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THE USE OF SMART PHONE IN PERPETRATING EXAMINATION MALPRACTICE IN TERTIARY INSTITUTION
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background of the Study
Education begins at birth and continues throughout an individual’s life, ending only at death. Early childhood is especially critical as it lays the groundwork for future learning. However, humans cannot fully control these initial stages, as children rely on their families for care until they enter school. Meanwhile, a child’s educational experience is shaped by numerous factors, including the influence of their peers both in and out of school. According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (5th edition), education is defined as a process of teaching and learning. Akaranga and Ongong (2013) also describe education as an essential process that equips young adults to lead productive lives aligned with their talents and interests. Similarly, Durkheim (2016) emphasizes that the main purpose of education is to prepare children for their roles as workers and community members, defining education as a means of shaping individuals into social beings. Nevertheless, education, as a teaching and learning process, is evaluated through examinations at the end of the learning period.
Examinations are the primary tool around which the entire education system revolves. They are used to determine who is eligible to progress to the next academic level, as noted by George and Ukpong (2013). Nnam and Inah (2015) further explain that examinations serve as a benchmark for formally assessing and appraising students’ competence and progress in the educational sector. According to Emaikwu (2012), exams in educational evaluation aim to measure a student’s skills, intellectual abilities, and comprehension following a specific course of study. The pressure to excel academically may lead students to exploit the advanced features of smartphones during exams. Additionally, fierce competition among students for top ranks in class or admission to prestigious programs can foster a culture of examination malpractice.
Conceptually, examination malpractice is defined as any intentional wrongdoing that goes against the examination rules designed to give a candidate an unfair advantage (Oko & Adie, 2016). The West African Examination Council (WAEC) (2018) defines it as any irregular behavior or actions by candidates or individuals responsible for conducting examinations, either inside or outside the exam hall, before, during, or after the exam, with the intent of gaining an unfair advantage. A new form of examination malpractice emerging in Nigerian tertiary institutions involves using electronic devices like mobile phones (Duvie & Eluwa, 2016). Nnam and Inah (2015) discovered that students in higher education institutions frequently engage in common forms of exam misconduct, such as smuggling in unauthorized materials and using mobile phones and other electronic devices. Electronic cheating (e-cheating), which involves using mobile phones and other data storage devices for exam malpractice, is prevalent in most Nigerian tertiary institutions. This can include activities like sending emails or text messages from syndicates, web browsing during exams, and retrieving stored information, such as typed text or screenshots from textbooks or notes stored on devices like cell phones, Androids, iPads, and iPhones, within the exam hall (Oko & Adie, 2016). Moreover, examination malpractice involving smartphones has been linked to students seeking a quick and stress-free way to overcome exam challenges. It has become so widespread that many tertiary students no longer rely on their natural abilities to pass exams due to advanced technology, especially on social media platforms, to solve their exam problems. Whether students should own a mobile phone is not in question due to its benefits. The importance of mobile phones, particularly for students, cannot be overstated because of their numerous advantages. Additionally, as technological advancements continue to reshape the educational landscape, it becomes crucial to investigate the extent and impact of smartphone use in facilitating examination malpractice in tertiary institutions. Therefore, a survey will be conducted to examine how smartphones are used to perpetrate examination malpractice in tertiary institutions.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Examinee malpractice has consistently been a social issue in the Nigerian educational system. Significant public attention is being paid to the growth of examination malpractice instances in Nigeria, especially at the tertiary education level. Exam malpractice has received a lot of attention in the Nigerian educational system and is seen as a serious threat to stakeholders, school administrators, the government, and society at large in addition to examination bodies (Oko & Adie, 2016). Additionally, according to, Olatunbosun, (2009) & Chukwu et al, (2020) the incidences of examination malpractice has become endemic in the educational system of Nigeria to the extent that every examination season witness the emergence of new and ingenious ways of cheating. Several factors determine the prevalence of exam malpractice caused by smartphone use. Students are more likely to commit malpractice as a means of achieving academic achievement because of the widespread use of smartphones and the ease with which information can be accessed. Additionally, maintaining the rigor of assessment procedures is becoming more difficult for educators and institutions due to the growing sophistication of cheating tactics made possible by cellphones. However, widespread exam malpractice made possible by smartphones has far-reaching effects. It not only undermines the validity of individual assessments but also devalues educational credentials and the reputation of academic institutions. Furthermore, it raises questions about how it will affect students’ ethical growth in the long run and how well-prepared they will be for jobs that need honesty and integrity. Thus, it is in the light of these that the study seeks to investigate the use of smart phone in perpetrating examination malpractice in tertiary institution.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The main purpose of this study is to investigate the use of smart phone in perpetrating examination malpractice in tertiary institution. Specifically, the study will;
1.Examine the prevalence of smartphone use in examination malpractice in tertiary institution
2.Investigate the underlying factors that motivate students to resort to smartphone use for cheating during examination.
3.Assess the students awareness on the consequences of use of smart phone in perpetrating examination malpractice
1.4 Research Questions
The following questions have been prepared for the study:
- What is the prevalence of smartphone use in examination malpractice within tertiary institutions?
- What are the underlying factors that motivate students to resort to smartphone use for cheating during examination?
3.To what extent are students aware of the consequences associated with the use of smartphones in perpetrating examination malpractice?
1.5 Research Hypothesis.
Ho: There is no significant association between the use of smartphones and the perpetration of examination malpractice in tertiary institutions.
Ha: The use of smartphones is significantly associated with the perpetration of examination malpractice in tertiary institutions.
1.6 Significant of the Study
Stakeholders involved in education policies can use the findings of the study to inform rules and policies that deal with malpractice, ensuring the general excellence and integrity of the educational system.
Furthermore, this research will provide teachers and school management insights into the challenges they may face and informs the development of strategies to detect and prevent smartphone-related malpractices. Additionally, subsequent researchers will use it as a literature review. This means that other students who may decide to conduct studies in this area will have the opportunity to use this study as available literature that can be subjected to critical review. Invariably, the result of the study contributes immensely to the body of academic knowledge with regard to the use of smart phone in perpetrating examination malpractice in tertiary institution.
1.7 Scope of the study
The scope of this study is boarded on the use of smart phone in perpetrating examination malpractice in tertiary institution. Theoretically, this study will examine the prevalence of smartphone use in examination malpractice in tertiary institution, investigate the underlying factors that motivate students to resort to smartphone use for cheating during examination and assess the students awareness on the consequences of use of smart phone in perpetrating examination malpractice
Geographically, the study will be delimited to undergraduate students in Lagos State University, Nigeria.
1.8 Limitation of the study
In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents. In addition, there was the element of researcher bias. Here, the researcher possessed some biases that may have been reflected in the way the data was collected, the type of people interviewed or sampled, and how the data gathered was interpreted thereafter. The potential for all this to influence the findings and conclusions could not be downplayed. More so, the findings of this study are limited to the sample population in the study area, hence they may not be suitable for use in comparison to other schools, local governments, states, and other countries in the world.
1.8 Definition of Terms
Examination Malpractice: otherwise known as examination fraud, refers to any illegal act of examiners, examinees or both before, during or after the examination with the intent to make the examinee earn an unmerited grade or gain an undue advantage over others.
Student: a person who is studying at a university or other place of higher education.
Tertiary Institution: refers to all formal post-secondary education, including public and private universities, colleges, technical training institutes, and vocational schools.