Academic Misconduct and their Implications

Analytical Report
Name
Institutional Affiliate
Table of Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u 1Introduction PAGEREF _Toc103484417 \h 32Critical Analysis of Secondary Data and Discussion of Findings PAGEREF _Toc103484418 \h 42.1Forms of Academic Misconduct and their Implications PAGEREF _Toc103484419 \h 42.2Efficacy of Existing Interventional Measures PAGEREF _Toc103484420 \h 52.3The Underlying Factors Influencing Academic Misconduct in the Industry PAGEREF _Toc103484421 \h 63Concluding Remarks PAGEREF _Toc103484422 \h 74Recommendations PAGEREF _Toc103484423 \h 74.1Cultural Approach PAGEREF _Toc103484424 \h 74.2Adopting Advanced Technologies PAGEREF _Toc103484425 \h 74.3Sensitization Programs PAGEREF _Toc103484426 \h 85References PAGEREF _Toc103484427 \h 9
Analytical Report
Introduction
The adverse implications of academic misconduct on the quality of students graduating from Australia's institutions of higher education attracted the attention of the government stakeholders following heightened concern over the integrity of the country's higher education sector. In response to the recent outbursts in Australia on the rising cases of contract cheating in the higher education sector, the government enacted strict policy measures to curb the diverse forms of academic misconduct across the prided institutions of higher learning. Among such policies included the criminalization of contract cheating and student impersonation (Duffy, 2020). The government further conducted a nationwide crackdown on online platforms perpetuating students' engagement in contract cheating. The strong response from the Australian government toward safeguarding the integrity of the nation's institutions of higher learning warranted an exploration of the issue of academic misconduct in Australia's higher education.
Academic misconduct refers to any action or behavior that undermines the integrity of one's studies (University Australia, 2017). According to the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Act (TEQSA), academic misconduct refers to any action or behavior that undermines values of trust, honesty, respect, fairness, and responsibility in teaching, learning, and research in one's studies (TEQSA, 2022). It is a betrayal of the integrity of the students themselves, teaching staff, higher learning institutions, and the higher education industry. Australian researchers estimate that approximately 150,000 students across the country's universities have cheated in their studies (Duffy, 2020).
Thus, this project explores the manifestation of academic misconduct in the Australian higher education sector, its implications, the efficacy of existing policies and other frameworks in mitigating the issue, and the underlying factors perpetuating academic misconduct in the vital industry. An examination of three key areas will be conducted through the analysis of selected literature on the issue, including forms of academic misconduct and their implications, the efficacy of existing interventional measures, and the underlying factors influencing academic misconduct in the industry. It is hoped that the recommendations offered in this research will enhance the existing policies and mitigating frameworks against academic misconduct in Australia's higher education sector.
Critical Analysis of Secondary Data and Discussion of Findings
A better understanding of the underlying factors perpetuating academic misconduct in Australia's higher education demands the analysis and evaluation of its manifestations, implications, and the efficacy of existing interventional measures against the issue. Provided herein is a critical analysis and discussion of the three key areas toward achieving a better understanding of the scope of the issue in the highly sensitive industry.
Forms of Academic Misconduct and their Implications
The most prevalent form of academic misconduct in Australia's higher learning institutions is plagiarism (Birks, 2020). Plagiarism occurs when students use the works of other individuals or scholars in developing their assignments without acknowledging the author of the information used by citing and referencing the original source in their final drafts submitted to their instructors (TEQSA, 2020). Recycling of previously submitted work also makes for one of the forms of academic misconduct witnessed in Australia's higher education sector. It involves students submitting previously graded works in their early years of study during their senior years of study. Another manifestation of academic misconduct is fabricating information for a research study project, such as citing non-existence sources. Working in groups while handling assignments, tests, or quizzes meant to be done individually also makes for common academic misconduct referred to as collusion or illegitimate cooperation (TEQSA, 2022). The diverse forms of exam cheating among students also constitute academic misconduct witnessed in Australia's higher learning institutions. Exam cheating may include the use of smartphones and other electronic devices to seek information to help solve examination problems. Perhaps the most common form of exam cheating would be attempting to peak and copy the work of other students in the examination room. The use of online platforms to get assistance for completing assignments and writing essays, and then submitting the final draft as the student's own work is also rampant in Australia (TEQSA, 2022). Contract teaching and impersonation, as it is commonly known, is another prevalent form of academic misconduct in Australia's higher education sector that prompted the government's crackdown on the online sites (Bretag, 2018).
Students who engage in academic misconduct may face a wide range of punitive measures such as repeating the unit of their course study upon which they undermined its integrity, criminal charges based on the government's policy stipulations, and even expulsion from the institution of higher learning. Academic misconduct further renders the culprits incompetent to deliver in their future job postings due to a lack of adequate expertise, knowledge, and skills acquired through upholding the outlined principles of academic integrity. Undermining all the purposes of Australian higher education is perhaps the most far-reaching consequence or implication of academic misconduct in the country's higher education sector (Brimble, 2016). Academic misconduct limits the ability of the country's higher education sector to positively impact the nation's social, political, and economic wellbeing. It fails to deliver qualified graduates and individuals capable of imparting the positive values, knowledge, and skills nurtured in their higher education studies to enhance the nation's social, political, and economic domains (Spies, 2017).
Efficacy of Existing Interventional Measures
The Australian government, in partnership with other stakeholders, has provided policy frameworks for the development of effective interventional measures against academic misconduct across all the institutions of higher learning in the country. Among the government's key initiatives was the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) Amendment Bill 2019, criminalizing the advertising of academic cheating services for commercial purposes, as witnessed across most of the online assignment help services (TEQSA, 2022). The Bill further enhanced TEQSA's mandate to include the prevention and reducing the use of online cheating services for courses offered by Australia's higher learning institutions (TEQSA, 2022). Other supporting regulations against academic misconduct in the count...