Attitude of University Students Towards Examination Malpractice and Its Implication on Effective Learning
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives of Study
The study seeks to:
- Ascertain the factors that brings about examination malpractice in higher institutions;
- Ascertain the effects of examination malpractice on the performance of undergraduates;
- Ascertain appropriate control measures towards curbing examination malpractice in higher institutions.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
This chapter reviews various works by different writers and researchers on examination malpractices. It is organized into conceptual framework, theoretical framework, empirical studies and summary of literature review.
Conceptual Framework
Concept of Examination Malpractices Meaning and Nature of Examination Malpractices
Examination malpractice has been given different meanings by different scholars with the meanings pointing at one thing. Akpama et al. (2009) viewed examination malpractice as an unlawful behaviour or activity engaged by school children at whatever level of education, to have personal advantage in examination over their mates who are completing in the same examination. Joshua (2008) opined that examination malpractice is any unauthorized or unapproved action, inaction, activity, behaviour or practice that is associated with the preparation, conduct and processing of examination and other forms of assessment and carried out by any person involved in preparing for, giving, taking and processing that examination at any level. In the view of the University of Portharcourt
Academic Policies (2009), examination malpractice refers to all forms of cheating which directly or indirectly falsify the ability of the students. The definition above is an “unwholesome behaviour which help the doer to perform better than he / she would ordinary done if not for the act”.
Similarly, Hudson (2006) viewed examination fraud as „the act as to cheat ones way to success in an examination‟. He equated examination malpractice with „Expo‟ which he described as „a form of misconduct in examination halls‟. Also in their contributions, Ibiam (2007) and WAEC (2005) posited that examination malpractice is an abdication of examination ethics as those values which constitute free and fair examination standard. Ibiam opined that cheating in examination is a vice that makes examination lose fairness as “a test of knowledge”.
Daramola and Oluyeba (2007) saw examination malpractice as any irregular behaviour exhibited by candidate or any body charged with the conduct of examination in or outside the examination hall, before during or after such examination. They include the following as examination malpractice, paper leakage, cheating, impersonation, swooping of scripts in the examination hall, collusion, result / certificate forgery, physical / verbal assault on examination administration.
Oluamaro (2009) wrote „dubbling, giraffing, talkie, use of computers, body writing, string pull method, local syndicate, stamped method false pockets, under lockers are all included as forms of examination malpractices‟. Onanuga (2008) also said that examination malpractices are categorized as either internally aided or externally aided. The internally aided in the student „giraffing‟, while the externally aided include peripheral answer scripts and supervisors accepting already prepared answer books when packing other candidates answer scripts.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Design of the Study
The researcher adopted a descriptive survey research method in ascertaining the attitude of university students towards examination malpractice and its implication on effective learning. A descriptive survey research method according to Iwuji (2000) is primarily intended to describe the nature and degree of conditions which exist. Osegbo and Enemou (2009) posited: descriptive survey is concerned with the description of events as they are.
Sources of Data
The data for this study were generated from two main sources; Primary sources and secondary sources. The primary sources include questionnaire, interviews and observation. The secondary sources include journals, bulletins, textbooks and the internet.
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Results
This chapter dealt with the presentation, analysis and interpretation of data. It is organized and presented according to research questions which were structured into two (2) categories, namely Section A and Section B. Section A dealt with responses from students while section B dealt with responses from lecturers.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF THE STUDY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Summary of the Study
This study investigated attitude of university students towards examination malpractice and its implication on effective learning among undergraduates in Lagos state University. Three (3) research questions were drafted to guide the study. The study was based on two (2) theories: idealistic theory and anomic theory. Descriptive survey research design was adopted while purposive sampling technique and a sample size of two hundred (200) respondents composed of fifty (50) lecturers and one hundred and fifty (150) students were used. In collecting relevant data, a well structured questionnaire, categorized into section A (Questionnaire for students) and section B (questionnaire for lecturers) were used. The questionnaire in each section was based on the three (3) research questions which contained fifteen (15) research items respectively, and the response type was based on four (4) likert scale of strongly agreed (SA), agree (A), Disagreed (D) and Strongly Disagreed (SD)
Conclusion
Based on the findings of this study, it has been seen by other learned people that this examination malpractices could be traced as far back as 1914, so many years age before WAEC was established. In other words, examination is not a thing of today. This paper has taken a cursory look at the concept of examination malpractice among undergraduates. it identified its causes, forms and effects. The paper also highlighted the solutions that can help to bring lasting solutions to the deadly cankerworm.
Every problem has a solution. What it takes to eradicate examination malpractice in higher institutions is to encourage and motivate students to read and the lecturers to discipline themselves and maintain discipline in all ramifications. Both people should imbibe good moral values. The parents at home should try and inculcate good moral to their wards. This is because the lecturers, students and parents are in a better position to eradicate it since every effort at committing examination malpractice is to get excellent results and amiable certificates to be employable and make money. The lecturers and students have roles to play in order to eradicate examination malpractice.
Again, if the saying that the youths of today are the leaders of tomorrow is valid, then everybody must make „an to nip‟ this horrifying situation in the bud for a better standard in our tertiary and other levels of education.
Recommendations
Based on the findings made so far, the researchers wish to recommend the following;
- There should be re-orientation towards moral values. Moral instructions that can adequately provide the understanding of the ills in examination malpractice should constitute part of their curricular.
- Logistic value should be applied. There should be proper control of the supply, distribution and custodian of examination materials should be made in order to avoid leakage.
- There should be a serious re-orientation of the Nigerian society on discipline monetary or material achievement such as certificates.
- The guidance and counseling services in higher institutions should also help to offer guidance to the students in their choices of subject according to their individual and natural abilities and interests.
- Higher institutions that are found in such ugly acts should be banned for a period of time, and the names of such schools and their officials involved should be announced and finally publicized so as to serve as a deterant in intending schools.
- The government should encourage and motivate the school administrators by ensuring that they are all well paid and ensure that their conditions of service are secured. There is need for adequate provision of educational materials and facilities that will be conducive and motivate both the students and lecturers for proper and effective teaching and learning. The teeming popularity of students should also be considered in the course of all these, to minimize examination malpractice.
- Charity they say begins at home. Parents should extol hard work, dignity of labour and discouraged dubious and fraudulent behaviour such as providing their wards with money to obtain marks or question papers. They should make out time to check the performance of their children and start on time to help them in difficult areas or even pay private lecturers to aid them at home instead of buying marks for them. This will help curb the ugly malaise of examination malpractice.
REFERENCES
- Ada, N.A. (2004). Issues in Sociology of Education. Makurdi: Peach Global Publications.
- Ajayi, I. (2009). Examination cheats. Newswatch magazine July 1st, pp.7-16.
- Duze, C.O. (2011). Falling standard in Nigeria education: traceable to proper skill-acquisition. Educational research 2 (1), 803-808, retrieved on 29th February 2012 from http://www.interestjournal.org
- Emaikwu, S.O. & Eba, E. (2007). Examination malpractices in tertiary institutions: Implications and the way forward. In Akubue, A.U. & Enyi, D. (Ed.)(389-400) Crises and Challenges in Higher Education in Developing Countries. A Publication of the Department of Educational Foundations, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
- Emaikwu, S. O. (2011). Evaluation of student’s ability in schools. Being a paper presented and accepted for publication in the Book of Readings on Teaching Practice. A Publication of the College of Agricultural & Science Education, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi.
- Maduabum, O (2009). Towards Functional and Qualitative Education in Nigeria. Owerri: Destiny Ventures.
- Mallum, P. (2009). Towards curtailing examination malpractices in our educational system. Daily Times May 16th p.3.
- Obasi E. (2009). Certificate Syndrome. Owerri: Stateman publishers Ltd.
- Ogum, D.N. (2007). On the declining literacy among trainee teachers in Nigeria. African Journal of Educational Development Studies 4 (1), 143-149
