great deal from this study, as it will keep them abreast of the most up-to-date approaches for evaluating the causes of malpractice and also shed light on the necessity of doing so. On their part, school administrators are not helpful. Learning is impeded by the school administration’s inability to offer proper facilities, such as chairs, power, etc. A circumstance in which six students occupy a seat intended for three is detrimental to examination efficiency.
Our government would not be excluded from the list of those who would benefit from this study. The research will help the government understand why educated and qualified lecturers should be recruited for our tertiary education and why the government should organize seminars and workshops for lecturers to enable them to update their expertise.
The society/parents: This study will aid parents and the society at large in understanding what their children and wards do in school and in determining strategies to enable them to learn, concentrate more on their studies, and rely less on external study assistance during examinations. The majority of parents and guardians do not provide their kids with basic necessities. Numerous secondary school kids lack textbooks, writing supplies, etc. Lack of appropriate instructional materials makes learning difficult, much alone exam preparation, as this is a well-known truth.
It is of utmost importance to underline that secondary schools, villages, municipalities, states, and Nigeria in general will benefit greatly from the findings of this research. It would be crucial to the improvement of education and the goal of fostering economic growth and development. This study is significant because it reveals the extent of test malpractice in higher education institutions, particularly in Lagos State. It is also to identify the problem’s forms, causes, repercussions, and lasting remedy or solution.
1.6 Extent of the study
This study was conducted to determine how university students see examination cheating and its impact on effective learning. In addition, the origins, effects, and solutions of examination misconduct on academic achievement in higher education are examined. It took place at the Lagos State University.
1.7 Limitations of the Research
There is little doubt that every endeavor confronts at least one difficulty. In the course of this effort, the researchers encountered obstacles. These obstacles include:
Respondents’ attitudes: this was the first challenge researchers confronted. It was difficult to get responders to fill out the survey since their institution could be labeled a “examination malpractice center.”
The researchers found it quite cumbersome to come together in order to conduct this inquiry due to time constraints. This could be attributable to the fact that their final examination papers rarely offer them time to sit together and converse.
Finances: Finances constituted an additional formidable obstacle to the completion of this project. The acquisition of the necessary materials for this project cost an enormous quantity of money. Transportation to the location where the investigation was conducted also cost money. The cost of photocopying, typing, and retyping the task was monetary.
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ATTITUDE OF COLLEGE STUDENTS TOWARD EXAMINATION FRAUD AND ITS CONSEQUENCES FOR EFFECTIVE LEARNING