Exploring the prevention of examination malpractice in secondary schools through student voice

Abstract

Despite the significant body of research on examination malpractice, there is still the need to focus research on preventing examination malpractice in secondary schools. At present, schools prevent examination malpractice through invigilation, structural arrangements in the examination rooms and punishment of offenders. These methods are failing schools in preventing examination malpractice because they do not address students' problems that determine examination malpractice. The aim of the study was to explore the effectiveness of preventing examination malpractice by consulting students on schooling and by using a community approach in its prevention.
Research into consulting students, their participation in identifying school problems and in initiating solutions to them through student voice has become increasingly evident in the last few decades, but to date, student voice has not been studied as a method for preventing malpractice in schools. Research has predominently used questionnaires to capture students' views on examination malpractice thereby taking for granted, students' feelings, values, interpretations and experiences of their personal and school contexts that determine examination malpractice. The study is geared towards understanding this unexamined area.
The study reports the use of "qualitative dominant" mixed methods to explore the perspective of teachers and students on examination malpractice and on consulting students on schooling. Multiple case studies of students and teachers in three secondary schools in Nigeria were carried out. Data was collected through a combination of focus groups, interviews, questionnaires and observations. Data was analysed by using interpretative and deductive approaches. Key findings from the study show that examination malpractice is prevalent in secondary schools and is predominantly determined by academic/institutional factors. The study confirms that as students are experienced in schooling, consulting them about schooling and about preventing examination malpractice will likely improve their commitment to education, their responsibility towards the prevention of examination malpractice and enhance teacher and student relationships and examination integrity/morality.

More information

Identifiers

Catalogue record

Export record