PHD-School of Education

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This collections contains bibliographic information and abstracts of PHD theses and dissertation in the School of Education held in Kenyatta University Library

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Browsing PHD-School of Education by Subject "Academic Dishonesty"

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    Dark Triad Personality Traits and Moral Disengagement as Predictors of Students’ Propensity for Academic Dishonesty in Selected Kenyan Universities
    (Kenyatta University, 2022) Oigo, Martha Lilian Akoth; Jotham N. Dinga; Anthony M. Ireri
    Prevalence of academic dishonesty in Kenyan universities continues to be a great concern to educators. The problem has persisted even with institutions’ attempts to prevent, or punish students found to engage in academic dishonesty. Knowledge of situational factors associated with the vice has led to changes in dealing with academic dishonesty, but still the problem persists. A research focusing on personal factors related to propensity for academic dishonesty may provide new ways of approaching this problem. The objectives of this study were to: establish the relationship between Narcissism and propensity for academic dishonesty; investigate the relationship between Machiavellianism and propensity for academic dishonesty; determine the relationship between Psychopathy and propensity for academic dishonesty; investigate the relationship between moral disengagement and propensity for academic dishonesty; investigate whether sex moderated the relationship between the dark triad traits, moral disengagement and propensity for academic dishonesty; investigate the predictive value of the dark triad traits, and moral disengagement, on propensity for academic dishonesty. Guided by the life history theory and the social cognitive theory of moral thought and action, the study employed a predictive correlational design. The study sample consisted of 425 Bachelor of Education second year students, from seven chartered, public universities in Kenya. Data were collected using a questionnaire with items adapted from the Dark Triad of Personality Scale, Moral Disengagement Questionnaire, and Tendency toward Academic Misconduct Scale. A pilot study was conducted with a sample of 44 students. Bivariate relationships were examined using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, results were as follows: Psychopathy had a significant and positive correlation with propensity for academic dishonesty, r (423) = .30, p < .05. Moral disengagement had a significant and positive correlation with propensity for academic dishonesty, r (423) = .39, p < .05. Narcissism had a negative but significant relationship with propensity for academic dishonesty, r (423) = -.17, p < .05. Machiavellianism had a non-significant relationship with propensity for academic dishonesty, r (423) = -.05, p > .05. A hierarchical multiple regression revealed that the relationship between the dark triad traits, moral disengagement, and propensity for academic dishonesty was not moderated by sex. Narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and moral disengagement significantly predicted propensity for academic dishonesty (F (4,420) = 24.54, p < .05). Moral disengagement had the highest predictive value on propensity for academic dishonesty, (β = .52, p < .05), followed by narcissism, (β = -.23, p < .01), and psychopathy (β = .22, p < .05). Machiavellianism did not contribute significantly to the prediction, (β = -.07, p > .05). Social desirability accounted for 13 percent change in students’ propensity for academic dishonesty, R2 =.13, Adjusted R2 =.12, F (1,423) = 61.14, p <.05. Exploratory analyses showed partial mediation of moral disengagement in the relationship between psychopathy and propensity for academic dishonesty. The study concluded that the dark triad traits and moral disengagement were relevant in predicting propensity for academic dishonesty. Information from this study may provide insight for improving existing policies, practice, and ethics training on academic dishonesty in Kenya
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    Sense of Competence, Self-Control and Moral Compass As Determinants of Academic Dishonesty among Form Four Students in Baringo County, Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2023-09) Kemei, Daniel Kimutai; Chrispus Wawire Koinange; Philomena Ndambuki
    ABSTRACT Academic dishonesty has been a common occurrence in Kenya’s education system in recent years. Stringent measures put in place have not succeeded in eliminating the vice as cases of secondary school students engaging in it are still being reported. A research study focusing individual reasons for academic dishonesty could potentially lead to new ways of addressing the vice. Therefore, the objectives of the present study were: to find the association between sense of competence and academic dishonesty; to establish if there was a connection between self-control and academic dishonesty; to find out the relationship between moral compass and academic dishonesty; to establish the interrelationship between sense of competence, self-control; moral compass and academic dishonesty; and to ascertain if there existed gender differences in academic dishonesty. The study was anchored on three theories namely: general theory of crime; identity development and cognitive dissonance theory. It adopted correlational and explanatory sequential research design. All 4,414 form four students from three selected sub counties in Baringo constituted the accessible population. Purposive, stratified and systematic sampling was carried out to select three sub-counties, 10 schools and 396 respondents (203 female; 193 male). The results from a pilot study featuring 43 students obtained acceptable Cronbach alphas. Descriptive statistics revealed that 12.1% of the respondents had never engaged in academic dishonesty. Results from Pearson Moment Correlation Coefficient found a weak, inverse and significant relationship between: sense of competence and academic dishonesty(r = -0.27, p=.000); self-control and academic dishonesty (r = -0.42, p = .000); moral compass and academic dishonesty (r = - 0.22, p= .000). Standard multiple regression found that the three predictor variables significantly predicted academic dishonesty (F (4,391) = 9.05, p < .001) with the model accounting for 21.7% of variance. Path analysis disclosed that self-control fully and partially respectively mediated the relationship between moral compass, sense of competence and academic dishonesty. Finally, independent sample t-test showed that gender difference in academic dishonesty were non-existent (t (335) = 1.03, p > .05. It was concluded that sense of competence, self-control and moral compass play a key role in predicting one’s engagement in academic dishonesty. It was therefore recommended that all stakeholders come together to foster students sense of competence, self-control together with moral compass which in turn may assist in reducing incidences of academic dishonesty