Manifestations of academic dishonesty during online learning

Abstract

Our society is constantly experiencing changes, some positive some negative, which inevitably affects us. Education is of paramount importance in our lives. In recent years, it has been significantly transformed by certain events, taking on new forms. Initially, the coronavirus pandemic forced teachers and students at all levels of education to adapt quickly to online or distance learning.To be fair, we should mention that some distance learning was used before to support education, but its current scale of application is unprecedented. Due to Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine, thousands of Ukrainian students were forced to move to other cities or countries, and many universities in hotspot areas are unable at this time to continue even distance learning. Online education has traditionally been viewed as an alternative pathway, particularly well-suited for those seeking opportunities to pursue higher education.The study of the comparison between the strengths and weaknesses of online learning and traditional methods of teaching is crucial in order to understand the constantly evolving educational landscape. This article studies the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches to identify the major challenges educators face during the teaching process in today’s world, particularly the causes and scale of academic dishonesty which may arise in the current student environment, as well as possible ways to prevent it. The aim of the study is to determine the ethical principles and rules guiding participants in the educational process, to explore the relationship between students’ motivation and their propensity for dishonest behaviour. The study results include an analysis of the causes and types of academic dishonesty. Learning a foreign language online is examined in relation to the specifics of distance education, whose primary characteristics include the network-based interaction of all participants in the educational process and a comparatively greater emphasis on independent work. In conclusion, the authors underline the importance of fostering a culture of integrity, reorienting moral standards and addressing the root causes of dishonesty.