Vol. 1 No. 02 (2022): Educators’ Academic Integrity: The Case of Three Selected Universities in the Southern Region of Ethiopia

Abstract
The main objective of this study is to investigate the status and features of academic
integrity among educators of universities in southern Ethiopia. The study designed
to achieve the objectives used quantitative approach where cross-sectional survey
design was implemented.Three hundred fifty five respondents were selected for the
study using multistage sampling method. The data were gathered using an academic
integrity scale measuring honesty, trust, respect, fairness, and responsibility. The
data gathered were organized and analyzed using SPSS – version – 24. Descriptive
and inferential statistical techniques were used to analyze the data. The finding
of the study revealed that significant number of the respondents (35.5%) was
moderate in their academic integrity; the academic integrity of 24.8 percent of
the respondents was low; 22.1 percent of them were poor in their academic integrity;
16.1 percent of them demonstrated high academic integrity while the percent of
the respondents who demonstrated very high academic integrity was 1.5 percent of
the total participants. Moreover, multiple linear regression analysis revealed that
all honesty, trust, respect, fairness and responsibility determine academic integrity
equally. As educators’ academic integrity contributes for educational quality in
higher institutions,universities should design and implement a program to change
educators’ academic integrity mindset, and find out and address factors that can it.