Integrity Crisis in High School: Exploring Ways to Prevent Academic Dishonesty in the Classroom

Presented by: Alexandra Escobar and Richard Dettling

Academic Cheating

Academic cheating is defined as representing someone else's work as your

own.

It can take many forms, including sharing another's work, purchasing a term paper

or test questions in advance, paying another to do the work for you.

Sound Familiar?

Academic Dishonesty

Academic IntegrityAcademic Cheating

According to ETS

Who is ETS?

Educational Testing Services

They develop, administer, and score 50+ million tests annually in 180+ countries

A number of important statistics have been generated by ETS

TOEFL GRE

Academic Cheating

According to ETS, cheating among high school students has risen dramatically

during the past 50 years

PAST PRESENT

In the past it was the struggling student who was more likely to cheat just to get by

(ETS, 1999)

Today it is the above-average college bound students who are cheating

(ETS, 1999)

20% of college students admitted to some form of

academic dishonesty in high school during the 1940's

(ETS, 1999)

Unfair Disadvantage

Honest

Aca-demi-cally Dis-

honest

1940s

20% of college students admitted to some form of

academic dishonesty in high school during the 1940's

(ETS, 1999)

Unfair Disadvantage

Honest

Aca-demi-cally Dis-

honest

1940s

20% of college students admitted to some form of

academic dishonesty in high school during the 1940's

Today between 75 and 98 percent of college students reported having cheated in

high school (ETS, 1999)

Unfair Disadvantage

Academically Dishonest

Honest

Present Day

Some Problems

Research shows almost 50% of students are engaging in some form of academic dishonesty in universities in the United States and Canada (McCabe, Butterfield, & Trevino, 2006; McCabe, 2009).

When academic quality and integrity is compromised, the institution suffers.

Some Problems

Students who engage in academic dishonesty may not develop the necessary academic skills and content knowledge in college (Postle, 2009).

This behavior can lead to questionable ethics beyond school which can negatively impact the community at large (Harding, Carpenter, Finelli, & Passow, 2004; Anitsal, Anitsal, & Elmore, 2009; Nonis & Swift, 2001).

How do these children?

Become these adults?

CHEATER

Stigma?

Academic Dishonesty no longer carries the stigma that it used to.

WHY?

Less social condemnation +increased competition for admission into

universities and graduate schools has made students more willing to do whatever

it takes to get the A.

Stigma?

Stigma?

Academic Dishonesty increases due to pressure for high grades

Math and Science are the courses in which academic dishonesty occurs most often

Computers and mobile technology make academic dishonesty easier(Anderman, Griesinger, & Westerfield, 1998).

73% of all test takers, including prospective graduate students and teachers agree that

most students do cheat at some point

Unfair Disadvantage

86% of high school students

agreed

(ETS, 1999)

Students feel justified in academic

dishonestyThey cheat because

they see others cheat

Unfair Disadvantage

The cheaters are getting 100 on the exam, while the non-cheaters may

only get 90's. (Anderman, Griesinger, & Westerfield, 1998).

Research

According to a poll of Who's Who Among American High School Students,

80% of the country's best students participated in some form of Academic

Dishonesty to get to the top of their class (1998).

More than half the students surveyed said they don't think academic

dishonesty is a big deal – and most did not get caught (1998).

Research

According to surveys conducted by The Josephson Institute of Ethics among

20,000 middle and high school students:

64% of high school students admitted to cheating in 1996. That number

jumped to 70% in 1998

In a recent survey of middle schoolers:

2/3 of respondents reported cheating on exams 9/10 reported copying another's homework (ETS, 1998)

Research

Using Theory to Enhance Practice

Granitz and Lowey (2007) presented six ethical theories to understand plagiarism

Ethical Theories to Understand Plagiarism

(Granitz & Lowey, 2007)Ethical Theory

Application Alignment to Student Behavior & Justification

 Deontology Deciding what is right or

wrong based on duty to others

Applies to students who claim they did not know they plagiarized since this would conflict with their sense of duty 

Utilitarianism

Cost benefit analysis: making decisions based on what generates the greatest amount of happiness

Plagiarism can lead to higher grades and harms no one

Rational Self-Interest

Benefiting oneself and giving to others based on what has been given.

Plagiarism is ok when the assignment is irrelevant or the teacher does not put forth much effort in teaching

Ethical Theory

Application Alignment to Student Behavior & Justification

Machiavellianism

Self-interest behavior, no regard to consequences on others

Students brag about their plagiarized work and then blame others if they get caught

Cultural relativism

Acting in accordance to the values of one’s culture

Plagiarism is allowable in students’ own country/culture

Situational/ contingent

ethics

Behaviors and ethical decisions are influenced by individual, social, and situational elements

Plagiarism is permitted under extenuating circumstances

Ethical Theories to Understand Plagiarism

(Granitz & Lowey, 2007)

Extending the Model

What can teachers do?

Compiling best practices

What Can Teachers Do?Student Behavior Ways teachers can address root causes

Deontology: Students not understanding they plagiarized

• Socialize the school’s code of Academic Integrity

• Direct instruction on note-taking, paraphrasing, and citation

• Know and promote available resources to help students

Utilitarianism: Plagiarism can lead to higher grades and harms no one

• Get to know your students • Instill ethics in students, discuss current

ethical issues in society • Have high expectations• Let students know you will check for

plagiarism • Do in class-writing assignments (writing

sample)

Student Behavior Ways teachers can address root causes

Rational Self-Interest: Plagiarism is ok when the assignment is irrelevant or the teacher does not put forth much effort in teaching

• Show students you care • Relevant and individualized

assignments and assessments. Narrow topics are best.

• Require students to use current events and sources within the last 5 years

• Avoid busy work• Prepare students for assignments

and debrief completed work Machiavellianism: Students brag about their plagiarized work and blame others if caught

• Instill ethics in students• Model scholarly integrity as a faculty

What Can Teachers Do?

Student Behavior Ways teachers can address root causes

Cultural Relativism: Plagiarism is allowable in students’ own culture

• Emphasize the importance and value of academic integrity in U.S. institutions

• Do not assume students know how to cite

• Know and promote available resources to help students

Situational/Contingent Ethics: Action is justified under extenuating circumstances

• Share time management strategies • Break up larger assignments to weekly

tasks (outlines, annotated bibliographies, drafts)

• Consider some flexibility in late policy • Have students turn in a reflection on

the writing process, struggles, aha moments, etc.

What Can Teachers Do?

A Shared Responsibility

Upholding academic integrity is a joint effort and the shared responsibility of students, teachers, and administrators (Macdonald & Carroll, 2006).

Conclusion

Education about why academic integrity matters needs to start early on

Teachers should make a concerted effort to prevent academic dishonesty and respond appropriately when it occurs

Promoting ethics in our students needs to be a joint effort between K-12 schools and post-secondary institutions

Together we can make a difference and help promote ethical values in our society

And finally…

Questionsand/or

Comments?

References

Anderman, E. M., Griesinger, T., & Westerfield, G. (1998). Motivation and cheating during early adolescence. Journal of Educational Psychology, 90(1), 84-93.Anitsal, I., Anitsal, M., & Elmore, R. (2009).

Academic dishonesty and intention to cheat: a model on active versus passive academic dishonesty as perceived by business students. Academy of Entrepreneurship Journal, 15(2), 17-26.

Educational Testing Services (1999) Cheating is a personal foul. Retrieved from http://www.glass-castle.com/clients/www-nocheating-org/adcouncil/research/cheatingfactsheet.html

Granitz, N., & Loewy, D. (2007). Applying ethical theories: Interpreting and responding to student plagiarism. Journal Of Business Ethics, 72(3), 293-306. doi:10.1007/s10551-006-9171-9

Harding, T. S., Carpenter, D. D., Finelli, C. J., & Passow, H. J. (2004). Does academic dishonesty relate to unethical behavior in professional practice? An exploratory study. Science & Engineering Ethics, 10(2), 311-324.

References Cont.

Macdonald, R., & Carroll, J. (2006). Plagiarism—a complex issue requiring a holistic institutional approach. Assessment & Evaluation In Higher Education, 31(2), 233-245. doi:10.1080/02602930500262536

McCabe, D.L, Butterfield, K.D, Treviño, L.K. (2006). Academic dishonesty in graduate business programs: Prevalence, causes, and proposed action. Academy of Management Learning & Education. 5(3). 294-305. Retrieved from Ebscohost.

McCabe, D.L. (2009). Academic dishonesty in nursing schools: An empirical investigation. Journal of Nursing Education. 48(11), 614-623.

Nonis, S. & Swift, C.O., (2001). An examination of the relationship between academic dishonesty and workplace dishonesty: A multicampus investigation. Journal Of Education For Business, 77(2), 69.

References Cont.

Postle, K. (2009). Detecting and deterring plagiarism in social work students: Implications for learning for practice. Social Work Education, 28(4), 351-362.

Wilkinson, J. (2009). Staff and student perceptions of plagiarism and cheating. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 20(2), 98-105.