Questions about academic integrity at Wentworth? Need to log an incident? Review Wentworth’s Academic Honesty Policy Procedures.

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Get Inspired

Good course design can help maintain academic integrity

There are so many types of plagiarism. It’s possible a student hired someone to write their content for them, and it’s equally possible the plagiarism was accidental!

There are also many reasons why people cheat. Maybe the fear of failure combined with panic and the student found an opportunity. Serial cheaters started cheating one day and then got in so deep they couldn’t stop!

As Professor Susan Blum says, “If a students goal is getting a good grade, then cheating is a rational strategy. If the students’ goal is learning, then cheating is impossible.” How do you create a culture in your classroom that focuses on genuine learning rather than simply earning points? Check out the CoLab Podcast S01 E06 – Ungrading with Dr. Susan Blum if you are interested in ungrading.

Prevention

• Consider forms of assessments in which it’s structurally impossible for students to cheat, like oral exams.
• Try authentic assessment strategies like having students perform an authentic task within your discipline, teach other students something that they’ve mastered, portfolio assessments with meaningful self-reflection, etc
• Rethink high-stakes testing. Maybe mastery of a topic could be measured in a different way.
• When creating quizzes in Brightspace, use time limits, question pools, and shuffle options.
• Use backward design to ensure assessments measure the learning objectives and explain the “why” to your students.
• Change up your course from year to year to avoid recycling.
• Give your students strategies and resources for succeeding in your class.
• Require students to sign an academic integrity statement.
• Discuss plagiarism and academic integrity with your class.
• Talk to the TLC for more ideas!

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Technology