Academic Dishonesty and Online Classes: A Rural Education Perspective

Abstract

Rural educators must possess high standards of ethical behavior that inform professional practice and improve the communities in which they live and work. The purposes of this article are to discuss rural education and its intersection with online classes as vehicles to meet residents' educational needs; ethical issues that surround online class delivery; and suggestions to deter academic dishonesty in online classes. Key Words: rural education, distance education, academic dishonesty, academic integrity, cheating, ethics, instructional practices, Internet, online instruction, student behaviors/attitude, teacher preparation, World Wide Web.

Accounting for Cheating: An Evolving Theory and Emergent Themes

“…Online courses and courses with significant graded activities that are conducted online-such as online quizzes, tests, or homework-raise additional concerns regarding academic integrity (Baron and Crooks 2005;Grijalva et al 2006;Lanier 2006;Sileo and Sileo 2008). Concerns range from the increased availability of online references for plagiarism to reduced supervision and possibilities for collaboration.…”

A Ten-Step Model for Academic Integrity: A Positive Approach for Business Schools

“…Students are often confused as to what constitutes appropriate and inappropriate academic conduct. Because many students are not well prepared for the rigors of university-level academic assignments, Sileo and Sileo (2008) have suggested that faculty need to help students to (1) learn how to properly conduct research, (2) identify what constitutes appropriate and inappropriate use of the words and ideas of others, and (3) understand where to go for assistance in writing at the university level. Aluede et al (2006) have noted the important role of faculty in academic advising in explaining academic integrity policies, particularly to international students.…”

Brief valuation of Systems, Applications & Products (SAP) corporation

“…Misrepresentation: Students buy papers or projects written by an individual or an online service (Sileo and Sileo, 2008). Others pay another person to take their course or to participate in a task during the course (Smith and Noviello, 2012).…”

“…When for example, plagiarism is evident, the assessment in question should be re-written so as to educate and hold students accountable for their misdemeanours (Sileo and Sileo, 2008). If however, students have been taught about plagiarism, they should be given a fail grade since unethical conduct is inexcusable.…”