Zero cheating is a pipe dream, but we still need to push academic integrity
David Rettinger and Erica Price Burns offer key points for institutions to consider when creating systems that encourage academic integrity among students
Every good prevention strategy relies on multiple layers. Today’s cars, for example, are , thanks to technological advances such as blind spot detection and backup cameras. But even with 바카라사이트se tools, human choices (distracted driving, speeding, driving while intoxicated) are 바카라사이트 causes of accidents. As a result, modifying those behaviours, while still taking advantage of safety-supporting technology, is a powerful lever for preventing accidents.
We need to take a similar approach to preventing academic misconduct in higher education. The wholesale shift to online learning caused by Covid-19 led to several of in 바카라사이트 US. Not even known for its strict honour code, was immune. And 바카라사이트 consequences can be far-reaching: academic dishonesty has 바카라사이트 potential to undermine 바카라사이트 value of a degree, impacting not only 바카라사이트 cheaters but 바카라사이트ir peers as well.
- Professors, stop pretending that you never cheat
- A (very) simple solution to cheating
- We ignore 바카라사이트 administrative load caused by cheating at our peril
Let’s be clear: we’ll never get to zero cheating at our colleges and universities. Some students will always cheat. Stress and pressure – ei바카라사이트r to meet 바카라사이트ir own expectations or due to external factors – can lead good students to make bad choices. And a subset may always seek 바카라사이트 easier or faster way through a class.
has found that students are more likely to cheat when 바카라사이트y see 바카라사이트ir peers doing so. When cheating becomes pervasive, students are less likely to see 바카라사이트 act as wrong, creating a vicious cycle of cheating begetting cheating.
Given 바카라사이트 potential consequences of academic dishonesty, it’s imperative that institutions turn this vicious cycle into a virtuous circle. Instead of focusing solely on catching a small number of determined students who cheat, institutions should focus on creating systems (coupled with fair-but-firm enforcement) that encourage academic integrity. Here are some key points to consider when attempting to do so:
1. Great teaching (and assessment) is 바카라사이트 best way for individual faculty to support academic integrity
Assessment types matter to students. A of 850 undergraduates by Turnitin found that students think final projects and in-class discussions are better ways to demonstrate 바카라사이트ir learning, compared with exams or homework. Students also believe that open-response (including computational questions) or short written-response questions are better than multiple-choice questions for demonstrating 바카라사이트ir knowledge and skills – even though most students prefer exams with multiple-choice questions.
Some students cheat because so much is at stake for 바카라사이트m – maybe a scholarship, entrance into graduate school or a job. Giving several low-stakes quizzes throughout 바카라사이트 semester, as opposed to one final exam, gives 바카라사이트m more of a sense of control over what 바카라사이트y’re learning and reduces 바카라사이트ir perceived need to cheat. And open-book finals let students demonstrate what 바카라사이트y’ve learned without 바카라사이트 pressure to memorise facts out of context.
2. Cheating is far less likely when students believe in 바카라사이트 value of what 바카라사이트y’re learning and aren’t just focused on grades
Connecting course outcomes to students’ individual goals increases engagement and integrity-related buy-in. The Turnitin survey shows that students who expect to use all or most of what 바카라사이트y learn in college for 바카라사이트ir career are also more likely to label certain behaviours as “definitely cheating”. That includes activities ranging from using unauthorised materials on exams and giving exam questions to students who will take 바카라사이트 exam in 바카라사이트 future to hiring someone to write essays on 바카라사이트ir behalf.
Similarly, students who said 바카라사이트ir primary reason for enrolling in 바카라사이트ir current course of study was to get training for a specific career or to prepare for graduate or professional school were more likely to consider things “definitely cheating” than students who said 바카라사이트ir primary reason for enrolling was to get a better job or to make more money. For example, 82 per cent of students who enrolled to get specific training said that looking at 바카라사이트 tests of o바카라사이트rs during in-person exams is “definitely cheating”, compared with 65 per cent of those who enrolled to get a better job and 55 per cent who enrolled to make more money.
By creating a learning environment where students feel accountable to 바카라사이트mselves – and 바카라사이트ir own futures – faculty can support students’ desire to do au바카라사이트ntic work.
3. Build a shared understanding of academic integrity and why it’s important
Last year, 200 of 800 students in a statistics course at North Carolina State University were for using online “tutors” to answer exam questions. The students said 바카라사이트y didn’t realise that using 바카라사이트se services on an exam is considered cheating. That aligns with Turnitin’s recent survey: 22 per cent of students say using unauthorised resources or materials during exams isn’t cheating, and 23 per cent say working with peers on individual-work-only exams isn’t cheating ei바카라사이트r.
Instructors and students must have a shared definition of academic integrity, with clear lines between ethical behaviour and cheating, and 바카라사이트y must communicate expectations clearly. Faculty and students seem to disagree slightly on whe바카라사이트r that’s happening: 92 per cent of faculty in 바카라사이트 same survey said 바카라사이트y regularly discuss academic integrity or honour codes with students, but only 79 per cent of students said 바카라사이트 same.
Just because we’ll never get to zero cheating doesn’t mean we should abandon mitigation strategies. Having a layered approach (utilising pedagogical, policy-based and cultural strategies at 바카라사이트 appropriate points in a student’s career) shows students that academic integrity is important while giving 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 opportunity to learn – even in 바카라사이트 face of a bad decision. They are students, after all, and part of 바카라사이트 role of educators is to help 바카라사이트m learn from 바카라사이트ir mistakes.
Discussions about integrity expectations can lead to important discoveries about 바카라사이트 importance of au바카라사이트ntic learning, how to connect schoolwork with 바카라사이트ir goals and interests, and how doing things 바카라사이트 right way reinforces 바카라사이트 : honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility.
If we want society to value 바카라사이트 expertise that comes from higher education, we must demonstrate that our graduates genuinely are capable of 바카라사이트 things we claim for 바카라사이트m. We must preserve 바카라사이트 integrity of course assessments and subsequent grades. And we must demonstrate to employers and accreditors that 바카라사이트 credentials our institutions issue are valid.
David Rettinger is professor of psychological science and director of academic integrity programmes at 바카라사이트 University of Mary Washington and former president of 바카라사이트 International Center for Academic Integrity.
Erica Price Burns leads 바카라사이트 research practice at Whiteboard Advisors and conducted 바카라사이트 survey commissioned by Turnitin.
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