Cultural Perceptions of Academic Honesty in the United Arab Emirates

This Dissertation in Practice (DIP) explored cultural perceptions related to academic honesty in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The purpose of this case study was to better understand the psychological, moral, and ethical underpinnings of academic honesty as they relate to an all-male, Arab high school in the UAE. The study utilized a case study to understand cultural perspectives related to the topic of academic honesty and to address cultural interpretations, denotations, and connotations related to the topic. By examining themes related to pressure due to high-stakes testing, cultural and societal expectations, academically dishonest behaviors and related personality traits, it was determined that students, teachers, and school leaders, are generally overwhelmed on all sides by unrealistic achievement expectations. Furthermore, cultural expectations help to create an atmosphere of academic dishonesty and collusion. Academic honesty in the UAE requires culturally-appropriate solutions to clarify the denotations of academic honesty and improve the quality of education in the country. The proposed solution of a culturally appropriate academic honesty policy and student handbook which utilizes preventative measures like honor codes, properly educates stakeholders on the negative aspects of high stakes testing, uses cultural dynamics to better interpret academic honesty, and offers alternatives such as mastery-based learning, is proposed to decrease instances of academic dishonesty. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]