An Observational Analysis of the Range and Extent of Contract Cheating from Online Courses Found on Agency Websites

Although online courses can provide access to higher education through e-learning systems which would not otherwise be available for students, they also pose challenges for academic integrity. Paramount to this is contract cheating, where students have been observed paying other people to complete work for them to complete their online courses. This paper analyses attempts by students at contract cheating using Transtutors.com, which is a billed as a site for homework support. A sample of 174 online assignments found on Transtutors.com are analysed and traced back to 17 online universities. Assignments from online institutions are demonstrated to be a particular problem for contract cheating detectives, since notifying staff at those institutions of attempts by their students to cheat has proved to be difficult or impossible. The paper concludes by looking at the wider issues posed by online contract cheating and the opportunities for automated detection within this field

Academic Integrity Policy Analysis of Publicly-Funded Universities in Ontario, Canada: A Focus on Contract Cheating

In this article we report findings from a review of universities’ academic integrity policies in Ontario, Canada. The research team systematically extracted, reviewed, and evaluated information from policy documents in an effort to understand how these documents described contract cheating in Ontario universities (n = 21). In all, 23 policies were examined for contract cheating language. The elements of access, approach, responsibility, detail, and support were examined and critiqued. Additionally, document type, document title and concept(s), specific contract cheating language, presence of contract cheating definitions and policy principles were reviewed. Findings revealed that none of the universities’ policies met all of the core elements of exemplary policy, were reviewed and revised with less frequency than their college counterparts, lacked language specific to contract cheating, and were more frequently focused on punitive rather than educative approaches. These findings confirm that there is further opportunity for policy development related to the promotion of academic integrity and the prevention of contract cheating.

Semantic discovery and reuse of business process patterns

Patterns currently play an important role in modern information systems (IS) development and their use has mainly been restricted to the design and implementation phases of the development lifecycle. Given the increasing significance of business modelling in IS development, patterns have the potential of providing a viable solution for promoting reusability of recurrent generalized models in the very early stages of development. As a statement of research-in-progress this paper focuses on business process patterns and proposes an initial methodological framework for the discovery and reuse of business process patterns within the IS development lifecycle. The framework borrows ideas from the domain engineering literature and proposes the use of semantics to drive both the discovery of patterns as well as their reuse

Investigating the potential for new media and new technologies in design and technology undergraduate education

Investigating Potential for New Media & New Technologies in Design & Technology Undergraduate Education This research explores potential for New Media and New Technology (NM & NT) in the Design School at Loughborough University. Using action research to investigate potential, this research develops a new way of managing inquiry based on Susman and Evered s five cycles of action research (Susman and Evered, 1978). In particular, it extends the double- helix metaphor (Dick, 2000) for action research. This new way of conducting action research looks at educational and IT- based aspects; in particular, developing strategies, guidelines and materials for implementing video podcasting (Vodcasting) and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) into Design School undergraduate modules. In looking at potential, the research involved 6 lecturer s interviews and thematic analysis. Findings suggest that limitations to the current uses of NM & NT related to lecturers lack of skills in NM & NT and scepticism about what the benefits might be. Some recognised potential for NM & NT to manage module administration. One lecturer wanted to stop students using dubious sources from the Internet for assessment on a Sustainable Design module. This led to using RSS to resolve this problem in a mobile learning scenario. In this research, 98 D and T students were surveyed to identify current uses of mobile technology. Results suggested that students would like module content streamed to their mobile device. Lecturers too could see benefits for NM & NT, if they stopped lecturers from having to repeat themselves to students. This led to using Vodcasting to resolve this problem in a mobile learning scenario. Video observational data was collected from 6 students using RSS to perform mobile learning tasks for a Sustainable Design module. The findings suggested that the technology at the time of study was not quite up to the task, although some NM & NT learning resources relating to Sustainable Design were found by students using RSS. Similarly, video observation data was collected from 4 students using Vodcasts to design electronic circuits. Findings showed more technological competence with this technology and students suggested future modules where this type of NM & NT would have further educational potential. Through exploring potential, this research develops new strategies, guidelines and materials for design and technology educators. This research reveals the educational benefits of Vodcasting and RSS in labs and workshops, and concludes that there is potential for NM & NT in D and T education

Academic integrity : a call to research and action

Originally published in French:L'urgence de l'intégrité académique, Éditions EMS, Management & société, Caen, 2021 (ISBN 978-2-37687-472-0).The urgency of doing complements the urgency of knowing. Urgency here is not the inconsequential injunction of irrational immediacy. It arises in various contexts for good reasons, when there is a threat to the human existence and harms to others. Today, our knowledge based civilization is at risk both by new production models of knowledge and by the shamelessness of knowledge delinquents, exposing the greatest number to important risks. Swiftly, the editors respond to the diagnostic by setting up a reference tool for academic integrity. Across multiple dialogues between the twenty-five chapters and five major themes, the ethical response shapes pragmatic horizons for action, on a range of disciplinary competencies: from science to international diplomacy. An interdisciplinary work indispensable for teachers, students and university researchers and administrators

TEFL Tourism:A Phenomenological Examination of the TEFL Teacher in Thailand

Although there is evidence of linkages between the concepts of teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) and tourism, there has to date been little attention paid to this relationship. This thesis amalgamates these two concepts and argues for the introduction of the niche form of tourism, ‘TEFL tourism’. The TEFL tourist is defined as a person who travels outside of their usual environment to teach English as a foreign language, whose role shifts between tourist, educator and educatee at various points in their trip. The TEFL tourism phenomenon is explored through the use of a two-phase research approach employing the qualitative examination of blogs (n=36) written by TEFL teachers based in Thailand and quantitative surveys (n=567). Drawing parallels with associated tourism forms including volunteer, philanthropic, package, cultural, education and nightlife tourism, it is concluded that TEFL tourism is an entity in its own right, with unique characteristics, motivations and experiences. Key findings emphasise that the TEFL experience in Thailand differs considerably from teaching experiences in many Western countries, with aspects such as racial discrimination, celebritism and cultural immersion playing prominent roles in the TEFL teacher’s experience. The use of logistic regression facilitated the analysis of TEFL teacher types, enabling the development of a typology of TEFL tourists in Thailand. TEFL tourists were subsequently classified as leisure-minded; philanthropy-minded; career-minded or expatriate-minded. This thesis contributes to knowledge by providing an accurate overview of the TEFL teaching industry in Thailand and its participants. This is first addressed through the examination of the tourism elements and the educational elements within the TEFL experience. The thesis then introduces and justifies the concept of ‘TEFL tourism’ through the development of a definition of TEFL tourism and a typology of TEFL teachers based upon teacher motivations and experiences. This knowledge can be of use to a number of stakeholders involved including prospective TEFL teachers, their prospective employers post TEFL experience, teacher training providers, TEFL recruitment organisations, the Thai educational system and academics

Modes of feedback in ESL writing: Implications of shifting from text to screencast

For second language writing (SLW) instructors, decisions regarding technology-mediated feedback are particularly complex as they must also navigate student language proficiency, which may vary across different areas such as reading or listening. Yet technology-mediated feedback remains an underexplored realm in SLW especially with regard to how modes of technology affect feedback and how students interact with and understand it. With the expanding pervasiveness of video and increased access to screencasting (screen recording), SLW instructors have ever-growing access to video modes for feedback, yet little research to inform their choices. Further, with video potentially requiring substantial investment from institutions through hosting solutions, a research-informed perspective for adoption is advisable. However, few existing studies address SLW feedback given in the target language (common in ESL) or standalone (rather than supplemental) screencast feedback. This dissertation begins to expand SLW feedback research and fill this void through three investigations of screencast (video) and text (MS Word comments) feedback in ESL writing. The first paper uses a crossover design to investigate student perceptions and use of screencast feedback over four assignments given to 12 students in an intermediate ESL writing class through a combination of a series of surveys, a group interview and screen recorded observations of students working with the feedback. The second paper argues for appraisal an outgrowth of systemic functional linguistics (SFL) focused on evaluative language and interpersonal meaning, as a framework for understanding interpersonal differences in modes of feedback through an analysis of 16 text and 16 video feedback files from Paper 1. Paper 3 applies a more intricate version of the appraisal framework to the analysis of video and text feedback collected in a similar crossover design from three ESL writing instructors. Paper 1 demonstrates the added insights offered by recording students’ screens and their spoken interactions and shows that students needed to ask for help and switched to the L1 when working with text feedback but not video. The screencast feedback was found to be easier to understand and use, as MS Word comments were seen as being difficult to connect to the text. While students found both types of feedback to be helpful, they championed video feedback for its efficiency, clarity, ease of use and heightened understanding and would greatly prefer it for future feedback. Successful changes were made at similar rates for both types of feedback. The results of Paper 2 suggest possible variation between the video and text feedback in reviewer positioning and feedback purpose. Specifically, video seems to position the reviewer as holding only one of many possible perspectives with feedback focused on possibility and suggestion while the text seems to position the reviewer as authority with feedback focused on correctness. The findings suggest that appraisal can aid in the understanding of multimodal feedback and identifying differences between feedback modes. Building on these findings, Paper 3 shows substantial reduction in negative appreciation of the student text overall and for each instructor individually in video feedback as compared to text. Text feedback showed a higher proportion of negative attitude overall and positioned the instructor as a single authority. Video feedback, on the other hand, preserved student autonomy in its balanced use of praise and criticism, offered suggestion and advice and positioned the instructor as one of many possible opinions. Findings held true in sum and for each instructor individually suggesting that interpersonal considerations varied across modes. This study offers future feedback research a way to consider the interpersonal aspects of feedback across multiple modes and situations. It provides standardization procedures for applying and quantifying appraisal analysis in feedback that allow for comparability across studies. Future work applying the framework to other modes, such as audio, and situations, such as instructor conferences, peer review, or tutoring are encouraged. The study also posits the framework as a tool in instructor reflection and teacher training. Taken together the three studies deepen our understanding of the impact of our technological choices in the context of feedback. Video feedback seems to be a viable replacement for text feedback as it was found to be at least as effective for revision, while being greatly preferred by students for its ease of use and understanding. With the understanding of how students use feedback in different modes, instructors can better craft feedback and training for their students. For instance, instructors must remember to pause after comments in screencast feedback to allow students time to hit pause or revise. Video was also seen to allow for greater student agency in their work and position instructor feedback as suggestions that the student could act upon. These insights can help instructors choose and employ technology in ways that will best support their pedagogical purposes