Academic Misconduct Practices among Preservice Teachers as Future Model Educators: A Quantitative Study from a Pakistani Perspective

Abstract

This research investigates the frequency and key factors contributing to academic misconduct among preservice teachers, with a particular focus on its implications for future teaching practice focused on the Pakistani educational setup. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the study examines how attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control influence preservice teachers’ intentions and behaviors related to plagiarism and academic cheating. A structured questionnaire, validated for reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.976), was administered to 120 participants from various disciplines and academic levels at a private university in Lahore. Quantitative analysis using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) revealed that attitudes toward dishonesty and perceived behavioral control are strong predictors of intentions to engage in unethical academic behaviors. The theoretical contribution of this study lies in extending TPB's application to the domain of academic misconduct in teacher education by empirically validating its explanatory power in a developing-country context. While most TPB-based studies on academic integrity have been conducted in Western or developed educational systems, this research provides contextual evidence from Pakistan, where cultural norms, systemic constraints, and institutional practices may shape ethical decision-making in distinct ways. The novelty of the study emerges from its focus on preservice teachers as future role models, highlighting how early academic behaviors may translate into professional ethics in educational practice. The findings offer important insights for strengthening academic integrity policies and curriculum reforms in teacher education programs, particularly in developing countries where empirical evidence on academic misconduct remains limited.