FOR many of us lecturers who were caught unprepared but were forced to conduct online teaching and examinations, and to carry out supervision of online projects, the past four months have been a very trying period for us. The announcement that public universities will be reopened in October 2020 is a welcome relief.
The complications arising from online learning, especially when it was suddenly thrusted upon us, have been widely discussed. What I would like to highlight here is another unpleasant discovery arising from this development. These are the online acts of academic dishonesty committed by the students who would unscrupulously exploit the well-known shortcomings of our online teaching infrastructure such as non-availability of WiFi or laptops as their main excuse for their absence from class or failure to sit for the examination. All these despite their earlier confirmation that they have no problems with the internet at home.
Another surprising discovery that we ran into was the dismally low level of integrity that they displayed when they were performing their online examinations. Many conveniently and unthinkingly copied their answers from the internet by cut and paste. Obviously, some of these answers were wrong. Despite being caught and given stern warning, some of the students still continued with this dishonest practice remorselessly and without any qualm.
To make up for the lower examination marks, the students were given project papers to submit. Again, plagiarism was detected in most of their work. Another horrifying discovery. Passages were picked up from the internet (without attribution to the original source) and paraphrased using online paraphrasing tools. Aware that their plagiarised efforts could be easily detected by the “Turnitin” programme, they turned to the paraphrasing tool to disguise their “stolen” ideas. But rudimentary paraphrasing by the tool has to be corrected in order for the sentences to make sense. This was something which they failed to do. As a result, paragraphs of gibberish English were submitted as their “original” work.
The whole discovery ominously points to the poor character of our youth, who would become future leaders. Ethics, it appears, are not in their books. They would continue to cheat despite having been forewarned. They are also simply not willing to work hard and would always try to find the easy way out. Despite being given the chance to enrol in an institution of higher learning, this opportunity is not appreciated.
I would argue firstly, that these students are simply not motivated to study. With so many public universities and with entry standards that are not as stringent as other universities overseas, coupled with highly subsidised fees that lower the cost of university education, the premium value of university education has simply been eroded.
Secondly, the respect towards public university as a venerated educational institution is also absent. The poor management of academic affairs and the indolent manner in which cases of academic wrongdoings are handled, embed in the minds of the students that they could get away with warning after warning, with no possibility of having their studies terminated. Universities’ obsession with getting high passing rates led to some of the “strict” lectures, who are simply trying to do the right thing, being victimised and branded as the bad guys.
Thirdly, the problem also lies with the attitude of some of the lecturers who would close a blind eye to allow their students to cheat to ensure high passing rates for their classes. More alarmingly, these lecturers themselves would indulge in similar unethical practices. That perhaps is the reason why the problem of academic dishonesty is difficult to curb, let alone eradicate.
The fact that we are confronted with the problem of having youth who take ethics lightly is quite worrisome. Does it have a cultural root to it? Where did they learn it from? Perhaps the Higher Education Ministry or the 115 “ilmuans” have the answer. – July 10, 2020.
* Teh Yik Koon is an academic at a public university.
* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.
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Comments
(For example, our neighbors north and south are experimenting with vaccines for COVID-19. Where are we?)
Compounded with the fact that no actions were taken on politicians and civil servants with fake or dubious degrees, it is beyond doubt our youths grow up with questionable integrity.
Its all blamed on the idiots in our political office. Whereas in other countries, the best and brightest got elected because they presented the best policies for ruling, our morons need only to shout the loudest on race and religion.
Imagine it takes 40 years to revamp the water logistics in Kelantan. What a joke!!!
Posted 3 years ago by Malaysian First · Reply
termasuk menipu. Menteri boleh, ahli politik boleh, pensyarah pun boleh. Mengapa student pula tak boleh? Bapa borek anak tak boleh rintek?
Posted 3 years ago by No Gostan · Reply
termasuk menipu. Menteri boleh, ahli politik boleh, pensyarah pun boleh. Mengapa student pula tak boleh? Bapa borek anak tak boleh rintek?
Posted 3 years ago by No Gostan · Reply
I do not blame these students because they are just practicing what they learnt at home, in kindergarten, in primary and secondary school.
It is principally the schools that have made them what they are. This is what all the religious and moral education lessons in the schools have taught them. Ironical, isn't it? They were made to memorise the values for exam purposes, without scant practice in the schools. Otherwise why is there so much indiscipline in the schools? And that indiscipline follows them into adult life.
Many of them could have scored "A" in the two subjects that are supposed to build their character, but what is the worth of the "A" if in practice this is what they do?
Schools make or break nations, and this type of young people, the product of our schools, the future leaders, will be further breaking an already suffering nation, not making it.
It is the upbringing and early education that have destroyed morals and ethics. That is the "cultural " root to it.
Why were students of the 1950's, 60's, 70's different? The school culture was different at that time compared to the present.
Yes, it has a cultural problem - THE CULTURE OF THE SCHOOLS THEN AND NOW.
And SCHOOL CULTURE went to the dogs because MERITOCRACY was thrown out and replaced by PATRONAGE.
Posted 3 years ago by Ravinder Singh · Reply