Use of the Internet and the Worth of a Degree - Research Proposal Example

? Cyber researchers or cyber cheats: does the use of the internet devalue the worth of a degree to the stakeholders? Table of Contents ment of the Topic : 5 2. Review of Literature : 5 3. Research Question : 6 4. Research Participants : 6 5. Data Collection Instruments : 7 6. Special Materials or Apparatus : 7 7. Research Design : 7 8. Research Procedures : 8 9. Time Schedule : 8 10. Data Analysis : 9 11. Results : 9 12. Discussion : 10 List of Tables and Figures Tables Table – 1 Literature Review Analysis Abstract Statement of the Topic: Cyber researchers or cyber cheats: does the use of the internet devalue the worth of a degree to the stakeholders? Literature Review: The benefits derived through the Internet have resulted in widespread use of the Internet by students. This has come at the cost of use of the Internet for academic cheating purposes. Use of the Internet for cheating by students occurs in all branches of study and at all levels of study. Educational institutions tend to downplay the issue of the use of the Internet fir academic cheating, Research Question: Does the use of the internet devalue the worth of a degree to the stakeholders? Methodology: Students and the teaching faculty are the participants of this research. Focus group questionnaire is applied to the students and structured open ended questionnaire is applied to the teaching facility as data collection instruments. Fifty students and twenty faculty members are the targeted participants. Results: Analysis of the literature review shows that academic cheating occurs at a high level, which demeans the value of the degree obtained. 1. Statement of the Topic Cyber researchers or cyber cheats: does the use of the internet devalue the worth of a degree to the stakeholders? 2. Review of Literature The pervasion of the Internet into educational institutions is both dramatic and striking. This increasing use of the Internet has at its roots in the benefits that Internet gives students in the form of freely accessing information from any part of the world, establish contacts with experts in different fields located almost anywhere, and transcend education from the classroom to an experience that can happen anywhere and at anytime. Yet it is not only good that has come from the Internet. It has brought with it concerns that could lead to worries in education and society (Hope, 2007). The Internet demonstrates the use of technology in stimulating learning in students (Schroder et al, 2002). The benefits that accrue from the Internet have caused the Internet not to be restricted to the lower levels of education, but in all the higher education forums (Gunashekaran et al, 2002). The benefits that have come with the Internet in education have a price tag in that it encourages students to cheat. According to Macklem, 2006, it is the widespread use of the Internet that has led to plagiarism and academic cheating becoming common. Plagiarism is not a new concept. It is just that the Internet has made it easier to copy the works of others (Fisher & Hill, 2004). Easy access to an electronic copy makes it easy to cut, copy and paste, which is a temptation not many students can resist (Errami & Garner, 2008). The popular use of plagiarism extends into the realm of professional courses too (Kenny, 2007). Evaluating for plagiarism and academic cheating in physiotherapy, pharmacy, humanities, business, biomedical science and education, it was found to be present in all these branches of study, but variances were observed in the extent of indulgence (Bates et al, 2005). The issue of plagiarism and cheating has not become such a matter for concern in society, because of the lack of awareness, as universities tend to keep issues of plagiarism and cheating in academics under wraps (Gulli, 2007). However, the problem of cheating in academics will not be under wraps for long as it is becoming a part of the student culture, which will be difficult to turn around, as according to Fisher and Hill, 2004, p.18, “80% of the country’s best students cheated to get to the top of the class and 53% say it’s no big deal”. This makes the study of cheating in academics and its impact on society relevant, as it will act as a marker for students to understand the erosion of value in the degree that they seek for their careers. In the case of business, high marks in academics may begin to lose their sheen, as human resource managers placing less reliance on academic marks and grades. 3. Research Question: Does the use of the internet devalue the worth of a degree to the stakeholders? 4. Research Participants There are two groups of participants. The first group consists of 50 undergraduate students of the university randomly selected and willing to participate in the study. The second group consists of 20 Tutors or Asst. Professors or Professors of the University randomly selected and willing to participate in the study. 5. Data Collection and Instruments The instrument used for the focus group discussions is the focus group moderator’s guide, to ensure consistency across the group. The focus group questionnaire consists of open-ended questions to elicit a wide range of issues and opinions on the topic. The second instrument for data collection is an open ended structured questionnaire employing the Likert Scale for application to the teaching staff during a face-to-face interview. Pre-coded categories for the twenty questions in the questionnaire are present. 6. Special Materials or Apparatus No special materials or apparatus are used in the study. 7. Research Design The research design involves two parts. The first part consists of focus group interviews with the participating students. With the aid of the moderators guide the focus group interview with the students will provide data on the prevalence of the use of the Internet for cheating in academics among students and the attitude of the students towards this kind of cheating. The second part is the use of the structured open-ended questionnaire on the teaching staff to provide data on the awareness of the teaching staff to the prevalence of the use of the Internet to cheat in academics, the steps taken to prevent it, and the attitude of the teaching staff to this form of cheating in academics. 8. Research Procedures Focus group interviews are conducted in two phases with 25 students in each phase. As congenial an environment for the free flow of opinions is provided. Application of the open-ended questionnaire is on the basis of a face-to-face interview lasting 30 minutes. Data received from the two parts will be collated for data analysis. 9. Time Schedule Start date: June 1, 2011 End date: November 30, 2011 Milestones June July August September October November Administrative sanctions and Literature Review ?-? Enrolling Participants - ?-? Conduct of the Study ? ? Data Collation & Analysis ?-? Report Writing ?-? Report Submission ?-? 10. Data Analysis Data collected from the focus group interviews and the questionnaire interviews are collated and quantified and entered into statistical software like SPSS and analysed to provide the findings of the study. 11. Results The literature review clearly shows that academic cheating is becoming in all branches of academic study and at all levels. 12. Discussion The Internet has become a pervasive means for students to gain the information that their academic needs. However, with that has come the issue of academic cheating to increase the marks and grades received by the students. This problem is found to occur in all branches of study and at all levels of study. The ease with which students can cut, paste, and copy other works from the Internet into their works enhances the reality of the problem. As long as educational institutions refuse to admit and accept the enormous nature of the problem, it will be a social issue that evades the notice of society. Literary References Bates, I. P., Davies, J. G., Murphy, C. & Bone, A. (2005). A multi-faculty exploration of academic dishonesty. Pharmacy Education, 5(1), 69-76. Errami, M. & Garner. H. (2008). Duplication and plagiarism increasing among students. Nature, 451, 397-399. Fisher, J. D. & Hill, A. (2004). Plagiarism in the Electronic Age. Library Media Connection, 23(4), 18-20. Gully, C. (2007). Cheating? Who Us? Maclean’s, 120(7), 41 Gunashekaran, A., McNeil, R. D. & Shaul, D. (2002). E-learning: research and applications. Industrial and Commercial Training, 34(2), 44-53. Hope, A. (2007). Risk Taking, Boundary Performance and Intentional School Misuse. Discourse in the cultural politics of education, 28(1), 87-99. Kenny, D. (2007). Student plagiarism and professional practice. Nurse Education Today, 27, 14-18. Macklem, K. (2006). Their Cheatin’ Hearts. Maclean’s, 119(12), 37. Schroder, F. J., Bishop, P. M., Olsenholler, J. & Craiger, P. J. (2002). Geomorphology and the World Wide Web. Geomorphology, 47, 343-363. Annexure Table – 1 Literature Review Analysis No. Authors Date Title Contribution 1 Bates et al 2005 A multi-faculty exploration of academic dishonesty Plagiarism and cheating found in all branches of study 2 Errami & Garner 2008 Duplication and plagiarism increasing among students. Ease of cut, copy, and paste a temptation students find difficult to overcome 3 Fisher & Hill 2004 Plagiarism in the Electronic Age 80% of the country’s best students cheated to get to the top of the class and 53% say it’s no big deal 4 Gully 2007 Cheating? Who Us? Lack of awareness and tendency of universities to keep academic cheating under wraps reduces social concern 5 Gunashekaran, McNeil & Shaul 2002 E-learning: research and applications Use of Internet at all levels of academic study 6 Hope 2007 Risk Taking, Boundary Performance and Intentional School Misuse. The Internet has not only brought benefits, but also demerits to academic study. 7 Kenny 2007 Student plagiarism and professional practice Plagiarism presents in professional study programs. 8 Macklem 2006 Their Cheatin’ Hearts Widespread use of the Internet that has led to plagiarism and academic cheating becoming common 9 Schroder et al 2002 Geomorphology and the World Wide Web The Internet demonstrates the use of technology in stimulating learning in students Read More