Academic Dishonesty Essay

I. Introduction

Academic dishonesty has become a massive phenomenon. It occurs in the majority of higher education institutes. Researches demonstrate that academic dishonesty is widespread and on the rise. For instance, Bill Bowers in 1964 made the most important study of academic dishonesty in higher educations. He analyzed a number of 5.000 students in various samples of 99 schools and universities and concluded that three fourths of the respondents of this study admitted to have done some academic dishonesty (Butterfield, McCabe & Trevino, 2001, p.220). Cauffman, Feldman & Jensen (2001) define academic dishonesty as an attempt of students to present the work of other people as their own work. (2001). Academic dishonesty includes behaviors such as cheating on exams, copying other students’ work, plagiarism, sabotage.

II. Background

Kosovo is one of the newest countries in Europe. During the 20th century Kosovo was characterized with many wars; a lot of wars have made Kosovo one of the poorest countries in Europe. For a long time Kosovo was under the Serbian Regime. In 2008 Kosovo gained its independence and was called as the Republic of Kosovo. Education is one of the most important fields in one country. To understand the present situation in Kosovo’s higher education a broad knowledge should be known about the former educational system in Kosovo and its evolution.

Before the war there was an underground system of education. Teaching was made in poor conditions, the students had no books, the classes were held in total isolation. A lot of people were thrown out of universities; almost all Albanian public servants were expelled including all teachers and education officers. The University of Prishtina went through...

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...eshmen they look up to their peers’ behavior in the new environment. Some students take as an example those students who have successfully cheated before. They are taken as an influencing example. Some students think that if others have cheated before then they can do it too. this gives them confidence that they can also cheat without being caught. “If others do it, you're being left behind by not participating", "When most of the class is cheating on a difficult exam and they will ruin the curve, it influences you to cheat so your grade won't be affected” are just some of the comments of the study respondents taken by the journal of higher education (Buckland & McCabe, 2012 p. 533). So from this I may conclude that the perception of peers’ behavior is a major factor in academic dishonesty. Most students cheat because they see others doing it without being caught.