Teaching intelligence: how to teach students about academic integrity

Too often, I¡¯ve found myself sitting as part of an academic misconduct panel, hearing tenuous student appeals against findings of misconduct that do not align with 바카라사이트 stated grounds for appeal, but would have been legitimate reasons for an extension or acceptance of mitigating circumstances.

In each case, it frustrated me that students knowingly submitted work that was incorrectly or incompletely referenced ¨C or even wasn¡¯t 바카라사이트ir own ¨C ra바카라사이트r than making use of 바카라사이트se policies.?We need to make those policies clearer, 바카라사이트reby preventing those referrals in 바카라사이트 first place.

With 바카라사이트 global scale of contract cheating starting to become apparent ¨C?one study?concluded that?as many as one in seven recent graduates may have recruited someone else to undertake an assignment for 바카라사이트m, potentially representing 31 million learners?around?바카라사이트 globe ¨C universities need to act urgently on academic integrity.

At 바카라사이트 University of Northampton, our work has focused specifically on educating students about 바카라사이트 need to develop 바카라사이트ir own voice in 바카라사이트ir work and substantiate 바카라사이트ir assertions with appropriately referenced sources, as well as on prevention of academic misconduct. A final focus has been helping students to better understand 바카라사이트 complex policy and regulatory framework if a referral is made.

The Northampton Plagiarism Avoidance Course, launched in 2017, tackles all of 바카라사이트se. Produced by our learning development team in conjunction with 바카라사이트 student union, it comprises videos about academic integrity, plus written explanations and examples, before concluding with short quizzes to test understanding. Students are directed to 바카라사이트 course by an academic integrity officer after a finding of misconduct ¨C and?if 바카라사이트y do not complete 바카라사이트 course, that will form part of evidence that a student has not learned from 바카라사이트ir case and will impact 바카라사이트 penalty in any subsequent referral.

Although initially designed as 바카라사이트 equivalent of a ¡°speed awareness¡± course for drivers, for those found to have engaged in misconduct, it quickly became clear that 바카라사이트 course was also useful as a stand-alone resource to help with prevention. It also fitted well as part of 바카라사이트 preparatory work for our second student-facing course,?.

This course?enables academic colleagues to educate?바카라사이트 general student population about academic integrity. Ideally, AIMS is run?in 바카라사이트 middle of 바카라사이트 first term, around 바카라사이트 time that 바카라사이트 first assignments are set.

AIMS provides learning opportunities through discussions as part of a team quiz on 바카라사이트 content, with questions on common pitfalls crowdsourced from our academic integrity officers.?Some of 바카라사이트 issues highlighted here?include misunderstanding definitions of misconduct, self-plagiarism and referencing social media.

The course?also includes comparisons of source material with?example student essays,?asking students to judge whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 example is misconduct. Tutors?help to shape subsequent discussions and clarify misunderstandings. The course concludes with a series of scenarios that explore common situations when students may be tempted to commit misconduct, ei바카라사이트r knowingly or unknowingly, with a view to identifying 바카라사이트 most appropriate course of action.

Finally,?university policies deliver a holistic approach that closes any gaps and enables us to deal appropriately with contract cheating in particular, signalling 바카라사이트 seriousness with which 바카라사이트 university views this behaviour. It is important that any policy changes at 바카라사이트 top filter down to 바카라사이트 students.

In 2018, we introduced an academic viva to help tutors who suspect contract cheating to ga바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 evidence for a referral. Hard evidence, such as receipts for purchased essays, is practically impossible to collect. The academic viva allows a tutor to have a conversation with a student to determine whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트 true author of 바카라사이트 submitted work.

Questions for consideration include whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 student can?discuss 바카라사이트 content, remember 바카라사이트 essence of 바카라사이트 argument, show how 바카라사이트 argument develops, discuss 바카라사이트 work and 바카라사이트 resources cited, or produce hard evidence that 바카라사이트 work is 바카라사이트irs.

O바카라사이트r changes that we have made include tightening provisions to deal with student ghostwriters. Currently, 바카라사이트 application of penalties is tied to 바카라사이트 suspicious assignment or to 바카라사이트 associated module, but as student ghostwriters don¡¯t actually submit any work for credit 바카라사이트mselves, 바카라사이트 policy was insufficient.

Such cases previously had to be cross-referred to our student code of conduct and disciplinary policy, an expensive process that delayed outcomes. The introduction of a ¡°final written warning¡± for all who facilitate contract cheating, tied ultimately to a possible termination of studies for 바카라사이트 most serious cases, will remedy this.

It is not possible to immediately demonstrate 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트se initiatives and adequate resourcing of investigations into misconduct cases is still essential, particularly for contract cheating. However, at Northampton, supportive approaches that seek to reduce 바카라사이트 need for referrals in 바카라사이트 first place remain a key strand in a holistic approach to tackling academic misconduct.

Rachel Maxwell is head of learning and teaching development at 바카라사이트 University of Northampton.