A Mixed Research on Cheating and Absenteeism Behaviors of Teacher Certificate Program Students

Abstract

The primary goal of this research is to explore absenteeism tendency, and the attitudes towards absenteeism and cheating of students who attended the teacher certificate program. In addition, this research aims to identify the views of students and lecturers on cheating and absenteeism. A sequential explanatory mixed-method research design was employed in this research. The sample of the quantitative data was 321 teacher certificate program students studying at Mugla Sitki Kocman University, Turkey. Absenteeism tendency, cheating attitude and absenteeism attitude scales were used to collect the data. Descriptive statistics, correlation, independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey HSD tests were used to analyze the data. Qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interview forms. 14 students and 14 lecturers were interviewed, recorded, and transcribed. Qualitative data was analyzed through quantitative content analyses and descriptive analyses. Research findings show that verbal field students have significantly more positive cheating attitudes than quantitative field students. While cheating attitudes show no significant difference between genders, students in physical education departments have higher scores in the dimensions of environmental conditions and opportunity and ability than verbal and quantitative field students. Both students and lecturers describe cheating as “unfair behavior and plagiarism,” and absenteeism as a “right” in unavoidable situations. It is emphasized that the active participation of students in classes mostly depends on the instructor.

Keywords

• Teacher certificate program,absenteeism,cheating

References

1. Akdag, M., & Gunes, H. (2002). Kopya cekme davranislari ve kopya cekmeye iliskin tutumlar [Cheating behaviors and attitudes toward cheating]. Educational Administration in Theory & Practice, 8(3), 330-343.
2. Altinkurt, Y. (2008). Ogrenci devamsizliklarinin nedenleri ve devamsizligin akademik basariya olan etkisi [The reasons for students’ irregular attendance and the effect on this students irregular attendance on their academic achievement]. Dumlupinar University Journal of Social Sciences, 20(1), 129-142.
3. Ay, M. F., & Cakmak, A. (2015). Kopya cekmeye yonelik tutum olceginin gelistirilmesi: gecerlik ve guvenirlik calismasi [The scale for attitude towards cheating: the study of reliability and validity]. Ataturk University Journal of Ilahiyat Researches, 43, 140-155.
4. Bjorklund, M., & Wenestam, C. G. (1999). Academic cheating: frequency, methods and causes. Paper presented at the European Conference on Educational Research (ECER), September 22-25, Lahti, Finland.
5. Bozdogan, A. E., & Ozturk, C. (2008). Ogretmen adaylari neden kopya ceker? [Why do teacher candidates cheat?]. Elementary Education Online, 7(1), 141-149.
6. Buyukozturk, S., Kilic Cakmak, E., Akgun, O. E., Karadeniz, S., & Demirel, F. (2009). Bilimsel arastirma yontemleri [Scientific research methods]. Ankara: Pegem Akademi Publishing.
7. Calek, A. (1995). Quality progress’ fifth quality in education listing. Quality Progress, 28(9), 27-77.
8. Cleary-Holdforth, J. (2007). Student non-attendance in higher education. a phenomenon of student apathy or poor pedagogy. Level 3: Dublin Institute of Technology online publication, 5.

9. Clores, M. A. (2009). A Qualitative research study on school absenteeism among college students. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 18(2), 151–165. http://doi.org/10.3860/taper.v18i2.1320
10. Curzon, J. T. (2013). Teaching in further education. London: Bloomsbury Academic.
11. Cetin, S. (2007). Universite ogrencilerinin kopya cekme davranislarinin farkli degiskenler acisindan incelenmesi [Analysis of the practice of cheating of university students in terms of different variants]. National Education, 175, 129-142.
12. Demir, M. K. & Arcagok, S. (2013). Sinif ogretmeni adaylarinin sinavlarda kopya cekilmesine iliskin goruslerinin degerlendirilmesi [Primary schoool teacher canditates’ opinions on cheating in exams]. Erzincan University Journal of Education Faculty, 15(1), 148-165.
13. Durmuscelebi, M. (2011). Lise ogrencilerinin ve ogretmen adaylarinin kopya cekme davranislarina iliskin gorusleri [High school students’ and teacher candidates’ perceptions on cheating behaviors]. Educational Administration: Theory and Practice, 17(1), 77-97.
14. Er, K. O. & Gurgan, U. (2011). Ogretmen adaylarinin oz-yeterlilik algilari ve kopya cekmeye iliskin tutumlari arasindaki iliski [The relationship between teacher candidates’ self-efficacy perceptions and their attitudes towards cheating]. Balikesir University Journal of Social Sciences Institute, 14(26), 1-18.
15. Eraslan, A. (2011). Matematik ogretmeni adaylari ve kopya: Hic cekmedim desem yalan olur! [Prospective mathematics teacher and cheating: it is a lie if I say I have never cheated!] Education and Science, 36(160), 52-64.
16. Eret, E. & Ok, A. (2014). Internet plagiarism in higher education: tendencies, triggering factors and reasons among teacher candidates. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 39(8), 1002-1016.
17. Fraenkel, J. R. & Wallen, N. E. (2006). How to design and evaluate research in education. New York: McGraw-Hill.
18. Gump, S. E. (2006). Guess who’s (not) coming to class: student attitudes as indicators of attendance. Educational Studies, 32(1), 39–46. http://doi.org/10.1080/03055690500415936
19. Higgins, V. D. (2010). Cheating behavior: A journey into moral development. Doctoral Thesis. Cleveland State University.
20. Hunter, S. & Tetley, J. (1999). Lectures. Why don’t students attend? Why do students attend? Milperra: Proceedings of HERDSA Annual International Conference held in Melbourne 12–15 July 1999, Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australia.
21. Kearney, C. A. (2008). An interdisciplinary model of school absenteeism in youth to inform professional practice and public policy. Educational Psychology Review, 20(3), 257-282.
22. Kucuktepe, S. E. & Kucuktepe, C. (2012). Tarih ogretmeni adaylarinin kopya cekme egilimlerinin cesitli degiskenler acisindan incelenmesi [Examining the tendency of cheating tendencies of history teachers in terms of various variables]. Journal of Hasan Ali Yucel Education Faculty, 17(1), 115-125.
23. Lin, C. H. S. & Wen, L. Y. M. (2007). Academic dishonesty in higher education-a nationwide study in Taiwan. Higher Education, 54(1), 85–97. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-006-9047-z
24. Mccabe, D. L. (2005). It takes a village: academic dishonesty and educational opportunity. Liberal Education, 9(3), 26–31.
25. Mccabe, D. L., Trevino, L. K., & Butterfield, K. D. (2001). Cheating in academic institutions: a decade of research. Ethics & Behavior, 11(3), 219–232. http://doi.org/10.1207/S15327019EB1103
26. McCluskey, C. P., Bynum, T. S., & Patchin, J. W. (2004). Reducing chronic absenteeism: an assessment of an early truancy initiative. Crime & Delinquency, 50(2), 214-234.
27. Moore, S., Armstrong, C., & Pearson, J. (2008). Lecture absenteeism among students in higher education: a valuable route to understanding student motivation. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 30(1), 15–24. http://doi.org/10.1080/13600800701457848
28. Nayir, F. & Cinkir, S. (2014). Uygulama ogretmenleri, yoneticileri ve pedagojik formasyon ogrencilerinin okullarda ogretmenlik uygulamasinda karsilastiklari sorunlar ve cozum onerileri [Mentor teachers, administrators and pedagogical formation students’ problems associated with teaching practice and possible recommendations]. International Journal of Curriculum and Instructional Studies, 4(7), 71-86.
29. Ozbas, M. (2010). Ilkogretim okullarinda ogrenci devamsizliginin nedenleri [The reasons of absenteeism in primary schools]. Education and Science, 35(156), 32-44.
30. Ozden, M., Ozdemir Ozden, D., & Bicer, B. (2015). Akademik usulsuzluk: Sinif ogretmeni adaylarinin deneyimleri [Academic dishonesty: classroom teacher candidates experiences]. Dumlupinar University Journal of Social Sciences, 45, 130-143.
31. Ozden, M., Ucansoy Basturk, A., & Demir, M. (2015). Kopya cektim, cunku… : Bir olgubilim calismasi [I did cheating, because... : a phenomenological study]. Turkish Online Journal of Qualitative Inquiry (TOJQI), 6(4), 57-89.
32. Ozgungor, S. (2008). Universite ogrencilerinde ogretmene iliskin algilarin ve ogrenci ozelliklerinin kopya cekme davranislariyla iliskisi [Relationship between university students’ cheating behaviours and their perceptions of teacher and student characteristics]. Education and Science, 33(149), 68-79.
33. Ozyurt, Y. & Eren, A. (2014). Fen bilgisi ogretmen adaylarinin ogretmenlik meslegine ve kopya cekmeye yonelik tutumlarinin gorunumu [Profiles of pre-service science teachers’ attitudes towards the teaching profession and cheating]. Bartin University Journal of Education Faculty, 3(1),78-101.
34. Scarpa, E. (1978). The relationship between absenteeismand achievement in reading and mathematichs among secondary school senior. Master Thesis. Southern Connecticut State College, United States of America.
35. Seven, M. A. & Engin A. O. (2008). Egitim fakultesi ogrencilerinin kopya cekmeye duyduklari ihtiyac ve kopya cekme sebepleri [Cheating needs and reasons of education faculty students]. Ataturk University Journal of Social Sciences Institute, 11(1), 121-136.
36. Simsek, A. S., Ugurlu, C. T., & Usta, H. G. (2016). Universite ogrencilerinin devamsizlik egilimlerinin belirlenmesi: olcek gelistirme calismasi [Determination of absenteeism tendency of university students: scale development study]. Ahi Evran University Journal of Kirsehir Education Faculty, 17(1), 297-311.
37. Simsek, A. S., Usta, H. G., Koc, C., & Ugurlu, C. T. (2014). Views of university academic members and students on the absenteeism. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 136, 527-531.
38. Tayfun, A. & Yazicioglu, I. (2008). Ogrencilerin kopya hakkindaki gorusleri uzerine bir arastirma [An investigation on the perspectives of the students on cheating]. The Journal of Turkish Educational Sciences, 6(3), 375-393.
39. Topcu, Y. & Topcu, A. S. (2011). Yuksekogretimde ogrencilerin kopya cekme motivasyonu ile ilgili tutum ve davranislari [The students’ attitude and behaviors towards cheating motivation during higher education]. Journal of Human Sciences, 8(2), 302-313.
40. Ugurlu, C. T., Usta, H. G., & Simsek, A. S. (2015). Yuksekogretimde devamsizlik olgusu ve nedenlerine iliskin ogretim uyeleri ve universite ogrencilerinin gorusleri [Views of university academic members and students on the absenteeism case and causes]. Turkish Studies, 10(3), 1009-1030.
41. Usta, H. G., Simsek, A. S., & Ugurlu, C. T. (2015). Universite ogrencilerinde devamsizlik davranislari: Nedenler ve tutum duzeyleri [Absenteeism behavior among university students’: causes and attitude levels]. Journal of Higher Education and Science, 4(3), 182-190.
42. Usta, G. H., Ugurlu, C. T., & Simsek, A. S. (2016). Development study for absenteeism attitude scale. Mersin University Journal of the Faculty of Education, 12(1), 504-515.
43. Unlu, H. & Eroglu, C. (2012). Beden egitimi ogretmen adaylarinin kopya cekmeye yonelik tutumlari [Prospective physical education teachers’ attitudes towards cheating]. The Journal of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, 10(3), 101-106.
44. Wadesango, N., & Machingambi, S. (2011). Causes and structural effects of student absenteeism: a case study of three South African Universities. Journal of Social Sciences, 26(2), 89-97.
45. Yangin, S. & Kahyaoglu, M. (2009). Ilkogretim ogretmen adaylarinin kopya cekmeye yonelik tutum ve gorusleri [Attitudes and ideas of candidate primary school teachers towards cheating]. Balikesir University Journal of Social Sciences, 12(21), 46-55.