Educating the establishment: lessons from homework for hire contractors to improve academic integrity

This qualitative study, using snowball sampling with six homework for hire contractors in higher education, explores their practices and decision-making processes. Specifically, it examines how individuals become contractors, how they select assignments, determine pricing, and interact with both students and peers. The findings shed light on contractors’ motivations, the factors influencing assignment acceptance, and their broader interactions within this clandestine ecosystem. By understanding the unique role these contractors play in the educational landscape, this research provides insights that can inform the design of computational systems aimed at mitigating academic dishonesty. Moreover, the results offer broader implications for improving instruction, enhancing student-instructor interactions, and supporting students’ learning in higher education.