ACADEMIC INTEGRITY ON M-READER: THE CASE OF FOUNDATION PROGRAM STUDENTS AT SULTAN QABOOS UNIVERSITY

Abstract

M-reader is an online extensive reading tool that motivates learners to read extensively and autonomously. Through its online quizzes, M-reader tests students' comprehension of graded readers and provides evidence that they have read and understood their reading. Today, M-reader is used by several academic institutions around the world to facilitate their extensive reading programs. However, concerns have been raised about academic integrity in connection with M-reader. For instance, one of the foremost challenges of administering M-reader is students taking quizzes on behalf of others. 229 first-year university students enrolled in Sultan Qaboos University's Foundation Program (FP) in Oman participated in the current study. The purpose of this paper was to investigate the effectiveness of the measures implemented to reduce cheating on M-reader, as well as to discover what students perceive as academic integrity on M-reader. To gauge the efficacy of M-reader in maintaining academic integrity, participants completed an online questionnaire and samples of the various measures were collected and analyzed. The findings of the study revealed that the measures taken to mitigate academic integrity on M-reader were ineffective. The findings also indicated that M-reader appeared ineffective in maintaining academic integrity among students. Additionally, the study identified how students perceive the measures taken to mitigate cheating. Moreover, the study suggests ways to improve the effectiveness of M-reader in terms of academic integrity.