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

Abstract

-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.‎