IAFOR Journal of Education

Volume 5 – Issue 2 – Summer 2017

Friends with Benefits: Causes and Effects of Learners’ Cheating
Practices During Examination

Leo Andrew B. Diego
Roxas National Comprehensive High School, Philippines

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Abstract
Cheating during examinations is triggered by peer influence. It makes every learner know anddo what should not be done. Cheating during examinations defeats the purpose ofunderstanding, applying and creating ideas as stipulated in the revised Bloom’s taxonomy byAnderson. The study reported here was designed to delve into the reasons and aspirations of
the respondents in their cheating engagement. Sixteen (16) key informants, selected using
random sampling procedure among Junior and Senior High School learners of Roxas National
Comprehensive High School in Palawan during the months of June to October 2016, completed
open-ended questionnaires and took part in the interview. Nvivo software was used in theanalysis of the themes that emerged from the data. This study discovered that friendship is
manipulated, for it makes doing right things unacceptable and things to be avoided like cheating
seem right and acceptable. The behavior about cheating during examination is deeply rooted
in the culture of pakikisama (social acceptance/liking) and utang ng loob (debt of gratitude). If
a learner does not share his or her answers, he or she will be labeled as walang pakisama (noconcern).This paper then argues that honesty should not be just a policy; rather, honesty in thiscase, is the only policy. Condemning academic dishonesty must not merely rest in theenrollment forms, but by constant moral reminder and intervention of teachers who have a
responsibility to hone learners’ decorum on honesty and maturity.
Keywords: academic cheating; examination; academic performance; friends, cheating
practices; social connection.

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Introduction
I cheat with, from and for my friends. This is a prevalent mindset of learners whenever they
are facing difficulties during examinations. Cheating on examinations in academic institutions
is a worldwide issue (Berhan & Desalegn, 2014). Adolescents are at a time in their lives where
peer influence and peer pressure are high (Rettinger & Kramer, 2009). Student habits and views
on cheating are developed in high school (Mccabe, Butterfield, & Trevino, 2012). In the adventof the twenty first century generation, one of the most disturbing and alarming problems in
education is underpinned by students’ ways of cheating. Cheating occurs when a student
obtains or attempts to obtain some advantage or extra marks by any dishonest or deceptivemeans. This can include lying; copying from another's test or examination; interacting withother students during assessments and taking any unauthorised material into an examination
venue (Jordan, 2001, McCabe et al., 2001, Northumbria University, 2013). Thus, cheating is
considered as one of the forms of academic misconduct that has become one of the biggest
concerns of educational institutions (Wilkinson, 2009). Problems concerning cheating became
evident not only among undergraduate university students, but also among secondary learners
in recent times. “Cheating or academic misdemeanor is not a new phenomenon” (Taradi et al.,2012, p. 14), but a long-familiar problem not only in many European countries but in thePhilippines in particular. This is a kind of misconduct in such a way that it undermines students’capability to master lessons and achieve excellence in their performance and learningcompetencies as embedded in the curriculum guide provided by the Department of Education.
Academic dishonesty can be defined as the students’ use of illegal activities, techniques andforms of fraud during their examination or evaluation processes, usually for the purpose ofachieving better grades (Manar & Shameem, 2014).
In the Philippine educational system, its participants, learners in particular, are required tofaithfully follow the mandate of excellence, mastery and integrity of learning knowledge andskills, which are intended for the proliferation of their infinite potentials which lie dormant if
untouched with the graces of academic instructions. In this sense, this purpose is nowadays
almost and always frustrated by misconducts or undisciplined performances among the learnersof this 21st century era. Technological advancements have made cheating easier and more
prolific (McGregor & Stuebs, 2012). “The process of how students cheat has been the topic ofextensive research” (Baker, et al., 2008, p. 28). This paper supplements the established findingson academic dishonesty by delineating the innovative techniques that students use to respondto perceived difficulty and frustrations encountered within the context of Junior and SeniorHigh School learners in Roxas National Comprehensive High School, Roxas, Palawan,
Philippines.
The Aim of the Study
Why do students from all age groups and levels of achievement participate in cheating? One
line of speculation is that dishonesty in school is just a reflection of a much broader erosion of
ethical behavior that has become commonplace in a society that tends to support selfcenteredness over concern for others (Sommers & Satel, 2005). To delineate the essence of theissue, I focus my attention on the following topics:
1. The reasons why students copy other learner’s answer during examinations
2. The ways by which students copy other learners’ answers
3. The effects of copying other learner’s answers in personal and social identity

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4. The interventions that need to be maintained, formulated and implemented to respond on
this issue.
Theoretical Framework“Social learning theory focuses on the learning that occurs within a social context. It considers
that people learn from one another, including such concepts such as observational learning,
imitation and modelling” (Corpuz & Lucas, 2011, p. 82). Inherent with this theory are theprinciples such as observing the behavior of others and outcome of those behaviors, learning
occurs without a change in behavior, and cognition plays a role in learning. In the midst of thiscompelling issue copying other learners’ answers, the Department of Education through its
teachers, is making better alternatives and remediation for students failing marks. Then,copying-in-the making issue somehow reverberates in the halls of students’ unconscious
behaviors with and without teacher in front of them. “Cheating is rampant in professional
schools, a major shift has occurred in cheating related attitudes including peer behavior andethical environments, and a deeply embedded honors code can play a key role in creating an
ethical environment” (McCabe et al., 2012, p. 67).
Literature Review
The reasons for cheating are influenced by peer pressure.

Figure 1: Factors that enhance academic cheating (Sarita, 2015).
As can be seen in the Figure 1, peer pressure is the prime mover of cheating. If peers in theirpeer group are choosing academic dishonesty, then they are more likely to do the same
(McCabe, 1999 as cited by Sarita, 2015). Adolescents are influenced by what their peers do
and they form their peer groups around similar interests. Peer influence is at its highest at thispoint in their lives. Secondly, home environment, which refers to the conditions where people
live, is another factor in cheating. The old saying “The most important work you do takes place
within the walls of your home”. It is noticeable that children learn many things at home not
only in academics but also in values like honesty in particular. Academic dishonesty is more
likely to occur with parental pressure to get good grades (Taylor, et al. 2002). The third factor
is learners’ learning styles. Some students are naturalistic while others are visual and auditory.
Learning styles like cognitive, affective and physiological behaviour serve as relatively stable124

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Volume 5 – Issue 2 – Summer 2017indicators of how learners perceive, interact with and respond to the learning environment.
Fourth, there is a school environment where academic cheating takes place. There are manyreasons why an adolescent may choose academic cheating over academic integrity.
Adolescents compete against each other for class rank (Sarita, 2015).
Class rank helps them edge their way into competitive institutions and colleges. Politics in aschool may also play an important factor for who get caught and disciplined accordingly when
they engage in academic dishonesty (Riera & Di Prisco, 2002 as cited by Sarita, 2015).
Teachers have some influence on how to set up their classrooms, as well as goals set andattained throughout the academic school year. Teachers can have mastery goal structure or
performance goal structure in their classroom. Mastery goals focus on learning andimprovement, whereas performance goals are based on grades and what one can do to be at the
top. Sarita (2015) claimed that Educational anxiety is the combination of anxiety andacademic anxiety. Students have many anxieties related to education as pressure by parents
and schools to achieve top scores has created stress levels among students. The students know
cheating is wrong but they feel like the most important thing they do is get grades. In fact,
much of the research on academic cheating has been centered on elucidating possible
psychological reasons why students engage in cheating behavior. This research paper by Sarita(2015) contributed to researcher’s understanding of the social millieu and development of thiscurrent study about cheating, for it manifested the prime factors why learners’ cheatparticularly peer group which influence the flow of academic dishonesty.
In the study of Kwong et al. (2010), he found that students participate in academic misconduct
because of their workloads and time pressures, their desire to achieve good grades, and unclear
instructions from teachers about what constitutes academic misconduct. Moreover, societal andtechnological factors that may contribute to increased tendency towards cheating include: lackof awareness, peer culture, lack of punishment, absence of risk and pressure to achieve (Ma, etal. 2006). Classrooms that stresses high grades and test scores may lead the learners to cheat.
Situational factors also contribute to the students’ tendency to cheat. For instance, somestudents find their work challenging or boring, fear failure, lack training and may be pressured
by insufficient time to study and heavy workloads (Razera et al., 2010).
In modern times, cheating involves the possession, communication or use of information,materials, notes, study aids or other devices not authorized by the instructor in an academic
exercise, or communication with another person during such an exercise. It was noted that thereason to cheat were: Not preparing for the exam, lack of time to study, carelessness and lackof punishment from instructors. The most common methods of cheating were found to becopying from other test studies and talking to neighbors during the exam, besides using certain
gestures to get answers from others (Ahmadi, 2012). Many students cheat just to receive apassing grade and impress their parents and teacher. Academic cheating is caused by manyreasons; parental pressure, teacher pressure and poor time management. Teacher pressure will
generate the need for students to cheat academically. Academic cheating is a growing concern
among adolescents in schools worldwide (Sarita, 2015).
One notable character and uniqueness of this study is that available literatures can be commonly
found in research conducted on higher education but not extensive in secondary education.
According to the Center for Academic Integrity (Fields, 2003), 75% of students in higher
education admit to cheating behaviors. However, only over 20% of 1,369 undergraduates
studied reported that they had committed an act of academic dishonesty while in college(Stearns, 2001).

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Methodology and Methods
An open-ended questionnaires designed to evaluate Junior and Senior High School learners’
awareness in Roxas National Comprehensive High School were administered to sixteen key
informants during the months of June to October 2016. In the process of interview method, therespondents were asked to fill out the questionnaire and answer all the questions with audiorecorded files. The first part of the questionnaire is about the codename, age, section and year
level intended for confidentiality of informations. In the second part of the questionnaire,
respondents were asked to assess their knowledge and experiences through the qualitativeinterview guide.
The questions concentrated on knowledge and awareness about copying answers during
examinations, causes and impacts of cheating phenomenon as well as respondents’ responses.
The questionnaires were randomly distributed to the all-secondary levels using conveniencesampling. Furthermore, Nvivo software was used to analyze the themes, which are geared toprovide solutions to the problem of cheating during examinations. This oeuvre sets its limit in
the realm of secondary level particularly at Roxas National Comprehensive High School as its
center of reference. Delineating the prime reasons and effects of academic dishonesty trigger
the researcher to find out student’s aspirations in meeting the standard of the academe among
Junior and Senior High School learners in Roxas National Comprehensive High School.
Results
The first part of the questionnaire categorically focused on learners’ experiences of cheating
during examinations. The choices presented revolved on quizzes, mastery tests, periodical tests
in Junior High School learners while chapter/unit test and quarterly Examinations for SeniorHigh School learners. Data revealed that the majority of the informants disclosed theirexperiences in cheating during quizzes, mastery and periodical tests. Data also found that
respondents’ behavior on cheating is highly dependent on their aspiration for passing grades inorder to be qualified for promotion.
More than half of the informants confessed that they have no experience of being caught in theact while cheating. Their common response came from the second part of the questionnairethat asked the question: Have you had worst experiences of being caught in the act whilecheating? But then, one of the respondents disclosed that she could not forget the experienceof being reprimanded by her teacher and it was reported to her parents. She suffered emotional
pains of being treated as someone who is not using her mind by her father.
Table 1: Systematic results of interviews with the informants.
Codename

Age

Current
Year
level

Grade
level
when
cheating
is learned

Causes ofcheating
duringexam

Ways ofcheating
duringexam

Effectsofcheating
in exam

Subject/s
that needcheating

BOY

13

7

2

15

9

3

Cheatingfrom friends
Friendly toclassmates

Low selfesteem
Low selfesteem

EnglishAXL

Difficultyof Subject
Peer
Influence

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Mathematics

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Volume 5 – Issue 2 – Summer 2017

SKO

16

11

3

Difficultyof Subject

JED

14

8

5

Not readyfor exam

LAD

15

9

4

Peer
influence

HAB

14

8

5

Difficultyof Subject

TIN

17

11

3

Not readyfor exam

GEN

14

7

4

Difficultyof Subject

WEM

14

8

4

Difficultyof Subject

MEN

15

9

5

Not readyfor exam

SER

16

11

6

Peer
influence

REX

16

10

7

Not readyfor exam

KID

13

7

6

Peer
influence

LOY

14

8

5

JET

15

10

JOY

14

9

Looking atclassmates'
papersSignlanguage
Looking atclassmates'
papersBy makingfriends ofclassmates
By makingfriends ofclassmatesSign
language
Being
friendly toclassmates
Looking at
the paper ofmyclassmate/s.
Signlanguage

Passing
gradesScienceMakeparents
proud
Avoid
failing
gradesAvoid
failing
gradesMathematics

Avoid
failing
gradesGet goodandpassing
grade
Passing
gradesEnglishMathematics
Science

Mathematics

Mathematics

Passing
gradesMathematics

Passing
gradesScience

Go out andlook foranswersSign
language

Avoid
failing
gradesPassing
gradesScience

Peer
Influence

Makingfriends ofclassmates

Avoid
failing
gradesMathematics

3

Peer
influence

Friendly toclassmates

English4

Peer
Influence

Being
friendly toclassmates

Wish tohelp afriendPassing
gradesEnglishMathematics

As can be seen in Table 1, sixteen (16) informants who participated in the interview have theirrespective codenames. The age bracket of the respondents is from thirteen (13) to seventeen(17) years old, the majority being fourteen years old. Their respective year levels are randomly
selected from grade seven to grade eleven. Most of the respondents are from grade eight (8)and grade nine (9). As presented in the table, most of them learned and began to cheat during
their elementary years, specifically grades three, four and five. Peer influence is the dominantcause of cheating during examination among the respondents. Aside from peer influence, the127

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Volume 5 – Issue 2 – Summer 2017difficulty of the exam and not being able to prepare for examination are the primary causes ofcheating behavior. Making friends of their classmates is the most common attitude of the
respondents. More than half of the respondents admitted that the primary effect of cheating forthem is to get passing grades in order to make their parents proud. However, low self-esteem
is one of the effects for a minority of the informants. “Participants who cheated had lower selfesteem in comparison with those who did not cheat. As regards attitude towards disloyalty, it
was found that loyalty had a low value for the participants who cheated, while non-cheaters
valued it highly” (Blachnio & Weremko, 2011). Mathematics is the most difficult subject for
majority of the informants in this study. Aside from Mathematics, Science and English had
been mentioned.
Discussions
When the informants were asked by the question as to what made them engage in cheating
during examinations, more than half of them responded that aside from primary causes
presented in table 1, they did not understand the topic or lesson discussed and they did notreview their lessons beforehand. Moreover, the teacher does not give punishment when he andshe caught them. In addition, they are too lazy to listen to discussion because their teacher isvery strict. In these particular cases, a lack of the skill in understanding wide and various arrayof academic notions penetrated and dominated learners’ behavior towards the discussion. It
must be noted that in the context of 21st century learners, they are very inclined towards
collaborative activities rather than plain traditional discussion strategies given by their teachers.
Attention and focus are the main skills that are interrupted if the teaching strategies are very
traditional. Hence, learners are gradually losing their appetite in substantial absorption ofconcepts in the classroom. Data revealed that continuous decrease of attention and focus
because of traditional teaching pedagogies served as prime factors and causes of learner’s
dependency on cheating with their seatmates during examinations.
Most of the informants admitted that they have highly creative ways of copying other learners’
answers during examinations. Data revealed that learners academically cheat by way of looking
at and asking for their classmates answers, giving and receiving a crumpled paper containing
answers on the exam, writing the answers on their hand and desk, sign language, going out
while exam is ongoing and look for the answers on their pocket device. Moreover, they cheatby means of recording the answers to their cellular phones and listening on them via headset
while taking examination, having picture of the answer in cellular phone during mastery test
and look at these answers during periodical test. For them, most of the test questions in mastery
test or unit test for senior high school are the same with periodical test of quarterly assessment
questions.
Utilitarian Perspective of Friendship on Cooperative Cheating
A friend is defined as a person who helps or supports someone, a favored companion, one thatis not hostile, and the one attached to another by affection or esteem (Merriam dictionary).
Along in-class examination, friendship is at the momentum zone that is either to build strongly
or break abruptly. The most common strategy that they are doing when copying is by making
friends of their classmates who are intelligent in the subject in order to copy through looking
and asking their classmates’ answers. Loy, one of the informants, highlighted this theme bysaying: “I need to befriend my classmates for me to be able to copy their answers if I do notknow the answer.” In line with the gender codes, respondents revealed that their peers arecommonly the same gender. Male learners are building friendship not just socially but also for128

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academic benefits involving cheating during examinations. My data revealed that male learners
are more susceptible to cheating than female. It is because most of the males are always at theback of the classroom where they have boys’ talk while discussion is ongoing, thus, making
them not copy or hear what the teacher is presenting or the activity being given to them.
Birds with the same feather flock together, as the saying would tell. As friends, individuals
share the same interest, likings, hobbies and aspirations. Emerging themes from the datasuggested three kinds of group of friends in relation to in-class examination, namely: the slow
friends, the average friends and the elite friends.
1. Slow friends tend to go together in one place in the classroom. For them there is a feelingof belongingness, that is, they gain confidence through each other’s way or means of help
in times of uncertainty during examination. If this means does not work, they resort into
tapping their friends on average levels. Their passion is not on reviewing but radically on
depending on other’s answers.
2. Average friends are those learners who oftentimes deal with accommodating and helping
slow learners to cope with their answer if left unguarded. They make every way possible
to copy answers from the elite learners.
3. Elite friends are the ones who are very competitive. Most of them, as revealed by the
informants are not sharing answers. But, if they are triggered by the maintaining grade
posed by their academic strand, they tend to give in to idea that one for all, all for one.
They are also receiving free snacks from their friends if all of them passed. They shiftedfrom a notion that we study because we compete with each other to the idea that we study
because we need keep every classmate on track.
Causes and Effects of Cheating During Examination
Data revealed that peer pressure is one of the most triggering causes in this kind of academic
dishonesty. Moreover, the findings revealed that unpreparedness causes stress and triggeredwith time pressure deeply affected learners to cheat during examinations. Rex shared his
experience in this regard: “Peer pressure caused me to be stressed if I cannot answer thequestions correctly. So, I just wait to find a way and copy if the proctor is not guarding us.”
As to their aspirations, most of the informants conceded that they do not want to feel ashamed
to their parents because of their failing grades. In their mindset, they copy during examinationin order to get good grades, make their parents proud, avoid failing grades, and to be happy
still despite knowing that they pass examination through unfair copying others’ answers. Whenthey were asked as to how certain are they that the answer which they copied is true or not,they commonly answered that they are confident that their seatmate’s answer is true for she or
he is their friend. For them, they have this saying that friends do not lie and leave each other.
Data revealed that duration of time given is not a problem but the access to friends who know
the answer. Kid stated: “Time is not a problem as long as you have a friend who knows theanswer, the problem is if you both do not know the answer.”
Learners’ cheating habits during examination is notably rooted in their elementary years. Mostof them revealed that their dishonest behavior occurred between grades two (2) and four (4).
Peer influence is the common cause of this problem of copying. Because their friends arecheating, so are they. In this realm, curiosity and a need to be belong could also be noticed as

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the cognitive tendencies that played a huge effect to learners developing the habit of copying
other learners’ answers during examinations.
Upon probing on the subjects which they found difficult and in which they are always copying,data revealed that Mathematics is the most challenging subject for senior high school learners.
This finding is the opposite on the basis of Junior high school learners which revealed that
Science, Math and English are the most difficult subjects. When asked what particular subjects
are easy to cope with, data revealed subjects such as Filipino language and values.
Most of the informants have a conviction that this culture of copying other learners’ answers
during examination could be put to an end if and only if every learner avoids and controls
himself to academically cheat. The majority of the respondents reported that academic cheating
particularly copying during examination decreases self-confidence and understanding in theiracademic performance. For them the ideal was that they prefer to be failed than to cheat duringexam, but in reality, they detach themselves from that ideal when they find themselves
unprepared, time pressured, and that particular subject is for them difficult to bearacademically.
Teachers’ Practical Interventions on the Issue
Enforcing academic integrity by limiting the opportunity for academic fraud in the first place
is a herculean task, but it is one that is controllable: data agree with the claim that teachers and“professors can do simple things such as making sure that desks are free of scribbled notes,that book bags are closed, that hats are removed. Further, they can look for gazes that repeatedly
veer off into areas other than the test; multiple versions of exams can be administered in smallclassrooms rather than auditoriums; instructors can also employ additional proctors during
exams, adopting wide and fixed space seating” (Jones, 2011, p. 45). In addition, many of theinformants suggested monitoring techniques that are effective such as: Set A, Set B technique,random eat plans, supply type test strategies (e.g. essay, identification and modified true or
false,) no gadgets, no talking and going out while exam is ongoing and alphabetical seating
arrangement.
Career and Academic Implications
The study is formulated among Roxas National Comprehensive High School Junior and SeniorHigh School learners. Thus, based on the questionnaire, awareness about copying otherlearners’ during examination are noted in the author’s conclusion about the following:
1. Informants admitted that they learned copying since their early days in elementary
school. First, they act as observers and the need to be in the group triggered the
manifested behavior of copying. Imitation is not wrong if put in its proper context. In
business, for example, modelling is evident, for it makes an entrepreneur imitate all thestrategies and skills in order for him to be effective and efficient. However, in the school,
the implication is reversed. Learners should internalize the lessons discussed for them tobe able to be critical thinkers upon landing in their chosen field in the future. If cheatingis the culture that they imbibed, then they probably cannot pass in any board or bar exam
where their need for job security is on the line. Learning in a solitary environment may
motivate more learning and thus overcome the need for cheating, meaning that people
may be able to learn and pass exams in other contexts.

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2. They are differentiated in terms of the subject, which they treated as difficult in which
they feel the need to copy during examinations. There are informants who found it hardto deal with Mathematics yet comfortable in learning English. On the other hand, there
were also informants who found that English is more difficult than Mathematics that is
why they need to copy others’ answers. The bottom line is learners’ learning abilities arecomplex, for everybody is unique. Then, cheating cannot be a rational means oncompensating different strengths and weakness upon taking hard subjects. Honesty is
tested when a learner admits to himself and desire to change his weakness into strength
by seeking help from his peers and teachers for interventions. In this way, a learner will
have self-confidence in bearing difficulty on the examination.
3. Most informants happened to cheat during examination in order to deal with their
aspirations like passing the particular subject and consequently make their parents proud.
Promotion became the main factor in cheating engagement. But, some of the informants
realized that even if they think and know that they pass already, their conscience hauntthem at the end of the day. Their conscience that cheating is not a moral way to get
promoted. Some of them are rationalizing that maybe those subjects are no value to thejobs that they will do someday, without even considering that honesty which they
defeated is the prime factor that determines their altitude or downfall.
4. Most of the informants realized that copying other learners’ answers triggers lack of selfconfidence and lack of passion in learning. Low self-esteem and feeling of boredom
makes a person suffer when he is at his field of work or employment. On this dimension,
many informants disclosed that they have to adhere to not cheating for them to earn selfconfidence.
5. To extinguish this habit of academic dishonesty especially during examination,
informants suggested that they could resort to intensive concentration on reviewing theirlesson beforehand in order that they will not be stressed and rattled as examination
continues to go along with their ways. This attitude then makes every learner attainedthat highest level of revised Bloom’s taxonomy, that is, creativity. In life, love andbusiness, creativity that emanates from focus makes everything successful and excellent.
6. For some adolescents, parental pressure is high at this age in regard to academics (Strom& Strom, 2007). However, data revealed that informants resorted to cheat during
examination because of the lack of parental presence who are supposed to guide them intheir quest for knowledge internalization by giving advises and inspirational messages.
This research found that the need for parental moral support in the home is needed.
Another influential factor why students cheat is that there are some parents who are very
judgemental when they knew that their son or daughter got a failing grade in school. The
fear of being reprimanded and treated as someone who is undeserving of support fromparents makes every student engage in cheating during examination. Thus, even thoselearners who are living in the boarding house must have an ample time of communication
between them and their parents.
7. Friendship became very practical. Learners who depend on building friends in order tocopy during examinations are very utilitarian in character. They are always harmonious
relationship with those learners whom they know they can benefit from, but resent those
who do not share their answers. It is as if friendship is manipulated for it makes rightthings to do unacceptable and things to be avoided as if they are the right things to do.

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As Filipinos, this behavior is deeply rooted on the culture of pakikisama (need to bebelong) and utang na loob (debt of gratitude). If a learner does not share his or her
answers, he or she will be labeled as walang pakisama (no concern). To get rid to thiskind of social indifference, many learners resort to share their answers even if they know
it is not the right thing to do.
8. Cheating during examination became students’ way of building social connection. Even
if the test is very easy, still they are relying on their friends’ answers for confirmation.
Social connection makes every learner confident and ready to face any academic
challenges. Although building social connection among learners is a part of being human,
they must not forget to value the essence of honesty. The virtue of honesty makes social
connection firm and stand for a long period of time. There is a Filipino maxim whichstates: “Ang pagsasabi ng tapat ay pagsasama ng maluwat” (Honesty is a way to have along term relationship). Honesty is the opposite of utilitarian thinking among students.
Cheating as a way of building social connection paves an opportunity only for short term
bonds among students. It is because if they are caught by their teacher, they would bepunished. This culture of cheating among students will greatly affect their career in the
future and relationship with their loved ones. Social connection is a form of collaboration.
Another perceived cheating as a form of collaboration, a skill that is valuable in thebusiness world (Aaron & Roche, 2013).
Conclusion
This paper then argues that honesty should not be just a policy; rather, honesty in this case, isthe only policy. Indeed, teachers nowadays cannot assume that learners know and abide by the
unwritten moral codes and rules imposed by school, family and society as a whole. Henceforth,
to uphold honesty and matureness is to emphasize these rules and codes. The rules and codes
must not merely rest in the enrollment forms or written school policies, but it must be in action,
meaning to say in constant reminder given and intervened by teachers who have full authority
and responsibility to hone learners in the light of honesty and maturity as enduring values in
the arena of life.
I argue in this paper that learners’ illegitimate means of responding to failure and frustration
during examinations are not to be counted as excuse for them to be recognized as highly
innovative. Through making friends of their intelligent peers, tolerating their dishonest
behavior by giving answers because of friendship, gaining confidence through social approval,
for everyone does it, feeling of being intelligent because of cheating practices and manipulating
gadgets to copy clear-cut answers should not be tolerated. These innovative ways are not goodor bad in themselves (amoral) but if they are put in the wrong context (academics), which
upholds the virtues of honesty for self-discovery of skills and self-mastery of talents, thesementioned means of cheating becomes immoral, and thus destructive for every learner who
engages in this practice.
Effective Communication between Parents and Their Children
Indeed, educators cannot provide all of the guidance that students require to adopt honesty asa lifestyle. Some parents tell daughters and sons that cheating is a fact of life in the world ofwork and this has forced them to cheat in order to succeed. When parents act in this way,
condoning dishonesty and deception as standard, it becomes challenging for educators tocounter the message that power of cheating makes it an acceptable practice. “Schools could132

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Volume 5 – Issue 2 – Summer 2017provide workshops for parents that focus on the range of cheating issues adolescents face andoffer agenda questions for discussions at home about honesty, integrity, trust and maturity. In
this way, mothers and fathers would be enlisted to sustain their efforts to nurture these valuable
attributes in their children. Successful academic performance rooted in honesty enables
students to take pride in work that is their own and to make known when tutoring is needed to
improve learning (Teixeira & Rocha, 2010).
Recommendations
This paper similarly recommends ways of abating cheating in the long run. These are thefollowing:
1. Educators should use positive reinforcement and encouraging the students to acquire a
positive outlook in life that will prevent them from cheating (Mccabe et al., 2002).
2. Teachers can reduce the tendency to cheat by involving students in interesting
assignments that are more engaging and relevant to the students themselves (Renard,
2000; Ma et al., 2008).
3. Teachers, as facilitators of learning, should help their students to learn how to summarize
and rephrase in their own words. Being fluent at writing is possibly the best way of
inhibiting cheating (Dick, Sheard, & Hasen, 2008).
4. Teachers should aim for a “zero tolerance” approach with regard to cheating andplagiarism in their academic environment (Wilson & Ippolito, 2008). In order to beconsistent and to reach the so-called zero tolerance towards cheating during examinations,teachers should make clear the acceptable and unacceptable behavior of the students atthe very beginning of the year, stick to it as far as possible, and frequently remind thestudents of it.
5. Subject teachers should also make sure their students correctly understand the terms andconditions of the subject by discussing them in class if necessary. They should let thestudents know that teachers are available at any time to help them with their academic
problems and doubts (Badia, Cladellas, & Clariana, 2013).
6. Teachers should make it clear to students that resisting temptation to cheat during
examinations boosts and builds high self-esteem and self-respect. Students with higher
levels of self-confidence were less likely to engage in academic misconduct (Hulsart &McCarthy, 2009).
Acknowledgements
Thanks to God, Jesus Christ, who gave the gift of life and purpose in this academic undertaking.
The author also thanks his wife Zaila, Princess and Prince (my daughter and son), who served
as my inspiration in pursuing this study. Special thanks to Joel N. Gulane PhD, School
Principal, Conchita A. Dacillo, Head Teacher V, Senior High School Focal Person, MeriamMosaso, Research and Science Head Teacher V, Rafaelita F. Rodriguez, English and Social
Studies Head Teacher V, Maribeth Adier, Senior High School lead adviser. Moreover, I would
like to thank Hon. Maria Angela V. Sabando, Mayor in Municipality of Roxas, and my sisterand my brother, Leah Ray Rapunzel Diego and Roy Roland Diego, for funding of myregistration fee.
A previous version of this article was included in the proceedings of The IAFOR International
Conference on Education 2017: Diego, L. (2017). Friends with Benefits: Causes and Effects ofLearners’ Cheating Practices During Examination. The International Conference on Education

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Volume 5 – Issue 2 – Summer 20172017, Dubai, UAE. February 26–28, 2017. Proceedings, pp. 63–78. ISSN: 2189-1036.
http://papers.iafor.org/papers/iicedubai2017/IICEDubai2017_34786.pdf

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Corresponding author: Leo Andrew B. Diego
Contact Email: leandrojigz01@gmail.com

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Appendix
Informed Consent Form
The open-ended questions to be asked are in line with the research topic: Friends with Benefits:
Causes and Effects of Cheating Practices During Examination, which will be conducted by
Leo Andrew Diego, Senior High School teacher for this action research. The main objective of
this research is to find out the factors why students copy other learner’s answers on their exams
in order to adapt plausible solutions to be done after knowing the problem. Your answers, realname and identity are confidential, meaning to say, it will not be shared to others. Your fullcooperation in this meaningful endeavor is highly appreciated.
Codename:_____________________________
Year Level:_______________
Age: __________________________________
Qualitative Questionnaire
Objectives
To identify reasons why students copy otherlearner’s answer during examinations.

ØØTo determine the ways by which students Øcopy other learner’s answers
Analyze the effects of copying other Ølearner’s answers in personal and social
identityØØ
Identify interventions that need to be Ø
maintained, formulated and implemented, torespond on this issue.
Ø
Ø

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Interview Questions
What made you engage in cheating
activites during examinations?
What are your aspirations in doing
whatever it takes to pass the subject even
if it means copying other learner’s
answers?
What are the ways in which you cheat
during exam?
How affected are you when you cheat
during exam?
What do you think are the personal
effects of cheating during exam?
What are the ways in which you can stop
copying other learner’s answers during
examinations?
What are the cheating policies ofteachers in the classroom during
examination to avoid cheating activities?
What do you think are the disciplinary
measures given by teachers on this issueof cheaning?
What are the interventions being done byteachers for those learners who are slow
in learning?