The Perceived Role of a University Teacher Regarding Academic Morality and Preventing Cheating from Students’ Points of View

Background: One of the problems that universities are facing and endangers academic morality, is academic cheating. Among the decisive factors of cheating, university teachers have a critical role. The present study aimed at assessing the perceived role of university teachers regarding academic morality and decreasing cheating from students’ points of views in Birjand University. Method: The current study was a qualitative research. Population of study includes all students of Birjand University. 24 students in the three domains of Humanities and Behavioral Science, Basic Science and Agriculture, and Engineering; were selected through in access sampling. Then, the data obtained applying semi-structured interview, were analyzed on the basis of grounded theory. Results: The roles of a university teacher in preventing cheating were identified, and, then categorized as 10 axial category of “teacher’s evaluation”, “a teacher’s teaching skills” , “a teacher’s relationship with students”, “a teacher’s morality and manner”, “a teacher’s class control and management”, “a teacher’s commitment and working consciousness”, “a teacher’s expectations from students”, “a teacher’s scientific knowledge”, “a teacher’s personal characteristics”, and “a teacher’s type of assignments”. The category of “students’ perception of a teacher’s manner” was taken as the core category, besides; a model regarding the role of a teacher in preventing educational cheating and its outcomes was designed and presented. Conclusion: Results showed in case of university teachers’ do their job properly in teaching process and interactions with their students, these teachers can help reduce educational cheating on the part of their students.