Academic cheating online during COVID-19 (studying a foreign language as a case study)

The online academic cheating (OAC) is widely discussed in academic circles of different countries. The present study was conducted after the second COVID-19 wave and therefore reflects the process of mass transition to online learning, which contributes to the originality of the research. The specificity of methodological approach is comparing the opinions of teachers and students, a total of 488 respondents answering online questionnaires. According to the data obtained, from 70 to 80 % of students resort to OAC. As a rule, students tend to use lecture and lesson materials for copying and peeking, contrary to the teachers’ perception of the use of electronic media. On detecting the deception, 57 % of teachers just admonish students, 39% deduct marks. One third of students believe that teachers tend to overlook fraud. Students report resorting to deception because of lack of confidence in their knowledge. Teachers believe that the reason lies in insufficient preparation for classes. From 50 to 70 % of respondents think that such forms of assessment as a spontaneous answer, free-source research and project work reduce cheating. According to students, individual creative tasks can be added to this list. The most important factor reducing cheating is intrinsic motivation (50-60% of students and teachers). Among the measures proposed by students to combat academic fraud, didactic methods are given the highest priority as well as students’ initiatives like the movement in social networks #iliketobehonest, whose icon is shown on a student’s screen in an online activity reflecting a conscious decision made by the student.