Prevalence and Correlates of Academic Dishonesty: Towards a Sustainable University

Faculty versus students: different perceptions of misconducts at university

Introduction

Academic integrity is a goal to be achieved by university institutions, and student academic behavioral misconduct is a phenomenon to be fought and eradicated. Two of the main problems faced by universities in this area are: (1) the lack of consensus among students and faculty on the seriousness of acts considered academic misconduct; and (2) the difficulty of noticing and controlling certain student behaviors. The main aim of this paper is to assess the importance of these two problems.

Methods

For this purpose, the authors compare, on the one hand, students' and teachers' perceptions of the seriousness of different types of dishonest and inappropriate behaviors and, on the other hand, the frequency with which they report that these misconducts occur. Two samples were taken from the responses of students and teachers of the Economics and Business School of the University of Zaragoza. The first consisted of 333 students and the second of 72 teachers. The academic misconducts asked about were grouped into three categories: academic works, exams, and interpersonal relationships in the classroom. Nonparametric tests were used to study the significance of the differences observed in the responses of students and teachers.

Results

Results show that the greatest differences in the assessment of the seriousness of academic misconducts are in the group referring to interpersonal relationships. In terms of frequency, the study reveals that there is a serious problem of moral hazard in some of the behaviors analyzed, since the frequency with which teachers notice these practices is lower than that expressed by students.

Discussion

Based on these results, possible measures to be adopted in universities in order to eradicate the academic misconduct problem are discussed.

Elucidating the Associations Between Achievement Goals and Academic Dishonesty: a Meta-analysis

Academic dishonesty is a pervasive problem undermining the effectiveness of educational institutions. From a motivational perspective, researchers have proposed achievement goals as antecedents of academic dishonesty. Empirical findings corroborate the notion that mastery goals (focus on learning and competence development) are negatively linked to academic dishonesty. However, even though theoretical considerations suggest positive links between performance goals (focus on competence demonstration) and academic dishonesty, empirical findings are mixed. To provide a better understanding of how goals matter for academic dishonesty, we conducted three-level meta-analyses encompassing 163 effect sizes from 33 studies and a total of 19,787 participants. We found a disproportional use of correlational designs (using self-report measures of academic dishonesty) and personal goal measures (opposed to surrounding goal structures). Evidence of publication bias was not found. Our results confirmed the expected negative associations between mastery goals and academic dishonesty and revealed heterogenous findings for performance goals, with indications of positive associations within behavioral and intentional dishonesty measures, but not within self-reports. To further clarify the associations between achievement goals and academic dishonesty, we call for more methodological rigor in the measurement of goals and dishonesty as well as multi-methods approaches when investigating their interplay.

Academic integrity in the HyFlex learning environment

This study analyzed how students' personality traits and course attendance preferences impact academic integrity in the HyFlex learning environment. 535 undergraduate students were given a choice among courses face-to-face (F2F), online, or a hybrid combination of both. The Big Five Inventory and the Academic Integrity Inventory were administered through online questionnaires to STEM students. The findings show that emotional stability and agreeableness positively relate to academic integrity irrespective of attendance mode. So do conscientiousness and agreeableness in the hybrid environment. Conversely, the primarily F2F attendance mode and the personality trait of extraversion are tied to markedly low levels of academic integrity. We conclude that unveiling students' personality traits associated with ethical behaviour would be beneficial when designing HyFlex courses in different learning environments, whether human (F2F), machine-made (online) or a combination of both (hybrid). This, in turn, contributes to better higher quality education and enhances academic integrity.

Academic dishonesty when doing homework: How digital technologies are put to bad use in secondary schools

The growth in digital technologies in recent decades has offered many opportunities to support students' learning and homework completion. However, it has also contributed to expanding the field of possibilities concerning homework avoidance. Although studies have investigated the factors of academic dishonesty, the focus has often been on college students and formal assessments. The present study aimed to determine what predicts homework avoidance using digital resources and whether engaging in these practices is another predictor of test performance. To address these questions, we analyzed data from the Program for International Student Assessment 2018 survey, which contained additional questionnaires addressing this issue, for the Swiss students. The results showed that about half of the students engaged in one kind or another of digitally-supported practices for homework avoidance at least once or twice a week. Students who were more likely to use digital resources to engage in dishonest practices were males who did not put much effort into their homework and were enrolled in non-higher education-oriented school programs. Further, we found that digitally-supported homework avoidance was a significant negative predictor of test performance when considering information and communication technology predictors. Thus, the present study not only expands the knowledge regarding the predictors of academic dishonesty with digital resources, but also confirms the negative impact of such practices on learning.

Assessment of the Perception of Sustainability for Occupants of Residential Buildings: A Case Study in the UAE

The residential sector is multi-faceted by nature. Although evidence shows that the UAE is among the countries in the world that take sustainability seriously, there is a lack of information about the perception of sustainability by occupants in the residential sector in the UAE. The aim of this paper is to assess the perception of sustainability of the residential sector in the UAE, which is achieved by following a methodological framework using the relevant literature review and experts’ knowledge. An online survey was distributed to the targeted population, followed by a statistical analysis to fulfill the aim of the paper. Results confirm the correlation between social, economic, and environmental aspects of sustainability. Additionally, structural equation modeling reveals that the perception of sustainability is significantly influenced by economic and environmental aspects in the residential sector in the UAE. Comparative analysis shows a statistical difference in the perception of sustainability among gender, educational level, employment status, and monthly income. Finally, a predictive classification model is built to classify the perception of occupants based on their attributes using decision tree algorithms. The outcomes of this study would be beneficial to policy and decision makers, developers, contractors, designers, and facility management entities to enhance overall sustainability in the residential sector.

Counterproductive Academic Behaviors and Academic Performance: A Meta-Analysis and a Path Analysis Model

Counterproductive academic behaviors (CAB) are a complex phenomenon that affects academic institutions in multiple geographical areas with different cultures, values, and social norms. The high incidence of CAB causes problems of critical importance that transcend the educational domain. The current study aims to contribute to the knowledge of the CAB consequences by focusing on its impact on academic performance (AP). For this purpose, a meta-analysis was conducted in order to examine the relationship between CAB, its facets, and AP. The results show that overall CAB and students' performance are negatively related with a true effect size of ρ = −0.40 (K = 231, N = 127,269). Particularly, absenteeism appeared to be the facet most strongly related to AP (ρ = −0.48, K = 117, N = 69,453). A meta-analytic path analysis model was carried out in order to test the predictive validity of CAB, students' personality characteristics, and intelligence on AP. Results show that conscientiousness and cognitive intelligence have a negative relationship with CAB (β = −0.28 and β = −0.20, respectively), and that conscientiousness, openness to experience, intelligence, and CAB can explain 58% of AP true variance. Meta-analyses of moderator variables and hierarchical meta-analyses are also presented. The implications for research and practice are discussed at the end.

No Anxious Student Is Left Behind: Statistics Anxiety, Personality Traits, and Academic Dishonesty—Lessons from COVID-19

Scholarly studies have revealed that exposure to statistics courses affect students’ anxiety levels and that this has been associated with unethical misconduct. Thus, the present research’s main objective is to comprehend the mediating role Statistics Anxiety plays on the relationship comprising students’ personality traits and academic dishonesty as manifesting before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its aim is to understand this phenomenon and provide theoretical tools for fostering sustainably personalized distance learning and instruction. Data were collected from students studying for a bachelor’s degree in the social sciences at three different Israeli colleges. The sample comprises 316 participants and data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results show a significant mediation manifested by an indirect effect between personality traits and academic dishonesty via statistics anxiety only in emergency remote teaching, although no parallel significant mediation was observed in the face-to-face course. These results could be explained by differences in delivery methods. Thus, we recommend that in the emergency remote teaching environment instructors’ presence include: (1) supportive, emphatic interaction to reduce virtual distance and (2) Social Emotional Learning (SEL) strategies, which foster students’ learning challenges and prevent anxiety and academic dishonesty.

Relationship between Statistics Anxiety and Academic Dishonesty: A Comparison between Learning Environments in Social Sciences

The current research examines the impact of Statistics Anxiety on academic ethical behavior as manifesting in undergraduate social science students attending introductory statistics courses in different learning environments: Covid-19-Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT), Planned Online Environment (POE), and Face-to-Face (F2F) courses. Data were collected from students in academic institutions studying for a bachelor’s degree in the social sciences. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to examine the relationship between students’ previous academic achievements and Academic Dishonesty mediated by Statistics Anxiety. The results of multi-group analysis show that path coefficients differ between the three learning environments (POE, F2F, and ERT). Specifically, the results support a model in which previous math and academic achievements are significantly related to Academic Dishonesty mediated by Statistics Anxiety in a POE context only. Accordingly, POE statistics learning is less effective than F2F instruction and practice. Our research shows that instructors’ presence in the learning process reduces students’ anxiety levels and unethical behavior. Thus, we recommend that in POE, the instructor’s presence includes supportive, emphatic, and interpersonal interaction to reduce virtual distance. We conclude that introductory courses in statistics need to empower students experiencing Statistics Anxiety for a better sustainable statistical literacy population.

Importance of Gender, Location of Secondary School, and Professional Experience for GPA—A Survey of Students in a Free Tertiary Education Setting

A publicly financed tertiary education system is a manifestation of a sustainable approach to education. Society as a whole decides to spend money on the education of young generations, who in turn are expected to do the same for future generations. The benefactor expects that students conscientiously gain knowledge, skills, and competences during their studies. These features are incorporated into and measured with the grade point average (GPA). This research contributes to the scientific debate through the identification and measurement of determinants of students’ GPA in a unique country setting, where top tertiary education is financed by a government. We investigate the relationship between GPA and differentiating factors: gender, population size of a town where students’ secondary school was located, and professional experience. Research methods used include literature analysis, parametric and nonparametric statistical tests, and econometric modeling. The surveyed sample comprised 341 accounting and controlling students from Cracow University of Economics. We find that gender, location of a secondary school, and professional experience are statistically significantly associated with GPA. Female students tend to earn higher GPAs. Similarly, students who completed secondary education in smaller towns earn higher GPAs. On the contrary students who have professional experience tend to earn lower GPAs.

Individual differences and counterproductive academic behaviors in high school

Counterproductive academic behaviors (CAB) is a problem that has plagued academic institutions for centuries. However, research has mostly been focused on higher learning institutes in North America. For this reason, literature on CAB must be expanded to other geographical areas and academic levels. The present research analyses the prevalence and correlates of CAB in a sample of Spanish high school students. The results indicate that CAB is a common phenomenon, cheating and low effort behaviors being the most prevalent forms. Correlational analyses revealed that conscientiousness (ρ = -.55, p < .01), emotional stability (ρ = .28, p < .01), and agreeableness (ρ = -.26, p < .05) are predictors of CAB. Multiple regression analyses showed that conscientiousness is the dimension exerting the strongest impact on CAB (β = -.64, p < .01), followed by agreeableness, and emotional stability. These three dimensions accounted for 51% of CAB variance. Last, implications for theory and practice are described.

Millennials’ Sleep and Unethical Behavior: Testing the Relationship between Sleep and Academic Dishonesty of Millennials in a Korean University

This study empirically examined the impact of sleep quantity and sleep quality on academic dishonesty as a kind of unethical behavior with a sample of 237 millennials in a Korean university. Sleep quantity was calculated by subtracting bedtime, sleep latency, and wake after sleep onset (WASO) from wake-up time. Sleep quality was measured with the Insomnia Scale developed by Jenkins et al. (1988), and all items are reverse coded. Plagiarism and attitudes toward academic dishonesty (ATAD) were selected as unethical behaviors of millennials at the university. The results of this study are as follows: (1) sleep quantity and sleep quality have negative relationships with ego depletion; (2) ego depletion has no significant relationship with plagiarism or ATAD; (3) sleep quantity has no relationship with plagiarism or ATAD; (4) sleep quality has negative relationships with plagiarism and ATAD; (5) all four indirect effects of sleep quantity and sleep quality on plagiarism and ATAD through ego depletion are not significant. Based on the results, theoretical and practical implications are discussed, and the limitations of this study and recommendations for future research are provided.

Developing and validating a new multi-dimensional scale for anti-social behavior in a higher education setting

The purpose of this research is to construct and validate a multi-dimensional scale of Anti-social Behavior (hereafter ASB) in a Western higher education context (i.e., USA). To achieve this, four studies, each with a different sample, were performed. Study 1 (n = 150) followed an exploratory design to generate a pool of potential items measuring ASB. Study 2 (n = 254) explored the dimensionality of the items produced in Study 1 using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and reliability measures. Study 3 (n = 654) confirmed the factorial structure from Study 2 and assessed the measurement model invariance using structural equation modeling (SEM). Finally, Study 4 (n = 287) assessed the predictive validity of the ASB measure through testing a hypothetical path model linking ASB to narcissism and Machiavellianism via an SEM procedure. In total, our research findings conclude that the ASB measurement model is a two-factor multi-dimensional structure comprising: Interpersonal Antagonistic Behavior (six items) as well as Indirect Distractive Behavior (four items). The research and practical implications for universities are thereafter discussed.

Analyzing Sustainability Awareness among Higher Education Faculty Members: A Case Study in Saudi Arabia

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the understanding of sustainability of the faculty members in higher education in Saudi Arabia. One of the main objectives is to explore how they implement sustainability in the courses offered in one of the major non-profit private universities in Riyadh. Findings: A survey was conducted among the faculty members to investigate their awareness on this topic. Survey results were compared between the different departments to understand how the faculty members can contribute to sustainable education if they increase their knowledge through training and workshops related to the topic. The comparative analysis allows us to define the guidelines to build a strong institution that presents itself as a leader and change-driver in the Gulf region. The survey was done among the limited number of faculty members in the benchmark university, searching for answers about sustainability using the top-down methodology. The survey fulfilled the original aim of developing an evidence base of faculty members existing expertise, experience and interest in sustainability. The survey is also an important step to embed sustainability into the benchmark university. It also provides an opportunity to reflect and put forward suggestions on what it means to have sustainability as a core value and strategic priority. Originality/value: According to the Saudi Vision 2030, developed following the UN requirements, the Saudi Government expects companies to be more responsible towards society and sustainable economy. Increasing the understanding and learning of sustainability among faculty members is beneficial to young people to build their professional careers in a sustainable environment, considering the environmental, social, and economic implications. In this context, the role of faculty members is crucial to strengthen the awareness and knowledge about sustainability in higher education among the new generation. The work identified opportunities to engage all staff on what it means to have sustainability as a core value and strategic priority.