Today I was called in for a meeting on an academic cheating case. First time in my over-a-decade-old career as an educator.
About six years ago, I had caught a student cheating in an exam. The student sat literally in front me and other examiners… The cheating went unnoticed until in the last minutes of the exam. As scripts were collected, we saw something amiss and out of place. ‘Fortunately’ I wasn’t called to the meeting. Why ‘fortunately’? Because the undesirable amount of time and paperwork involved in such cases. Instead, I learned the examiners of the paper were asked to go.
Since then, I’ve heard many students’ cases or attempts to cheat in exams and quizzes. With and without technology; though the trends are heading towards the former. It’s noteworthy to mention that university examination departments are doing their best to keep up with the trends leading to better exam policies in place.
I wouldn’t want to go into the details of cheating cases. My blog is not the place for such things, rather I’m interested to find out the whys and implications to teaching.
In my view, the motivation (or rather, the intention) to cheat drives the whole planning, methods and execution. Perhaps comparable to the motivation for excellence and success.
And it reminds me of a Malay saying:
Nak seribu daya, tak nak seribu dalih.
(A similar one in English, “If there’s a will, there’s always a way”)
So what’s academic cheating? Academic cheating and dishonesty are not only the use of unauthorised materials during exams or quizzes, but also include unauthorised collaboration and plagiarism in tests, exams, assignments and thesis.
What drives cheating? Let’s look at the motivation of academic cheating. It could be due to the pressures of academic success and excellence expected of students, of themselves and by their parents. These are the social aspects of cheating. Or it could be in the last 13-14 years of formal education, some students have always been the top scorers. They compete with each other in class, and came out with perfect 10A+ and four flat CGPA results. Nothing less… until they enter the ivory towers. Here the bubble(s) pop.
At least three theories attempt to explain the motivation behind cheating. According to Richard and Rochester in Self-Determination Theory (as shown in the figure below), academic cheating can be viewed a continuous spectrum of three motivation types–intrinsic, extrinsic and amotivation.
Accordingly, when a student’s performance is seen as the passport to good postgraduate scholarships, good universities and good jobs, particularly in current economic situations, it is hard not to feel pressured. And so tempting to cheat, but you know it’s not worth it…
What happens to learning for the sake of learning?
Psychological research has shown that students who are more extrinsically motivated would tend to cheat than students who learn for the sake of learning. Dishonesty also may alter the sense of one’s right and wrong; this very act is seen as no longer immoral by cheaters. Like the fictional character Pinocchio. His nose grows longer as he tells a lie. A lie will often lead more lies–to cover the first lie. Can this act be intervened before it becomes widespread? And what could be the implications to teaching?
Instructors and educators have great influence on students throughout their years in the university and beyond. Studies have shown that when students perceived that performance or grades were emphasised more than mastery, students tend to cheat. Competitive educational environment along with economic uncertainties also could undermine the virtues and values of an institution of higher learning i.e. why students enter university in the first place? Additionally, when tasks, assignments and knowledge seem irrelevant and meaningless to students, when surface learning predominate, then cheating tend to happen.*
Instructors, therefore, could start informing students the purpose of assignments and share the relevance and usefulness of such knowledge. As catalysts for learning, we can help students develop their own sense of intrinsic motivation for deep learning. Adoption of teaching strategies that promote active and collaborative learning for meaningful learning both in-class and outside class (e-learning) can also facilitate and engage students in the learning process. Learning should be fun, enjoyable yet challenging. Our students’ learning start with us.
B ack to the story. The student apologised to me at the end of the meeting. I knew the student. I always take the trouble to remember the names of my students. If sometimes I don’t remember their names (there are 110 students), I would definitely remember their faces (I’m a visual learner). And yeah, my students would also remind me their names. Thanks guys.I know the student is conscientious, polite and hard working. Apologies accepted. My impression of the student remain unchanged, despite the wrong decisions made by the student. Self-worth matters, watch this video:
My final thoughts:
Life has its own twists and turns. More ups than downs.
Shortcuts don’t pay, perseverance does.
Be good to yourself and others.
I wish you all the best in your future undertakings.
