Record Detail

In higher education in New Zealand, there is aburgeoning interest in, and concern with, the way studentsconduct themselves in their learning practices. Engagementin academically honest and dishonest behaviours is a cru-cial area of study within higher education. To operation-alize effective teaching and assessment, it is criticallyimportant to consider how different ethnic groups operatewithin the learning environment when preparing for, andcompleting, assessments. The present study investigateddifferences between two ethnic groups studying in NewZealand (Asian and European) with respect to their dis-closures of academic dishonesty and engagement withethical learning experiences (ELE). Responses from 312pharmacy and medical students were analysed in this study.A questionnaire was designed to elicit responses aboutengagement in academic dishonesty and ELEs. The find-ings emphasise that there were low rates of engagement inacademically dishonest behaviours by both groups andthere were no differences in disclosure of cheating andELE. The findings showed small but significant differencesbetween Asian and European students with respect to dis-closure in the areas of copying and collusion. Subtleinteractions were also noted for ethnicity and year of study,and ethnicity and gender, indicating that later year studentsdiverged more than earlier year students and differenceswere more apparent amongst male students. Lastly, thefindings showed that those students who read the studentcode of conduct were more likely to engage in academi-cally ‘honest’ behaviours. These findings have implicationsfor educationalists throughout the world, and it is possiblethat the hidden curriculum is playing a strong role in re-framing the notion and practice of ethical conduct