The Legality and Ethicality of the Academic Integrity of Student Assignments

Background 

The present higher education environment is a bit unique due to the enhanced digitization and technological advancements that have affected the mode of operations and interactions among the human elements in this space. The dynamic and ever-changing higher education environment has been marred by a raft of issues, some of which raise pertinent questions on the academic integrity of courses and programs offered. The legality and ethicality of the issues affecting higher learning institutions have sparked a public debate on various platforms (Medway et al., 2018). Contract cheatings in the United Kingdom institutions of higher learning through essay mill companies has been that has sparked a heated debate on various forums. The debate has been centered on the legality and ethicality of the academic integrity of student assignments. 

The Legal Action Being Taken 

Cases of academic integrity, like cheating and paid for assignments, are pertinent issues that have raised ethical concerns in higher education. Students paying for assignments to be done on their behalf have raised serious ethical concerns and academic and professional competence that higher institutions contribute to the job market. The lack of proper regulations and controls on the authenticity of the assignments handed in by students in these institutions to get their diploma, degrees, and doctorates has created major loopholes and academic integrity inconsistencies. However, there has been a great awakening on academic integrity where higher learning institutions have established policies and standards that criminalize paid for assignments. Shutting down some of the online essay mill companies and instituting legal action for those found to have plagiarized content are some of the measures undertaken to seek redress. 

Plagiarism is a critical legal and ethical issue that has been witnessed in institutions of higher education. By itself, plagiarism is a legal issue that evokes legal redress besides being a high voltage ethical issue in the academic space. The paid-for assignments have not been short some extent of plagiarism from various documented works. The higher institutions have identified this as an issue where students are discontinued from their studies (Medway et al., 2018). Legal actions may also be prescribed to students who have been found to plagiarize other scholars' works without following the duly laid out procedures. The development of plagiarism detection software and their demand by students in higher learning institutions is a testament that something is a mess regarding the credibility and truthfulness of the term papers and assignments handed in by the students. 

Parties Involved in the Case (petitioner/respondent) 

The major parties involved in the case are the essay mill companies and higher learning institutions in the United Kingdom. The digital era that was living has reduced face-to-face human interactions in the classroom environment where online classes have gained more popularity and preference than traditional methods. A section of subject matter experts in curriculum development and educational policy formulation has communicated their reservations about the online classes' learning mode and evaluation (Medway et al., 2018). The reduced or lack of physical interaction witnessed in online classes between the lecturer or instructor with the student has been perceived as one contributing factor to scholars' poor learning outcomes and experiences (McGuinness & Fulton, 2019). Such has contributed to higher learnings producing half-baked professionals that do not meet the fiercely competitive job market requirements. The online classes have been hit by the consequence of effectively giving instructions through online platforms and room for seeking clarification and students expressing their feelings and concerns the hardest that higher learning institutions have continued to offer. Student and teacher convenience has been given more prominence in online classes at the expense of the quality of higher education offered. 

The Legal Issue in Question 

Higher education's commercialization is a contentious issue that raises concerns in the learning impact and outcomes achieved in the long-run. The commercialization of higher education has been a current and emerging in the academic space. It has been symptomized by the paradigm shift to a capitalist regime in institutions of higher learning. The academic institutions have been characterized by the revolutionized market behavior, where making a profit becomes more important than the quality of education and learning experience impacted on the students. In turn, this has contributed to cheating, and dishonest academic behavior by the students since the management or administration of the educational facilities are more inclined to make profits and maximize on their expansion ideas. The capitalist higher education environment has contributed to an increased number of graduates in the job market who cannot match the industrial expectations, hence increasing unemployment frustrations (McGuinness & Fulton, 2019). Such led to the erosion of the culture that existed before where higher learning institutions were considered centers of excellence due to the brilliant minds churned to the various industrial sectors. In the context of problem-solving abilities and skills, the students' creativity and innovation have been negatively by the online essay mill companies have significantly reduced students' capabilities in higher learning institutions. There needs to be a complete turnaround in the higher education space where quality and the different job market expectations are matched with the skills that are imparted to the students. 

Legal Implications 

The completion rates for students in institutions of higher learning are issues that have ethical connotations. It has other overriding or contributing factors that lead to reduced completion rates among the students. Racial and socio-disparities may be to blame for the students' low completion rates in higher learning institutions. Research from the education department in American colleges points out that only eleven percent of students from low-income backgrounds earn their degrees in six years. This is in stark contrast to fifty-eight percent of students from higher socio-economic income backgrounds (Medway et al., 2018). The students from low-income backgrounds are discriminated against in providing student funding and loans to help them finish their studies and graduate within the stipulated timelines. Such creates an unlevelled ground for students based on their socio-economic and racial background, and this unethical and needs to be addressed for parity to be restored. Racial balkanization in the institutions creates a precursor to future animosity and strained relations among the students in other spheres of life. 

Discussion Questions 

The two important questions or issues that have crossed my thoughts are what needs to be done comprehensively to deal with academic cheating, dishonesty, and plagiarism. The other concern that boggles my mind is what can be done to curb and identify students' assignments done by the essay mill companies. There is a need for improved surveillance and regulation on some internet-based companies that help students with the assignments. This is unethical and morally unaccepted and has criminality connotations. 

Reference 

McGuinness, C., & Fulton, C. (2019). Digital literacy in higher education: A case study of student engagement with e-tutorials using blended learning.  Journal of Information Technology Education: Innovations in Practice ,  18 , 001-028. http://doi.org/10.28945/4190 

Medway, D., Roper, S., & Gillooly, L. (2018). Contract cheating in UK higher education: A covert investigation of essay mills.  British Educational Research Journal ,  44 (3), 393-418. https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/berj.3335