TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
1.2
STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
1.3
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
1.4
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
1.5
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.6
RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
1.7
CONCEPTUAL AND OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS OF
TERMS
1.8
ASSUMPTIONS OF THE STUDY
1.9
LIMITATIONS
OF THE STUDY
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 REVIEW OF
RELEVANT LITERATURE
2.1 SOURCES OF LITERATURE
2.2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.2.1 SUITABLE TIME SCHEDULE
2.2.2
POSSIBILITY OF POSITIVE BEHAVIOURAL RESULTS
2.2.3
PLACEMENT LOCATIONS CONSIDERING STUDENTS’ MOBILITY
2.2.4 INTEREST IN
THE MEDIUM
2.2.5 EFFECTIVE CAMPAIGN INTEREST
2.3 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
2.4 SUMMARY OF LITERATURE
REFERENCES
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
1.1
RESEARCH DESIGN
1.2
AREA OF STUDY
1.3
POPULATION OF
THE STUDY
1.4
RESEARCH SAMPLE
AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE
1.5
INSTRUMENT USED
FOR DATA COLLECTION
1.6
VALIDITY OF THE
INSTRUMENT
1.7
METHOD OF DATA
COLLECTION
1.8
METHOD OF DATA
ANALYSIS
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 PRESENTATION
AND ANALYSES OF DATA
4.1 DATA
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSES
4.2 TEST OF HYPOTHESES
4.3 DISCUSSION ON
FINDINGS
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR FURTHER STUDY
5.1 SUMMARY
5.2 CONCLUSION
5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.10
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
On personal
observation the researcher discovered, after hours of touring the premises of
IMT and ESCET respectively, countless notices of room vacancies at IMT, a few
HIV/AIDS and cultism campaign billboards in both institutions and only ONE
inconspicuously painted sign at ESCET which read, “stop examination malpractices
…study hard”. This goes to show how only little energy has been channeled
towards curbing the vice, under study, present in both institutions of
learning.
Examination
malpractices in Nigeria have attained a frightening proportion. It is sophisticated
and institutionalized. Unfortunately, it involves youth between the ages of
18-23 years. Efforts by government administrations and various stakeholders in
the educational sector to avert the ugly trend have not yielded fruit.
According to Eromosele (2001),
…from
the present trend, examination malpractices will utterly destroy the quality of
education in Nigeria if decisive steps are not taken to avert or checkmate the
trend.
Ruwa (1997) traced
back examination malpractices to 1914. Its situation is so embarrassing to the
nation that the federal military government in 1984 promulgated Decree 20 to
deal with it. However, this decree was revised by the Examination Malpractices
Act 33 of 1999. Other measures adopted too were the War Against Indiscipline
and Corruption (WAIC) of the Buhari/Idiagbon regime and MAMSER of Babangida
regime. Despite these steps, the evil continues to eat deep into the system.
Whereas in the
past students tend to hide examination malpractice acts, now they advertise
them without any fear or shame. Recently, several studies suggest that students
are turning towards more private values, primarily towards self-fulfillment in
a career. The strong shift towards ethical and liberal political values appears
to have slowed. As a result, the trends towards increased social liberalism,
cultism, de-emphasis on automatic acceptance of authority, and examination
malpractices have continued to rise.
One of the
objectives of education in Nigeria is to prepare the young ones to face future
challenges and develop them to meet the nation’s manpower requirements. Schools
need to conduct examinations as a yardstick for assessment. In the recent past,
there has been a renewed effort to wage war
against corruption at international, regional and national dimensions.
Yet the following questions are unanswered: why have youths decided to join the
corruption train? What are the strategies that have been used to fight this
particular corruption? Why are these strategies not winning the war? What are
the options for winning the war? As it is, the war could be lost forever since
universally accepted and time tested strategies are not effectively or
efficiently utilized.
The intent of this
study is to extend earlier efforts by examining the effect of a public service
information campaign (also called Public Service Advertising-PSA) at IMT
(Polytechnic) and ESCET (College of Education) on examination malpractice
prevention. The researcher hopes to contribute to the continuing elucidation of
PSAs on students. She is motivated by some of the same questions and concerns
that scholars have pondered on for decades. Thus, interest in all levels of
education has been focused on its impact on student values and its role in the
creation of socially and politically concerned individuals. Much research has
concentrated on changes in attitude and personality as a result of the
educational experience.
Advertising is
essentially persuasive communication. Thus, the goals set for advertising are
communication tasks: to reach a defined audience, to a given extent, and during
a given time period. The public move from unawareness of a policy to awareness
and then to knowledge, liking, preference, conviction and then action. Public
service information campaigns are non partisan and noncommercial. They promote
causes, influence behavior and advertise locally and nationally social
betterment. According to Igbuzor (2005), there are six questions that should
test the seriousness of any anti-corruption crusade. These are: Is it
systematic? Is it comprehensive? Is it consistent? Does it have focus? Is it
well-publicized? Does it carry people along?
Students are
generally known with consistent mobility; on foot, by public transportation or
personal vehicles. Thus, outdoor advertising is an effective way of reaching
them. It offers the lowest cost per exposure of any major advertising medium,
and it produces a major impact, because it is usually big, colourful, brief in
content and hard to ignore. It primarily serves as a reminder medium. It comes
in posters (billboards), painted bulletins, signs, handbills or even transit
and shelter advertising.
Youths
are one of the nation’s greatest assets. The Nigerian youth grapples with the
problem of corruption ranging from examination malpractices to fraud. It is
incontrovertible that examination malpractice thrives in a corrupt society
which indicates that it is in the psyche of the people. Theories have maintained
that human morality springs from the emotional disposition that is hardwired in
our species. Therefore corruption can only be tackled there.
Through
an effective conscience appeal, this study hopes to provide the answers to most
of the enquiries contained in this segment of the study and the reason more
attention should be concentrated on adopting outdoor PSA measures as a new
strategy towards preventing examination malpractices.
1.11
STATEMENT
OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
a. The
time of PSA placement may not correspond with ESCET’s academic schedule.
b. The
wrong outdoor medium or a poor presentation of the chosen medium is used.
c. The
location of the medium used is out of place considering students’ mobility.
d. More
attention is paid to the campaign against other societal ills.
e. Difficulty
in achieving intended attitudinal results towards examination malpractice
prevention.
These
are the problems which motivated the researcher towards embarking on this
study.
1.12
OBJECTIVES
OF THE STUDY
a. To
ensure that more attention and interest is drawn towards the use of outdoor
PSAs.
b. To
create a strong conviction in ESCET and IMT’s students towards shunning all
forms of examination malpractices.
c. To
determine suitable placement locations for the medium considering students’
mobility.
d. To
ensure that PSA placement timing synchronizes with that of the institutions’
academic calendar.
All these determine the
high degree of effectiveness the campaign could achieve.
1.13
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
In times past
decrees have been promulgated, NGOs established, management policies adopted,
even stiff fines have been stipulated, yet the scourge thrives.
Consequently, this
study offers an easier way of achieving a gradual positive transition in the
lives of the youth as can be observed through the following beneficiaries:
a. The
management of tertiary institutions, which includes invigilators, examination
coordinators, course lecturers etc, is placed in a better position to produce a
greater number of credible graduates.
b. Governmental
or non- governmental agencies responsible for tackling corruption – related
issues are given a greater opportunity at ridding the society off this vice.
c. It
could serve as a forum for academic discuss, equally acting as a reminder, for
the benefit of concerned and interested individuals in the society.
d. Parents
and guardians are assured a greater sense of pride and confidence in the
capabilities and achievements of their wards.
e. Finally,
all the above would be assured a more secure future for the country especially
if the youth, the root cause, take into consideration past mistakes and try to
make good the present in good faith.
1.14
RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
a. To
what extent is PSA placement timing corresponding with IMT and ESCET’s
examination schedule?
b. To
what extent are positive behavioural results attainable?
c. To
what extent can suitable placement locations be determined considering
students’ mobility?
d. To
what extent is interest geared towards the campaign’s medium?
e. To
what extent is increased interest in the campaign to contribute to its
effectiveness?
1.15
RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
a. H0:
PSA placement timing does not correspond with ESCET and IMT’s schedule
H1:
PSA placement timing corresponds with ESCET and IMT’s schedule
b. H0:
positive behavioural results are not attainable
H2: positive behavioural results are attainable
c. H0:
suitable placement locations cannot be determined considering students’
mobility.
H3:
suitable placement locations can be determined considering students’ mobility.
d. H0:
interest cannot be geared towards the campaign’s medium.
H4:
interest can be geared towards the campaign’s medium.
e. H0:
increased interest cannot contribute to the campaign’s effectiveness.
H5:
increased interest can contribute to the campaign’s effectiveness.
1.16
CONCEPTUAL
AND OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
The
researcher used some terms that connote different meanings to different
situations. The terms are hereunder defined to differentiate their conceptual
and operational meanings:
EFFECT
Conceptual:
being in force or operation often from a particular point in time
PUBLIC SERVICE
ADVERTISEMENTS (PSAs)
Conceptual:
advertisements intended to promote an idea in order to influence behavior
EXAMINATION MALPRACTICE
Operational:
all forms of cheating in a test of knowledge which directly or indirectly
falsifies the ability of the student.
PREVENTION
Operational:
establishing measures to avoid a situation that could occur
INSTITUTIONALIZED
Conceptual:
dependent
on routine of an institution because of having spent a long time there
Operational:
established as normal because of having existed for so long
INCONSPICUOUS
Operational:
not brightly coloured or easily noticed
AVERT
Conceptual:
look away
Operational:
synonym
for prevent
TREND
Conceptual:
a current fashion or mode
Operational:
situation of events
CHECKMATE:
Conceptual:
winning chess position
Operational:
control a situation
PROMULGATED
Operational:
military jargon for enactment of law
REVISE
Conceptual:
study or go through
Operational:
amend or modify a law
GUSTO
Conceptual:
lively enthusiasm
WAGE
Conceptual:
payment for work
Operational:
engage in a societal war to achieve an end
TRAIN
Conceptual:
linked railroad cars
Operational:
sequence of events
WAR
Conceptual:
armed fighting between groups
Operational:
serious effort to end a societal ill
ELUCIDATION
Conceptual:
clarification/ explanation
TASK
Conceptual:
work which poses as a burden
Operational:
operations or activities
MOBILITY
Conceptual:
change to another social group
Operational:
ability to move from one place to another in carrying out activities
BRIEF
Conceptual:
curt or abrupt in conversation
Operational:
inadequate information
INCONTROVERTIBLE
Conceptual:
undeniable or certain
CAUSE
Conceptual:
what makes something happen
Operational:
an idea that people work towards achieving
GRAPPLE
Conceptual:
hold something with a hooked device
Operational:
struggle to deal with a particular situation
HARDWIRED
conceptual: directly wired into a
computer
Operational:
imbibed
PSYCHE
Conceptual:
human spirit or soul
PLACEMENT
Conceptual:
arranging for appropriate class or course
Operational:
act of positioning an advertisement at a particular location
GEARED
Conceptual:
adopt something so that it fits in with something else
Operational:
channeled or directed
DYNAMIC
Conceptual:
vigorous and purposeful
Operational:
active and changing
1.17
ASSUMPTIONS OF THE STUDY
In terms of
research, and as a result of the world’s dynamic nature, this area of study
cannot be said to be sufficiently explored. Now, the researcher concentrates on
the aspect of how examination malpractice can be campaigned against through the
effect caused by the use of outdoor PSAs (especially billboards) in IMT and
ESCET students. Future researches could be conducted on the advancement of the
then existing outdoor PSAs.
The world’s
technology sector is advancing in leaps and bounds. As a result, existing PSAs
today could tomorrow become modified in terms of its electronic and portable
qualities. This trend could in turn synchronize with the increased and modified
techniques of examination malpractice that could exist then. This is a real possibility.
Even if this study may have succeeded in leaving a positive impression in the
minds of the present day IMT and ESCET students, future unrepentant youths
faced with more rigid anti-examination malpractice measures may be forced to
invent new ways to “survive” academically. Metaphorically put, adapting to a
“na-condition-wey –make –crayfish-bend” situation.
Consequently,
these researchers should keep up with the ever changing trends by studying
other Nigerian higher institutions of learning and comparing them with IMT and
ESCET in terms of how well the examination malpractice scourge is
monitored and what measures are adopted
to prevent, manage or eradicate it from the school system.
1.18
LIMITATIONS
OF THE STUDY
In order to adapt
to the nature of the environments under study, the researcher was faced with the
challenge of having to rephrase the research topic several times. Another
obstacle was encountered in terms of mobility necessitated in order to source
for vital materials needed. This was made even more difficult by critical
financial and physical constraints. Another problem is that of obtaining
permission from the researcher’s school authorities, under whose jurisdiction
the researcher was placed, to source for these materials beyond the school
walls. Also, the loss of 2 out of the
100 questionnaire administered to respondents resulted in over taxing the
researcher who was compelled to repeatedly check all calculations to ensure
that optimal objectivity, in relation to
results derived, is achieved.
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