EXAMINATION MALPRACTICES AND ITS ADVERSE EFFECTS ON TEACHING AND LEARNING WITH EMPHASIS ON PHYSICS

1.1 Introduction

Examination malpractice is an unlawful behavior or activity engaged in by students to have personal advantage in an examination over their colleagues or mates who are taking the same examination. Malpractice could be committed before, during or after the examination by either the students taking the examination or by officials assigned with the administration of the examination (Olushola, 2006). From the psychological point of view saw examination malpractice as all forms of cheating which directly or indirectly falsify the ability of the students. It refers to counter practice that is against the ethics of examination. It is also an act of disrespect to all rules and regulations guiding the good conduct of any examination or any evaluation process (Dike, 2005).

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

1.2 Background of Study

Examination malpractice is any activity of a student or group of students whose purpose is to give any of them higher grades than they would likely receive on the basis of their own achievements. Teachers at different stages use examination to assess and evaluate the academic achievement of students in the school system. In all teaching and learning situations therefore, it is essential to find out from time to time how much the students are achieving from what they are being taught. In order to do this effectively, Teachers Examination Council, National Teachers Institute (NTI), Classroom Teachers etc. assess the students by administering weekly, termly, end of year test and or final examinations.

The overall aim of education is to shape the behaviour of an individual, so that he or she can perform most effectively within his/her social milieu. Bearing in mind the role that education plays in nation building, a nation stands the risk of being under developed in terms of accumulation of illiteracy, disease and poverty when its youths rejects the honour of getting sound education and seems to opt for fraudulent activities and deceptive ways in making ends meet as epitomized by examination malpractices thereby negating the philosophy of sound education. The products of such a system can only grow up to be cynics, unbelievers, insensible, dishonest, ignorant, narrow-minded, myopic, unintelligent, deceptive, close-minded, one sided beings who would be indifferent to the issues of development and powerless to act, create and succeed.

 Examination malpractices have a paralyzing effect on the developing nation. It puts our youth, future leaders and professionals in a situation that leads to a future of social, political and economic insanity and bankruptcy. Engaging in examination malpractice leads to cancellation of results which means great waste of resources to society and parents, and provides sources of great agony and injustice to innocent students.

The importance of examination or test taking for diagnosis, placement, classification and quality control in Nigerian institutions have been greatly eroded and corrupted with malpractice which constitute one of the most debilitating problems facing our education institutions today, and they are constantly manifested and reported in our schools, colleges and other higher institutions.

Fatai (2005) defines it as any irregular act exhibited by candidates or anybody charged with the conduct of examination which is clearly a breach of the rules governing the conduct and integrity of the examination. It is viewed as any act carried out before, during and after an examination, which is against the rules set out for the proper and orderly conduct of the examination, which is clearly a breach of the rules governing the conduct and integrity of the examination. It has been further described as an action done to gain undue advantage over other candidates which is against the rule and regulations governing the conduct of such examination for personal gain.

Therefore, in Delta State where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Examination Malpractices and Its Adverse Effects on Teaching and Learning with Emphasis on Physics in Secondary School.

1.3 Statement of Problems

Physics stands for monumental in all our efforts to attain technological glory. It has been identified as the only one subject that holds the magic ward to the secret of other school subjects. It pervades the realms of science and technology business arts.

Nigeria curriculum experts no doubt have recognized the virtue of physics and have made central focus of the 6-3-3-4 educational system whose main objective is functionalism. They were quick to realize that the ones lies in physics and its teaching and learning critical thinking, logical thinking and learning critical thinking, logical thinking reversibility of thought, power of imagination and visualization for precision and accuracy open social mindedness. These are essential ingredients to actualize functionalism. Teaching and learning of physics invariable become one of the core subjects in 6-3-3-4 system of education even interview. Students therefore graciously desire a pass in physics. There is an obstruction to students realization of their ambition of passing physics.

In Nigeria where emphasis has shifted to acquisition of money as the vitimate. The rigorous treatment and study of physics together with the drive joy not satisfying social expectations, students easily read this and the effect is the pursuit of lower virtue while still recognition the important of teaching and learning physics, the students see the boil with ferry at the elegance of geometric proofs, the structure of algebra, the basic arithmetic processes and distribution of data in physics.

1.4 Purpose of the Study

The study of this research is to further investigate the means of cheating adopted while taking physics examination. Since it is known that physics by its nature and scope does not lend itself to copying and usual examination malpractice, the cause of examination malpractice is physics examination will also be investigated.

The effects on teaching and learning of physics and other cognate disciplines will be geared towards suggesting remedies to this in our development of the teaching of physics is known concrete to abstract, faculty assessment of students ability results in inefficiency in teaching and learning of physics in students problems with regards to previous issues are not identified. The one thing decisive examinations where some students can always afford to cheat, has contributed in no small way truancy, indiscipline and moral decadence in our schools.

1.5 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to investigate the Examination Malpractices and Its Adverse Effects on Teaching and Learning with Emphasis on Physics in Secondary School. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To investigate the extent of examination malpractice in Physics.
2. To find out how far students have adopted these means of cheating into physics.
3. To evaluate the peculiar reasons for examination malpractice in taking physics examination.
4. To find out what effects do examination malpractice have on the studying of physics students.

1.6 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Does examination malpractice have any significant effect on studying physics subject among Secondary School Students?
• To what extent does examination malpractice occurs in Physics subject?
• How far does Secondary School Students adopt these means of cheating into physics subject?
• What are the peculiar reasons for examination malpractice in taking physics examination?

1.7 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

• H0: There is no significant factor affecting the teaching and learning of physics among Secondary School students in Warri South District
• H1: There is a significant factor affecting the teaching and learning of physics among Secondary School students in Warri South District

1.8 Significance of Study

Examination malpractices a diseased situation in the educational enterprise, any attempt at investigating the scale of practice is highly significant. To determine the root cause of examination malpractice after students must have spent not less than six years in the secondary school is a worthwhile venture.

The adverse effect of examinations malpractices in the study of physics is the interest of this study of physics is the interest of this study as these effects are already taking on the awareness; it will create about the different methods usually applied by students.

In cheating during physics examination the suggested remedies as hoped will reduce the practice to the barest minimum. This will also serve as a determinate structure upon which future investigation on this subject will be.

1.9 Scope of Study

The study focuses on the Examination Malpractices and Its Adverse Effects on Teaching and Learning with Emphasis on Physics in Secondary School in Warri South District, Delta State.

1.10 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
3. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
4. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).