Abstract
Universities set standards to guide the students’ learning process. These standards include class attendance, a code of ethics, time management, and class participation. Students must comply with the standards to maintain order and perform better. This paper conducted a qualitative study online on 20 participants to explore the impact of low compliance on students’ performance. Low compliance was characterised by poor time management, low-class participation, poor class attendance, lack of ethics, and poor writing skills. From the data, it was found that low compliance affects students’ understanding and knowledge, which is crucial in determining performance. Also, low compliance can cause stress to students when they need help understanding instructions to do their assignments or assessments.
Keywords: Low compliance, Performance, Standards, Learning, Qualitative study, Students.
The Impact of Low Compliance with University Standards and Expectations on Student Performance
The university environment is crucial to students’ personal and professional growth and academic development. During their time in the university, students are expected to comply with the regulations and standards for maximum benefit in their learning and maintain some order. Students must comply with various regulations and standards based on their course and university. Some standards emphasise social issues like how one behaves within the university, and others deal with academic issues like plagiarism, class attendance, and exam cheating. These standards restrict certain practices, intentions, and behaviours that could be destructive to learning. Students are expected to comply with these standards since they are hypothesised to contribute to their personal and academic growth and development. This dissertation analyses the consequences of low compliance with university norms and expectations on student performance and the contributing variables based on the United Kingdom (UK) population. By a questionnaire-based qualitative analysis, this research aims to shed light on how non-compliance with university norms and expectations might impede academic achievement and give suggestions for enhancing student performance.
Compliance
According to Mcgregory (2006), compliance is conformance to the standards or regulations set by an institution or a country. In the university, compliance is compulsory both in social and academic activities. Fimpong and Asprion (2015) stated that academic institutions aim to inspire students to comply with policies and standards that cultivate professionalism. Compliance is universal and used to solve conflicts, avoid risks, develop culture, and breed accountability. Failure to comply with the standard might be fatal in some professions like medicine and engineering. Compliance is treated with seriousness in the university setting as it enhances impacting education. According to Overton and Sullivan (2008) and Kelly et al. (2010), non-compliance can lead to ineffective teaching and experience of hard leading time. In the UK, students in higher learning institutions’ non-compliance with the standards are penalised by temporary suspension or expulsion depending on the issues involved. International students’ compliance is closely monitored, and any sign of non-compliance is weighted differently and can lead to the cancellation of the student visa and deportation (LSHTM, n.d.). Thus, they must do their best to comply with the standard to continue learning.
The low compliance with the university standards may be in different forms. Incomplete assignments, poor attendants, lack of class participation, and exam cheating are examples of low compliance with university standards. Lack of compliance can harm the student through postponed graduation, course termination, poor grades, and loss of reputation to potential employers. This is justified by Wilder et al. study (2010), which stated that low compliance affects student learning. Thus, students must be motivated to comply with the university guidelines and standards to succeed. Various theories explain the relationship between compliance with the standards and students’ academic achievement. They include self-determination, social learning, attribution, goal setting, and expectancy-value theories.
Self-Determination
Self-Determination Theory (SDT) is a theory of personality and motivation that strongly emphasises the value of individual autonomy, competence, and relatedness for motivation and personal development (Ryan & Deci, 2000). Autonomy, competence, and relatedness are the three fundamental psychological demands that people have, and they must be met for good functioning (Ryan & Deci, 2017). Autonomy is the urge to feel in control of one’s life and activities. Competence is the demand for effectiveness in one’s acts, development, and mastery (Ryan & Deci, 2017). The term “relatedness” describes the desire to feel a feeling of community and support from others.
According to SDT, people are more likely to feel intrinsic motivation, well-being, and personal progress when these fundamental psychological requirements are met (Ryan & Deci, 2000). People can experience demotivated, less involvement, and worse mental health outcomes when these demands are not satisfied (Ryan & Deci, 2017). SDT has been used in various settings, including sports, healthcare, and education. According to SDT, educators may encourage student relatedness by fostering a supportive and accepting learning environment, build student competence by establishing difficult but attainable objectives, and promote student autonomy by giving students chances for choice and decision-making (Ryan & Deci, 2017).
Social Learning Theory
Social learning theory is a great foundation for comprehending how college students might improve their performance. The theory was proposed by Albert Bandura, emphasising the importance of observing, imitating, and modelling others’ attitudes, behaviour, and emotions (Mcleod, 2023). According to this concept, individuals learn by seeing the behaviour of others and the resulting consequences. According to Rumjaun and Narod (2020), social learning theory enhances learning in educational institutions through cognitive, and behaviourism approaches. This implies that students may enhance their academic performance by learning from their classmates, lecturers, and the institution. If the students observed their friends observe the standards and regulations of the university, they are likely to follow the same example. In the field of health, social learning theory has been used to explain how people acquire healthy habits by observing the actions of others and to create treatments that encourage healthy behaviours via social support and positive reinforcement (Bandura, 2004).
Attribution Theory
Attribution theory describes how people form causal inferences about events or acts and how these inferences affect their emotions, attitudes, and behaviours (Weiner, 1985). Individuals assign causation to events or actions depending on three aspects, notably locus of control (internal vs external), stability (stable versus unstable), and controllability (controllable versus uncontrolled) (Weiner, 1985). In learning, attribution theory implies that students’ views on the causes of their academic achievements and failures may significantly affect their motivation, accomplishment, and well-being (Dweck & Leggett, 1988). Students who attribute their academic achievement to internal and controllable variables, such as work or talent, are more likely to have a growth mindset and persevere in adversity. In contrast, students who attribute their academic success to external or uncontrolled elements, such as luck or ease of the task, are more likely to have a fixed mentality and to give up quickly (Dweck & Leggett, 1988). Similarly, students who link their academic failure to internal and controllable reasons are more likely to feel negative emotions and lower self-esteem. In contrast, students who attribute their academic loss to external or uncontrollable circumstances are more likely to be more optimistic and resilient (Dweck & Leggett, 1988).
Goal Setting Theory
Goal setting theory illustrates the importance of setting specific goals to motivate them to perform well. Setting goals allows one to understand a situation and direction, increased effort, and better performance toward their goals (Juneja, n.d.). Student set their self-regulated behaviour and monitor and evaluate their performance progress (Zimmerman, 2002). Students can formulate their goals which are important to the operations based on the university standard, enhancing their compliance with the standard of their institutions. Students are self-motivated based on the conformance of their goals with the university standard. For instance, universities that allow students to set their goals and benchmark them on the preset standard will motivate them to achieve better performance and conformance.
Significance of this Study
This study explores the relationship between student performance and conformance to institutional standards. It is perceived that students with low compliance with the university standards will have poor performance and vice versa. There needs to be more research conducted to illustrate the relationship. Learning the relationship between student performance and standards conformance is significant in developing learning strategies in education institutions. With the development in technology, the learning curriculum is changing towards individualised online classes. Thus, this study will be a significant addition to the field of education for making reforms for better learning.
Background Research
University standards and requirement ranges from class attendance to exam discipline. Students are supposed to attend most classes, behave well during classes, participate in class discussions, do homework, and do their exams honestly. These standards are common to all learning institutions. According to Shaw (2022), class attendance in modern institutions is becoming optional. Students can miss classes and attend only when it matters to them. Modern students prefer self-passed learning (Shaw, 2022). Attendance only becomes an issue when a student misses an exam, quiz test, or group discussion. Some universities mandate that the instructors impose an attendance policy, and a violation can be treated as an indiscipline case or can hurt the student’s grade.
The Significance of Maintaining Conformity to the Requirements
A student’s success in higher education must comply with the university’s norms and expectations. Students who comply with academic requirements, such as attendance policies, submission deadlines, and academic integrity policies, have a greater chance of achieving higher grades and continuing their education until graduation. This finding has been supported by research on some occasions (Larson & Park, 2019; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). Students who comply with university policy make up a significant portion of the total student body at the institution. On the other hand, a lack of compliance with the rules and expectations of the university has been linked to unfavourable academic results like poorer grades, course withdrawals, and academic probation (Credé, Roch, & Kieszczynka, 2010). Most educational institutions have their own regulations and standards, and all students, regardless of their socioeconomic standing, are expected to abide by them.
Factors Affecting Compliance
Compliance with university standards and expectations is influenced by several factors, including the following: Student motivation, capacity for self-regulation, and the degree to which one perceives social norms all play a role in one’s ability to comply with the standards and expectations of one’s academic institution. For instance, studies have indicated that students who have a growth mindset, are genuinely motivated to study, and who engage in self-regulated learning activities are more likely to comply with academic standards (Duckworth, Peterson, Matthews, & Kelly, 2007; Dweck, 2012; Zimmerman, 2002). In addition, according to McCabe and Trevio (1993), students’ perceptions of social norms, such as their opinions about the prevalence and acceptability of academic misconduct, might also affect the degree to which they comply with laws governing academic integrity.
Compliance and Academic Integrity
The low compliance rates have effects on the honesty of academic work. A lack of conformity with the standards and expectations of the institution can have a detrimental effect on academic integrity, which is critical for maintaining the credibility and legitimacy of higher education. Infractions of academic integrity, including plagiarism, cheating, and data fabrication, undermine the quality and reliability of academic work and compromise the integrity of the academic institution (Bretag et al., 2018). In addition, violations of academic integrity can have substantial repercussions for students, including the possibility of academic sanctions, disciplinary action, and damage to the student’s academic and professional reputation.
Institution’s Role in Students’ Compliance with the Standards
The part that institutional elements play in ensuring compliance, specifically: It is not primarily the responsibility of students to ensure compliance with the university’s standards and requirements. There is also the potential for institutional variables such as policies, procedures, and support services to play a significant part in the fight against academic misconduct and in promoting compliance. Universities ensure their students comply with the standards to improve their credibility by graduating only competent students. For instance, studies have shown that enforcing clear and consistent academic standards, such as those prohibiting plagiarism, can raise students’ understanding of the expectations placed on academic integrity and reduce academic misconduct (Bretag et al., 2011). In addition, support services like academic advising and writing centres can assist students in developing the knowledge and abilities necessary to fulfil academic requirements.
Consequences of Low Compliance
Low compliance with university standards and regulations affects students’ academic performance and health. Students who do not attend classes as needed might miss important details, thus performing poorly in tests and exams. Besides that, the effects might impact the student’s health. Bartlet and Anderson (2019) stated that non-compliance with the university’s standards and expectations could severely impact students’ health and well-being. Academic stress (the pressure to satisfy academic standards) has been proven to significantly predict mental health problems among college students (Bernadowski, 2019). In addition, students who participate in academic misconduct, such as cheating, may experience guilt, shame, and stress due to their actions (Keith-Spiegel et al., 2003).
The frequency of academic misconduct among college students is an increasing concern in higher education. The necessity of tackling low compliance and academic misconduct must be considered. According to some studies (McCabe & Trevio, 1993), academic dishonesty is pervasive and takes various forms depending on the academic field and the institution’s culture. In addition, unethical behaviour in the classroom can lower both the quality and the integrity of academic work and bring the educational institution’s reputation and legitimacy into question (Bretag et al., 2018). Therefore, it is the responsibility of the institutions to ensure that students fully comply with the standards. Cases of absenteeism in some universities are permitted up to seven days for unavoidable circumstances like illness. For instance, in the UK, the University of Exeter allow its student to miss up to 7 days with valid proof of their illness condition (Robinson, n.d.). Absenteeism beyond that is treated as a serious case and can attract disciplinary action.
Methodology
This study’s methodology was based on a qualitative approach collecting the UK university student’s opinions on the institution’s standard compliance. The participants of the study were recruited online. The participants were not allowed to give personal details like names, email, and phone numbers. They were allowed to withdraw their participation in any level of the study on their wish. Their consent was sought first before engaging with the study. The study focused on data consistency since it was based on opinion and individual experience (Tetnowski and Damico, 2001). This study opted to employ qualitative methods since it is conducted to increase comprehension of people’s ideas and values, as well as human experiences and circumstances, and to construct theories to characterise them (Kalu and Bwalya, 2017). This study methodology arose from the behavioural and social sciences to comprehend humans’ unique, dynamic, and holistic character (Kalu and Bwalya, 2017).
Survey Questionnaire
The study conducted a survey to collect the university students’ opinions, beliefs, and proposals regarding complying with the standards and the impact of non-compliance on their performance. The questionnaire had five sections with 13 items. The first section was Participant Information Sheet (PIS). This section included study information to brief the patients on the requirements for them to decide on taking part in the survey. The second section was the consent form. The participants were only recruited after filling out the form. The third section was the collected participants’ demographic data. Personal data like name and address were not collected. The fourth section was the central part of the survey. The main focus of the questions was class attendance, behaviour, and consequences of non-compliance to the performance. The section has eight open-ended questions that collect participant opinions about the university standards and the impact of non-compliance. The last section displayed the debrief form.
Population Sample
The study recruited 20 participants. Eighteen were female, one was male, and one did not disclose their gender. The participants were recruited online, and the inclusion criteria were that they must be 18 years and above and be university students. Initially, the study had recruited 22 participants, but one withdrew voluntarily, and the data was deleted due to consent issues. The participant whose data was deleted did not sign the consent form, as it was uploaded after she had participated.
Survey Procedure
The questionnaire was uploaded on SONA online platform. The invited participants were only allowed to proceed if they were over 18 years old and consented. The study allowed the participants to decline their participation at any stage. The first two sections were the PIS to brief the participants and the consent form. Section 3 of the questionnaire collected participants’ age and gender. Section 4 was the main part of the study, with 8 open-ended questions. This section was filled based on the participant’s knowledge of the questions. There was a button that allowed participants who could not write their responses to submit them in audio format. After filling in the questions, the participants were debriefed, appreciating them for their efforts. After this section, the participants could save and submit their responses. The data was saved in a CVS format for later analysis. The estimated time for filling and submitting the responses was 30 minutes.
Data Analysis
This study was based on qualitative data. Thus, the primary data was obtained from the survey conducted online. Thematic analysis was used on the survey responses to discover reoccurring patterns and central issues in the university learning standards. Since the interview questions were open-ended, the responses could vary, and theme coding was necessary. The codes were obtained from each response to give the general thought of the participants.
Results
Question 1
| Resulting Themes | Participant | Codes |
| Attendance | 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20. | “Attend all lectures.”
“Good attendance in learning.” “Attending lectures in person.” |
| Time management | 1, 6, 9, 12, 13, 18, 19. | “Getting into lectures on time.”
“Handing assignments on time.” “Being punctual.” “Showing up on time.” “Complete coursework by the deadline.” |
| Class ethics | 2,7, 10, 15, 18 | “Follow class ethics.”
“Respect ethics and being ethical.” “Being professional and respectful.” “Have good behaviour and respect for other students and teachers.” |
| Class engagement | 8, 9, 17 | “Participate in class.”
“Engaging in lectures and seminars.” “Participate in learning.” |
| Proper referencing (written assignment | 5, 10, 11, 12 | “Read the code of conduct against plagiarism.”
“Proper referencing.” “Have outstanding wring skills.” “Being professional and not plagiarising.” |
| Completing assignments | 2, 6, 13, 14, 19, | “Complete assignments.”
“Write high-quality assignments.” “Doing mandatory reading and assignments on time.” “Complete coursework.” |
Question 2
| Theme | Participant | Code |
| Poor performance | 4, 9, 10, 16, 17, 19 | “May not get good grades.”
“Missing detrimental information may affect learning and performance. “Lead to poor grades.” “I won’t get what is needed to finish my degree successfully.” |
| Affect knowledge and understanding | 9, 8, 12, 15, 18. | “Miss something important.”
“Affect knowledge hindering the ability to do an assignment.” “Not understanding assignments.” “Miss key information.” “I would not be able to understand particular things.” “Miss the opportunity to learn something new.” |
| Stress | 20 | “Falling behind and stress about modules and uncertainties about finishing the course.” |
Question 3
| Theme | Participant | Code |
| Lack of understanding of the course | 12, 17, 19 | “Not understanding what to do.”
“I will miss important information.” |
| Stress | 7, 9, 20 | “Lead to more alone thinking.”
“Stress due to not knowing what to do.” “Makes me stressed even more.” |
| Poor performance | 1, 4, 8, 10, 13 | “It would be pretty bad.”
“This could affect your assessment negatively.” “Could potentially affect my grade.” “Not doing well.” “Impossible to pass the assessment.” |
Question 4
| Theme | Participant | Code |
| Disturbance/ distractions | 1, 3, 4, 8, | “It gets difficult to concentrate.”
“I can’t focus well.” “Can be disturbing… would cause you to feel drained.” “Very distracting… it draws my attention.” “Distracts hearing the lecturer.” “Makes it hard to focus.” |
| Affects learning | 5 | “Slows down learning.” |
| Impacts time management | 14, 17, 20 | “Time-consuming.”
“The same as I was not in class.” “Makes me look for notes to catch up.” |
| Lack of respect | 14 | “Shows a lack of respect.” |
Question 5
| Theme | Participant | Code |
| No effect | 1, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 18, 20 | “It does not affect my learning.”
“It does not matter to me. Not my business.” “It is okay for me.” “It does not impact learning at all.” “It isn’t too bad.” “I don’t really think it affects me.” “It does not bother me.” |
| Distracting | 2 | “Distracts others who were in time…. It can be annoying.”
“It draws focus away, affecting learning.” |
| Poor time management | 4 | “Not a good sign of time management and professionalism” |
| Stressful | 9 | “It is stressful as I get worried if any important information is left out.” |
| Punishment | 14 | “Reoffenders should be reprimanded.” |
Question 6
| Theme | Participant | Code |
| Reference | 1, 9, 12, 17 | “There isn’t a direct person I could go to for general questions.”
“I will not have up-to-date information.” “If I had questions, I would ask my personal tutor.” “Help you better understand.” |
| Mentor/performance | 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 15 | “Tutors encourage the student to achieve better results.”
“Impact the ability to do well.” “Helps in identifying critical issues.” “Helps cope with the workload.” “Gives feedback.” “Provide extra support and guidance.” “I will lose the opportunity to learn useful tips.” |
| No difference | 3 | “It does not matter.” |
Question 7
| Theme | Participant | Code |
| Low performance | 1, 3, 4, 7 | “Getting lower scores on coursework.”
“Hinders success.” “Leads you to fail or barely pass.” “I would have a lower grade.” |
| Understanding | 6, 8, 9, 10, 13, 19, 20 | “Miss key content.”
“Limits my knowledge.” “Lack of understanding.” “Miss additional information.” “Makes it harder to do assignments.” |
| Independent learning | 11 | “You can always do independent learning.” |
Question 8
| Theme | Participant | Code |
| Competence | 10 | “Low compliance makes you less competent in your career.” |
| Changes in teaching | 2, 7, 11 | “Boring lectures and seminars do not motivate attendance.”
“Not every teacher makes you comfortable.” “University could do better when it comes to how they teach and support students.” |
| Compliance affects behaviour and critical thinking | 15 | “I would not know how to behave and think.” |
Discussion
Standards and Expectations of the Course
The students knew their university had standards to comply with for successful learning. Compliance with the university standard revolves around attendance, class participation, time management, writing skills (referencing), completing assignments, engaging with class materials, and ethics. These elements were popular in the participants’ responses indicating that one has to comply with specific standards set by their instructor. The most emphasis was placed on in-person lesson attendance. The major themes are explained below.
Attendance
Consistent attendance is critical to academic achievement. It lets students stay informed of course topics, engage in class discussions, and get important teacher instructions. Khutsafalo (2020) found a positive correlation between attendance and academic success. From the study, class attendance mattered a lot in the competition assignment, getting accurate instructions and being updated with the group discussions, exam preparation, and any changes in the course. Therefore, low attendance could affect the student’s performance, although not all participants agreed. For instance, participant 7 argued that “(class attendance) usually does not matter, because as an adult where there are subjects completely useless, I prefer to go to the library.” Also, participant 11 argued that the impact of not attending class is insignificant as one can access materials online. These two participants contended that learning could be individualised and achieve the same results (see appendix 1).
Class Participation
Participation in class activities enhances learning and comprehension of course topics. It also aids in developing students’ critical thinking and communication abilities. Gray and DiLoreto (2016) argued that students interacting actively in class tend to do better on examinations. From this study’s results, participants showed a positive relationship between class participation and academic performance. For instance, participant 17 stated that the standards for her course she knew were class participation, viewing online materials, and preparing for the exams. Also, participant 9 stated that engaging in learning lectures and seminars is a key standard in her course.
Time Management
Time management is crucial for academic achievement. It assists students in balancing academic, personal, and professional obligations. In any learning, scheduling time is vital to ensure learning objectives are met within the specified period. According to Nasrullah and Khan (2015), the relationship between time management abilities and academic accomplishment is positive. Poor time management can lead to missing important information in class, cause a disturbance, and impact class participation. From the study results, most participants insisted on good time management in completing assignments before the deadline and attending class on time (being punctual). When asked about the impact of late arrival, most of the responses indicated that it could cause distractions (disruptions) that impact students’ attention in class. It is unprofessional to arrive in class late and submit an assignment past due time. In some universities, this amounts to low compliance and can attract penalties for decreasing course grades.
Writing Skills
Writing is a crucial component of academic study. It assists students in successfully communicating their thoughts and demonstrating their understanding of the course topics. Writing proficiency is also essential for job progression. Kellogg and Raulerson (2007) demonstrated a positive correlation between writing abilities and academic success. Writing skills include proper referencing and paper formatting, which is standard in academic writing. It is an academic crime to commit plagiarism which results from poor referencing. According to this study, the participants knew the need for excellent writing skills for their academic success. Participant 2 indicated that she must “write high-quality assignments” as part of her course standards. Also, participant 11 stated that “I am expected to have outstanding writing skills and the ability to evaluate things critically” (see appendix 1). Effective writing skills contribute to the course grade.
Class Ethics
Ethics is a crucial component of both academic and professional life. It encompasses virtues such as honesty, integrity, respect, and accountability. Integrity is essential for academic and professional achievements. Demirtas and Akdogan (2015) stated that ethical conduct correlates favourably with academic accomplishment and employment performance. Academic integrity can be represented in writing skills through proper referencing. Copy-pasting other people’s work without acknowledging them is referred to as plagiarism. It is a universal standard to reference academic work to avoid plagiarism instances properly (Eret & Gokmenoglu, 2010). According to the study, proper referencing emerged as another crucial standard that students must comply with. Participant 12 stated that her course’s code of conduct is against plagiarism. Also, participants 5 and 10 indicated that avoiding plagiarism is a crucial standard in their courses.
Respect in the classroom is another ethical standard in learning institutions. Participant 2 stated that she is needed to be empathetic, follow ethics, and work hard to achieve her goal. According to participant 15, having good behaviour and respect for others is critical. This contributes to the students’ professionalism. Thus, students must be ethical to build good relationships with others and teachers for better learning and performance.
Impact (Implication) of Non-Compliance
According to the participants’ responses, non-compliance with the university standards has a negative impact on the learning process, health, and performance. Missing class and being late affect the course understanding and gaining crucial knowledge. According to participant 2, not attending a class in person can cause someone to miss important information to understand some assessment questions. It can make someone incompetent. However, participant 2 stated that some classes could be boring and demotivating for students to attend. Participant 7 added that not every teacher makes students feel comfortable in class. This is in line with self-determination theory, indicating that when a student feels their psychological need has not been satisfied can lead to reduced motivation.
On the other hand, late attendance can be annoying and disruptive to other students who have already arrived on time. This can affect the class’s attention by disrupting the lecture. In the long run, some students are affected since they cannot get crucial information. Although some participants, like participants 3, 5, and 7, stated that a student being late does not affect them, the majority indicated they are disrupted, affecting their understanding. Also, according to participant 14, being late shows a lack of respect for others. “(Being late) is time-wasting and shows a lack of respect.” She suggested that students showing repeat lateness behaviour should be punished (reprimanded) since it affects others who are on time.
Low compliance can lead to health conditions. According to participant 9, missing classes can cause a lack of understanding leading to stress due to not knowing what to do. Limited knowledge means one cannot prepare well for the assessments. In the long run, it can attract poor grades, psychologically draining the students. This also applies to skipping class materials and engaging tutors. Tutors act as a reference to students, giving more information about assessments, tracking performance, and helping set goals for learning. Students who do not engage their tutors could easily miss important information for their assignments and assessment. Although some participants (participants 11 and 12) believed that low engagement prompts them to do more independent learning, it has some impact on their overall performance. According to Attrition theory, tutor engagement is part of internal factors affecting student learning motivation. Thus, they have the ability to increase engagement for improved performance.
Study Limitations
The survey was conducted online and primarily focused on qualitative responses. The participants’ emotions were not captured, which could give more information on their opinions. The open-ended questions sought the participants’ opinions on the university and course standards. This can be the source of bias, making the data difficult to analyse. Since the research was perspective-based, there were difficulties in the analysis process. People have diverse viewpoints; hence, they perceive and interpret things differently. This affected the analysis process since different people could draw different conclusions from the participants’ responses. Also, most of the participants were female. This could have affected the study since the responses were not gender balanced. Future studies should be conducted physically and consider gender composition in participant recruitment.
Recommendation and Conclusion
This study explored the relationship between low compliance with standards and performance. Low compliance is characterised by low-class attendance, poor writing skills, reduced class participation, poor ethics, and poor time management. This paper conducted a qualitative study online, collecting participants’ views on the impact of low compliance on their academic performance. A total of 20 participants were involved. Their responses were thematically analysed to make sense of the data. According to this study, students who do not comply with the university standards can miss important information for their assessments and exams, causing stress and poor performance. Thus, low compliance affects the knowledge and understanding of university students. Most of the contributing factors are internal and can be controlled by the student.
This study is a significant contribution to the education field. It can be used to improve the curriculum for better learning. This study did not explore external factors like tutors’ input in the low compliance. According to participants 7 and 11, teaching strategies can have an impact on low compliance with the standards. Future studies can be conducted on the relationship between teaching strategies and students’ low compliance.
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Appendix
Appendix 1
| Describe | Missing Classes | Critical | OthersBehaviour | ThoughtsonLate | Per.Tutor | Skipping | Further Comments | |||
| Participant | Age | Gender | Describe what you understand by the standards and expectations of your university course (Prompt think back to the guidance from your inductions/course handbooks). | What impact do missing classes have/would have on your learning and performance? | What if this was a critical class related to your assessment? | How does your own or others’ classroom behaviour (e.g., talking over others, personal mobile phone use) impact your learning and performance? | What are your thoughts about being (or others being) late to class affecting your studies and learning? | How might low engagement with your personal tutor affect your ability to do well on your course? | How would skipping key readings/online lecture videos affect your ability to be successful in your assessments? | Please use the following space to add any further comments about your thoughts and experiences concerning how low compliance with university standards impacts your performance. |
| 1 | 22 | Others | Thinking back, there really wasn’t many standards laid out. The only one I remember is getting to lectures on time and attending in person. | A huge impact; when I don’t go, I get much lazier | We don’t have assessments; it is just coursework, but yes, it would be pretty bad. | Not so much phones, but if I’m sitting next to someone who feels the need to talk all the way through the lecture, it gets really hard to concentrate. | I don’t think it affects my learning at all. | It just means there isn’t a direct person I could go to if I had a general question. | It would mean getting a lower score on coursework. | N/A |
| 2 | 23 | Female | In my opinion, I need to be a good student who attends every class, writes high-quality assignments on time, and is nice and kind to other people. As a psychology student, I need to be empathetic, follow ethics, and work hard to achieve my goal. | I think that I am worrying too much about attending every class, and I am afraid that I will miss something important if I am not in class. | I would have to attend; if I could not manage it on the date of the seminar, I would go to a different group to attend important classes. | I hate when people ignore lecturers. I think that if they are studying, they should focus and listen. It bothers me when I see that some people do not respect others. | I like being on time for classes. I am aware of distracting others who are on time, so I do everything to always be on time because I know how it can be annoying. | I think that personal tutor engagement has a massive influence on students. If a tutor expects some work from students and encourages them to do it, it is more likely to achieve better results and better academic performance. | Sometimes I do not have enough time to follow recorded videos on time, and recording materials is important and helps students to achieve a better understanding of the topic and has an influence on future assignments. | I think that some boring lectures or seminars do not motivate students to do better performance. |
| 3 | 22 | Female | My course expects me to work hard, engage with the resources available, and engage in a lot of independent studies. | I think that as long as you catch up with the lessons you miss and do a lot of independent work, I don’t think missing a class is detrimental. | I think that it is important to attend these classes as I may learn important info about my assessment that I wouldn’t have done before | When people are talking loudly or over others, it distracts me, and I can’t focus as well. | It doesn’t matter to me, and their attendance does not concern me. | It may not matter depending on if you do a lot of independent studies too. | I think it will hinder success at the lectures and provide us with a lot of information that is imperative for our assessment. | N/A |
| 4 | 20 | Female | The university has certain standards and expectations of you whilst you are on your course that you are expected to abide by. | Missing classes may mean that you may miss important or relevant information that may be related to your assignment or learning, which could negatively affect your learning and performance. | This would affect your assessment negatively as this important information or tips could have been said, and missing this may mean you may not get a good grade for your assignment. | This can be disturbing as you would miss listening to information, and then this would cause you to feel drained as you would have to do extra reading since you or others were distracted. | Being late is not a good sign of time management and professionalism. This may lead to you and others being distracted, and sometimes waiting for the person to settle down and be focused will affect your learning. | Personal tutors help with improving your ability to do well on the course, so low engagement may lead to you not knowing how you can improve to impact your ability to do well. | Skipping readings or lectures may mean that you do not know what you are doing, and you do not know what information or evidence you have to provide in your assessment, leading you to fail or barely pass in rare cases. | Low compliance negatively affects your performance. Attending classes/lectures, reading key materials, and going through extra reading will help improve your performance as well as gain knowledge that will be useful in the future. |
| 5 | 21 | Female | I remember the importance of referencing | missing out on group discussions | I would attend | Slows down learning significantly. | not my business | The tutor may identify issues you may not have noticed | greatly | It affects your grade overall |
| 6 | 20 | Male | Students are expected to engage fully in all materials provided and attend all lectures and seminars, both in person and online. They are also expected to complete assignments to the best of their ability and hand them in on time. | It would have a significant impact as contents would be missed, and potential pieces of advice on how to best go about completing assignments. | Then the impact would be the same, just more significant. | Other students speaking during class is often very distracting as it draws my attention from the lecturer and PowerPoint. | It can often draw my focus away from the content, but not to the degree that it affects my learning too drastically. | Engaging with your personal tutor can help you to cope with the workloads required and help you deal with the stress of deadlines. | Yes, as you miss key content and are therefore behind in comparison to other students. | n/a |
| 7 | 22 | Female | To attend lectures, respect teachers, be ethical | Usually, it doesn’t, because as an adult where there are subjects completely useless, I prefer to go to the library. | Then it would result in more alone thinking, so it would be a shame to miss these classes | , not at all. | It is okay for me | Making your life harder, they are here to help us. | I would have a lower grade. | Sometimes it has an impact when I miss something important, but it’s not that clear. Not every class is important and interesting. Also, not every teacher makes you feel comfortable at university, so sometimes it is better not to attend. |
| 8 | 20 | Female | The university expects us to attend lectures, participate in learning activities outside lectures, and do additional reading. | Missing classes would affect my knowledge of what I need to do for my assignments and other work. It would also cause me to miss out o potentially crucial information I may need later to complete my work. | This would potentially affect my grade as I may miss out on information that is helpful in completing my work to the best ability. | Such behaviour impacts my learning as it distracts me from what the lecturer is saying and may cause me not to hear important information or tips. | I believe being late to class would cause me to miss out on some learning that may have been vital. Others coming late to class would also be a disruption to current learning. | This would prevent me from getting feedback on my work/ learning and therefore stop me from understanding where I can improve. | Skipping key readings would limit my knowledge to what has already been given to everyone in lectures instead of further expanding my knowledge. | Low compliance overall would affect my grade negatively as it results in a low effort seen in my work. |
| 9 | 21 | Female | Being punctual and having good attendance, engaging in learning lectures and seminars. Handing in assignments to the best of your ability on time. | Lower grades. Not completely understanding the assignment when completing it | Lack of understanding. Stress due to not knowing what to do | Distracts you from what is being taught | Stressful as I get worried if any important information is being left out. | There won’t be any up-to-date info on the course etc. | Lack of understanding. Reading is important, and engaging in it will be beneficial for your assignments. | It is important to attend sessions etc., to complete the work to the best of your ability. |
| 10 | 21 | Female | to be professional at all times, to be respectful, to not plagiarise | Missing classes negatively impact learning and performance, and key information and extra help points or practice work are missed out on | This would further impact negatively and result in me doing not as well as I could have. | Other people constantly talking in lectures is very distracting. It makes me lose track of what the lecture is saying and impacts learning negatively | I think others being late to class can be quite distracting and slow down the pace of learning. | This might affect my ability in a negative way as they provide extra support and guidance. | This would affect me negatively as I would miss additional information that may be beneficial for my assessments | low compliance with uni standards will make you less competent for your future career |
| 11 | 21 | Female | I am expected to have outstanding writing skills, the ability to evaluate things critically, have a reflective mindset. | Considerate but not too significant, considering all materials are made available online | It would cause a significant impact | Slightly, I find myself distracted by my laptop sometimes | It doesn’t impact it at all | Considering the low engagement is happening due to a lack of replies, I’d say significant impact. | Slightly. You can always do independent reading. | The university could do better when it comes to how they teach and support students. |
| 12 | 22 | Female | The expectations were to attend all lessons on time, to ensure all assignments were done to the best ability, and to ensure to read the code of conduct against plagiarism. | I would not be able to understand particular things without attending classes, but then I also teach myself some lessons as certain teachers do not go in-depth with the learning. | I would not understand what to do if I did not attend my critical classes, as these are extremely important for my studies. | The impact of individuals talking whilst in lessons is a huge distraction to my learning. Mobile phones are not as much of a distraction to my learning and performance. | It does not affect my studies or my learning as they do not distract me whilst coming into class. | It would affect my ability. If I had any questions, I would ask my personal tutor about them. | It wouldn’t affect it as much because if I was stuck on something, I could go back and watch the lectures. | NA |
| 13 | 21 | Female | Attending classes, doing mandatory reading and assignments on time | Big impact, they explain a lot during classes and give important information for completing assignments | Without it, it’s possible not to pass the assessment | It has negative effects. If someone is talking, it’s disturbing people who are trying to listen, and using the phone is just being there for attendance. | I don’t think it’s too bad; if it’s just a few times being like 5 minutes late, it’s not going to change much. | A personal tutor can help a lot, but so can the other lecturers, so it’s a personal choice to contact them often. | It’s definitely making it harder to do assignments, I often find myself watching all the videos just before starting the assignment, and it takes a lot of time. If I would watch it from the start, it would be much less time-consuming. | No further comments |
| 14 | 21 | Female | I think this varies between each module in terms of the assignments, but in terms of expectations, I think there is a great deal of independent learning required to complete the forensic psychology degree and that you are required to be self-motivated | I think it doesn’t have too much of a significant impact if you miss a few classes and catch up using the content on aula | that would be frustrating, and you would be disadvantaged, but all the information is on aula, which I think makes things much easier to understand and catch up | I really find it frustrating because it interrupts the class, makes teachers have to stop halfway through their point, is time-consuming, and shows such a lack of respect. | I think on the odd occasion, it is okay, things happen, but reoffenders should be reprimanded. | I think it doesn’t allow you to fully engage with the course, which ultimately impacts your performance. | Lecture videos are essential in the success of the assessment but not the key reading. | N/A |
| 15 | 22 | Female | I’m not sure to be ethical, have good behaviour, and respect towards other students and teachers. | By missing classes, not only do you lose attendance, but you also lose the opportunity to learn something new. In every lecture, you can learn something new or get good advice, e.g., for writing an assignment, and by skipping classes, you lose this. | Firstly, I would try to attend the critical session, but if I cannot, I would try to email module leaders or ask my friends what they’ve learned in the classes. | I don’t mind if someone uses a phone, but I cannot focus on the lecture if someone is talking with each other. I don’t hear the teacher, but only these people. | I don’t mind if somebody is late for class. A lot of factors contribute to this because many people live away from the university. As long as they are quiet and don’t disturb others (when they enter the classroom late), I’m okay with it. | Sometimes even if I want to do everything myself, I can’t do it, and I need help, so if I don’t take advantage of such help, I will have low grades, and I will lose the opportunity to learn useful tips regarding assignments. | It depends; I think that without it, I could still be successful on my assignment; however, I know that key readings and online lectures consist of useful information regarding assignments, so after all, I wouldn’t feel stressed while writing the essay. | Through low compliance with university standards, I would not know how to behave, and I think I would lose focus on my studies. |
| 16 | 21 | Female | Need a course to get a good job | Missing out, university costs too much not to do well | Bad for you | A lot | Very bad. | This person’s available to help you. Take it. | Every lecture is important; don’t skip them | Pay attention |
| 17 | 37 | Female | To participate in class, view online material, and prepare for exams | My grades will be lower, and I will not gather what I need to successfully finish my degree | When doing my assignment, I will miss important information | The same as if I wasn’t in class | Being late to class is missing important information. | PPT can help you better understand what is required of you as a student. | Won’t be able to finish the dissertation successfully. | It will be almost impossible to keep up with academic performance requirements |
| 18 | 19 | Female | Being respectful, showing up on time, not interrupting, etc. | Could miss information that could help | Possibly not include something necessary to the assessment because I missed the class. | People taking is very distracting and makes it hard to focus on the content, but mobile phone use is fine. | I don’t, really. It affects me that bad so long as I am not really late or if the student is quiet. | I could miss out on opportunities or resources I don’t know about. | Massively, I would miss out on all the content I need to answer assignment questions. | I think that missing sessions isn’t that big of a deal as long as you go through the content online and have a friend to tell you if you missed anything really important. |
| 19 | 20 | Female | Students must attend all lectures and seminars, complete coursework by deadlines, and complete online lectures and additional reading. | Can cause students to fall behind | Can miss out on vital information | Can cause distractions during lessons | Doesn’t bother me. | Can miss out on info that can help with my assignments. | Missing out on key info needed | I think it’s subjective as soon students can attend lectures and may get lower grades and vice versa. |
| 20 | 20 | Female | I think my course expects us to attend every session and to try even to attend with difficult circumstances, e.g., train delays. For some classes, you can attend the online version instead, but you must have good reasoning. They encourage attendance. | falling behind, stressing about modules, feeling slow, feeling dumb, unsure how I am gonna finish the year, and poor performance in class due to lack of preparation | It makes me stress even more. | It’s very distracting, and I just end up having to look at notes at home, which can be hard to go through on my own. | I can always use the slides to catch up, but I prefer being earlier. | Less help means a lack of understanding, which means I may do my work wrong. | I would miss out on important information I’d need to pass on. | – |
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