International Journal of Pedagogy, Policy and ICT in Education

Decoding the Mystifying Labyrinth of Contract Cheating in Graduate Thesis Writing: Exploring the Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivational Factors

Reuben Agbelengor Glover, Cyril Senyo Kpodo, Selasi Awusi Sosu — Sat, 24 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This reflexive narrative draws on the authors' experiences in teaching and supervising postgraduates' thesis writing. Using an auto-ethnographic qualitative narrative research approach, theories of planned behaviour and social learning, and in-depth interviews and conversations with students, the study explores the motivations behind students’ cheating behaviours in thesis writing, focusing on contract cheating. The study demonstrates that intrinsic and extrinsic motivators are key predictors of students’ contract cheating behaviours. It also discussed adherence to academic integrity policy, interventions, technologies, educational tools, and andragogical approaches to curb contract cheating. It provides a contextual understanding of the issue within Ghana's tertiary education system, which has been under-researched. Findings reveal that some graduates are ill-equipped to cope with the pressures of postgraduate studies, making them inclined to unethicality in their thesis work to secure undeserved credits. The study advocates for a developmental rather than a punitive approach in addressing contract cheating. It concludes that a combination of institutional policies, a deeper understanding of students' motivations to cheat, designing appropriate andragogical approaches and responsive evidence-based interventions to “combat" contract cheating.

The Role of Multilingualism on Students’ Ingenuity and Academic Success in Higher Educational Institutions

Albert Chenwi Teh, Enongene Sone, Issah Mohammed — Sat, 24 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The paper examines the role of multilingualism on students’ ingenuity and academic success in one South African Higher Educational Institution. The study is situated within the interpretivism paradigm, using the qualitative research approach and case study design. The population comprised all the Twenty-Seven Thousand Five Hundred (27,500) students at the selected Higher Education Institution. Thirty (30) students were conveniently selected from the Institution. An open-ended interview schedule was developed to conduct face-to-face in-depth individual interviews. Each interview lasted for 45 minutes. Before field data collection, permission to conduct the study was sought from the various stakeholders of the selected university. The inductive thematic analytical method was used to analyze the data collected. Findings were that the use of a multilingualism system as a kind of medium of instruction in Higher Education Institutions impacts students' critical thinking skills development, the development of communicative competency, the development of innovative ideas for education, the enhancement of student's academic successes and the creation of interest and respect for African languages. Recommendations made included Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) implementing and fostering a multilingual environment that values and incorporates diverse linguistic backgrounds that contribute to a more inclusive learning space, allowing students to use their mother tongue alongside English, Government Education Agencies, University Administration and Management should play a crucial role in designing and implementing language inclusivity policies that promote multilingualism, Higher Educational Institutions should take the lead in implementing and promoting multilingualism within their curricula and teaching methodologies.

Interview with Dannabang Kuwabong (DK) by Naah Yemeh (NY)

Naah Yemeh — Sat, 24 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This interview was recorded at the University of Ghana, Legon, Accra. It was transcribed on Monday 1^st September 1986 at Prestea, a mining town in the Western Region of Ghana. I had gone there to spend the holidays with my brother who was a miner. It was edited and revised 34 years later on 15^th September 2020.

Interview with Kobina Eyi Acquah (KEA) by Naah Yemeh (NY)

Naah Yemeh — Sat, 24 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Kobena Eyi Acquah was born in Winneba in Ghana's Central Region. He studied at the University of Ghana, Legon, and studied law at the Ghana Law School.

He has served on the Ghana Book Development Council and the Ghana Copyright Board, and in 1993 was president of the Ghana Association of Writers.

His publications include: The man who died: Poems: 1974-1979, which won the British Airways Commonwealth Prize for poetry in 1985; Music for a Dream Dance (1989); Rivers Must Flow and No Time for a Masterpiece (1995) and A Wreath of Tears.

He emphasized the importance of the public poetic performance of poetry with a drama group known as The Living Echoes, he directed several dramatic performances of his poetry, including selections from The Man Who Died. Another example is that on 27 January 1988, the group performed Birth and Rebirth at the W. E. B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan African Culture.