Critical Analysis of Academic Integrity in Higher Learning Institutions During the Era of Covid-19 Pandemic in Kenya
Abstract
Education in Kenya and globally is designed to foster principles and ethics considering they
instill a character that develops to a behavior. Education develops capacity and productivity
by allowing learners to be innovative through acquisition of skills that help them appreciate
the spirited efforts to uphold morals, ethics and building a commitment towards achieving
academic integrity. Just like any other scholar the goal in education is to perform excellently.
Learning in schools is certainly supported by the institutions policies, strategies and
practices. Despite efforts to achieve learning during covid-19, growing concerns of
increased academic misconduct arose in the midst of the pandemic, especially with the
assimilation of online learning in the system. This being the case, the study sought to
understand and investigate on critical analysis of academic integrity in higher learning
institutions during the era of covid-19 pandemic in Kenya and considered the following
objectives; to analyze the magnitude of academic integrity in education practices (teaching
and learning i.e. online platforms, technology, assessment etc.) during covid-19, how
education theories adopted academic integrity in education , how education policies ratified
academic integrity in education and strategies to enhance academic integrity in education.
The study generalized in all learning levels from primary to post-primary level. The study
adopted the theories of deterrence theory, rational choice theory and planned behavior
theory to help farther understand the influence of covid-19 to academic integrity. The
methods of data collection included analytical function, prescriptive function and critical
function. Data acquired from the study based on the objectives was analyzed and presented
through which the findings indicated that academic policies, practices, strategies and
theories had an influence in the achievement of academic integrity and that covid-19
pandemic critically influenced learning. The conclusion drawn from the findings was that
despite the incorporation of ICT in the learning system academic integrity implementation
faced many challenges. Self-determination theory displayed the ethical considerations of a
learner through anonymity, data protection and confidentiality and how they were assumed
hence promoting academic misconduct during covid-19. The study recommends that
ethical awareness should be created from the lowest level of education, learners be
involved in policy making process and given an opportunity to participate on the same. Also
close monitoring of learners behavior would help curb dishonesty through close relationship
with their teachers.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Subject
COVID-19 and Academic integrity.Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
- Faculty of Education (FEd) [6019]
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