Policy Matters: Tendencies towards Academic Misconduct

Abstract

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020, the global education system has been compelled to adopt Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) in response to the threat of the virus. This abrupt shift in teaching methods has yielded anticipated and unanticipated consequences across all levels of education. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of ERT on academic integrity at a higher education institution situated in the western region of Türkiye. 12 hypothetical academic misconduct scenarios questionnaire was completed by a total of 234 participants. The responses relating to student observations suggest that collusion is perceived to be the most commonly witnessed form of academic misconduct, with many students specifically noting the prevalence of exam outsourcing. However, contract cheating was found to be the least preferred method of academic transgression in this study. Another significant finding suggests based on students observations that in-class activities facilitated by teachers can inadvertently facilitate either collaboration or dishonest practices among students during ERT. It is worth emphasizing that the implementation of well-designed assignments for effective assessments can serve as an initial step towards preserving academic integrity within an academic institution. Consequently, this study underscores the persisting and widespread issue of academic integrity transgressions within higher education, reaffirming its status as an epidemic concern.