STUDENTS’ AND TEACHERS’ ATTITUDE AND PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS EXAMINATION MALPRACTICE IN NURSING EDUCATION IN ENUGU STATE

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to determine the students and teachers attitude and perceptions towards examination malpractice in Nursing Education in Enugu State. The objectives of the study were set to guide the study. Descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted for the study which was carried out in the four (4) Nursing Schools in Enugu State.  Purposive sampling procedure was used to select the final year nursing students and their teachers. A total population of 317 respondents was used. A researcher-developed structured questionnaire based on four (4) point modified Likest type was used and arranged in four (4) subscales. Face and content validity of the instrument was done by the project supervisor and two other senior lectures who are experts in measurement and evaluation. Reliability of the instrument was established by applying split-half method. Cronbach’s Alpha was used to analyse the data and a reliability co-efficient of 0.90 was obtained. Data were subjected to descriptive statistics and analysed using ANOVA and student’s t-test. Major findings of the study revealed that Nursing Students’ were more positively disposed towards examination malpractice, while teachers were more negatively disposed towards examination malpractice. Parental factors were the highest cause of examination malpractice as perceived by students and teachers while teacher’s factors were the least cause of examination malpractice. Students have higher agreement on patterns of examination malpractice than teachers, while teachers had higher agreement than students on the effects of examination malpractice. Nursing Students’ perceived the cause of examination malpractice more than the teachers. Nursing students and teachers enlisted: full implementation of examination rules and regulations, ensuring examination security and management, improved students reading culture etc, as the suggested solution to examination malpractice. There is a significant difference (P < 0.05) between the students and the teachers towards examination malpractice.