Exploring student perspectives on collaboration and ethical conduct in online exams: insights from a three-year survey
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Date
2024
Authors
Walpita Gamage, S.
Editors
Crossin, E.
Pour, M.
Pour, M.
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Conference paper
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Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference of the Australasian Association for Engineering Education (AAEE 2024), 2024 / Crossin, E., Pour, M. (ed./s), pp.481-489
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35th Australasian Association for Engineering Education Annual Conference (8 Dec 2024 - 11 Dec 2024 : Christchurch, New Zealand)
Abstract
Context: Online education has witnessed a rapid expansion in recent years, with online learning environments becoming very popular for academic assessments. While numerous studies have reported instances of academic misconduct in online settings, there has been limited research asking students directly about their perceptions and behaviours in this regard.
Purpose and goal: The purpose of this study is to investigate and understand student perspectives on collaboration and ethical conduct in the context of online exams, with the overarching goal of informing educators and policy makers about the dynamics of online assessment environments. By investigating into students’ attitudes towards collaboration and ethical behaviour in online exams, this study seeks to identify effective strategies for promoting academic integrity and fostering a culture of honesty and accountability in online learning settings.
Methods: This study explored student perspectives through an extensive survey conducted over three years with 458 participants. The survey examined students' perspective in collaboration, perceived helpfulness of the assistance they received, their attitudes towards unethical behaviour, and their awareness of such behaviour among peers during online exams. A mixed methods approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative analysis, was employed to analyse the results.
Outcomes: Most students self-reported that they do not engage in unethical behaviour. The majority also recognised that copying answers and providing false excuses for extensions are forms of cheating. However, ambiguity exists regarding the use of online resources during exams. Additionally, a notable minority viewed collaboration not as cheating, but as a form of reassurance and a normal practice in learning.
Conclusions/recommendations/summary: The study emphasises the importance of updating institutional academic integrity policies and providing clearer guidelines on acceptable behaviours. Continuous research, education and communication are crucial for promoting academic integrity. By identifying students' motivations and needs, institutions can better support ethical academic practices and discourage misconduct.
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Copyright 2024 Sithara Walpita Gamage: The author assign to the Australasian Association for Engineering Education (AAEE) and educational non-profit institutions a non-exclusive licence to use this document for personal use and in courses of instruction provided that the article is used in full and this copyright statement is reproduced. The author also grant a non-exclusive licence to AAEE to publish this document in full on the World Wide Web (prime sites and mirrors), on Memory Sticks, and in printed form within the AAEE 2024 proceedings. Any other usage is prohibited without the express permission of the author.