The Influence of Students’ Vicarious Learning Component of Self-Efficacy On Examination Malpractices Among Students in Universities in Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

Abstract The university examination malpractice in Kenya have been rising since the first university started in 1970. One of the main factor is students’ vicarious learning component of self-efficacy on examination malpractices. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible influence of students’ self-efficacy on examination malpractices among undergraduate students in Universities within Kiambu County. The study was guided by three theories namely; social cognitive learning (SCLT) theory, the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and the theory of Neutralization. The study employed mixed methods approach. The research designs used were survey and ex post facto. The target population was all the 183,760 undergraduates’ students, lecturers and University administrators from Universities within the County of Kiambu. A total of15 lectures and 45 students were selected from one private university and one public university for the purpose of piloting. The data collected from the pilot exercise, was used to compute Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient which was found to be r = 0.856, hence the instruments were reliable. The quantitative data obtained was analyzed using SPSS version 25, and was presented in descriptive statistics inform of frequencies and percentages. Inferential statistics in form of linear regression was used to test the relationship between independent and dependent variables in each objective. Linear Regression Results were presented in model summary tables, ANOVA tables and coefficient tables.