We found 457 results that contain "academic integrity"

Promote classroom discussions about integrity


Connect academic integrity to the professions
Reaffirm value of honest work
Encourage openness
Clarify terms and expectations


Prevent through assessment design 


Consider and honor pledge
Create alternate assignments/tests/quizzes
Assign topics that require analysis not just facts
Establish classroom policy on collaboration


Protect the learning environment


Consistently enforce the university policy
Establish clear grading criteria
Allow reasonable time for assignment completion
Base course grade on multiple assessments

Responding to Academic Misconduct

Discuss the allegation of misconduct with the student
Allow the student to respond to the allegation
Outline the rationale for the penalty, as well as the penalty
Let them know about resources like the University Ombudsperson

 
Remember to…


Listen respectfully
Work on misperceptions and misunderstandings
Keep emotions in check
Maintain eye contact
Document the conversation


 
When in doubt…
 
Contact the Office of the University Ombudsperson at ombud@msu.edu or (517) 353-8830 

Spartan Code of Honor (link)
Integrity Matters Video from Dean of Students
Types of Academic Misconduct
Collaboration: What You Need to Know
What is an Academic Dishonest Report
How to Contest an ADR
Inside Higher Ed Article on Integrity

Although the title may be somewhat excessive, this recent (July 22, 2020) article discusses ways to stop cheating in online courses.

This resource about the Responsible Conduct of Research explores the spectrum of ethical misconduct in research, with an emphasis on how to maintain integrity and avoid misconduct.

Introduction
Peer review has long been recognized as a valuable tool in education, offering students an opportunity to develop critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills while engaging deeply with course material. However, effectively incorporating peer review into a course requires intentionality and a strategic approach.
One effective way to design and implement peer review activities is by using a transparent assignment design framework. This approach ensures that students clearly understand the purpose, tasks, and criteria for peer review, making the process more equitable and impactful.
In this article, we’ll explore a roadmap for integrating peer review into your teaching, weaving in the role of transparency to enhance the experience. From reflecting on your goals to identifying practical tools, we’ll cover five key areas to help you make peer review an enriching experience for your students.
1. Reflecting on Intentionality in Peer Review
Incorporating peer review is most impactful when done with a clear purpose. Before introducing it into your course, ask yourself:

What specific skills or outcomes do I want students to achieve through peer review?
How does peer review support my course objectives?

To make your goals explicit to students, use a transparent assignment design framework. That is, clearly communicate:

The purpose of the peer review activity (e.g., to develop critical thinking or improve a draft).
The specific tasks students will perform and t he related resources needed (e.g., providing feedback and rubric needed to evaluate a peer's work.
The criteria for which their peer review asignment will be graded.

This intentionality and transparency ensure that peer review isn’t just an add-on but an integral part of the learning process.
2. Skills Students Develop Through Peer Review
Peer review offers students a unique opportunity to develop a range of skills that are crucial both academically and professionally:

Critical Thinking: Analyzing peers’ work encourages students to evaluate ideas, apply concepts, and synthesize information.
Communication: Providing constructive feedback helps students articulate their thoughts clearly and diplomatically.
Collaboration: Peer review fosters a sense of community and helps students learn to work effectively with others.
Metacognition: By reviewing others’ work, students reflect on their own learning, recognizing strengths and areas for improvement.

Transparency can further enhance these benefits. For example, providing explicit criteria for feedback helps students focus on specific aspects of their peers’ work, reducing anxiety and promoting constructive critiques.
3. Considering a Peer Review-Focused Course Objective
A course-level learning objective focused on peer review can make its purpose and value explicit to students. For example:

"Provide constructive feedback on a peer’s work, focusing on both strengths and areas for improvement"
"Review a peer’s design proposal for adherence to engineering standards."
"Analyze a peer’s speech draft for clarity, persuasion, and audience engagement."

Transparent assignment design can support this goal by helping students understand how peer review aligns with their broader learning outcomes. This clarity ensures that students see peer review not just as a task but as a meaningful opportunity for growth.
4. Best Practices for Applying Peer Review as an Assessment Strategy
Successfully integrating peer review into your course involves thoughtful planning and execution. Here are some best practices:

Set Clear Expectations: Use the transparent assignment design framework to outline the purpose, tasks, and criteria for peer review.
Train Students: Dedicate some time in-class or offer an asynchronous pre-recorded lecture with resources on how to give constructive and respectful feedback. (e.g., see tips on providing helpful feedback)
Incorporate Reflection: Encourage students to reflect on the feedback they receive and how they can apply it.
Balance Workload: Use peer review for formative purposes (e.g., drafts) as well as summative assessments to avoid overwhelming students.
Monitor the Process: Be available to mediate or guide discussions if necessary, ensuring feedback remains constructive.

Transparency ensures that students understand the "why" and "how" of peer review, reducing confusion and increasing their investment in the process.
5. Tools and Resources for Faciliating Peer Review
Technology can make implementing peer review more efficient and scalable. Some tools to consider:

Learning Management Systems (LMS): While D2L does not offer a native Peer Review feature there are ways of setting up a D2L course so that it can handle Peer Reviews. 
Internal Tools that offer Peer Review functionality: EliReview and Perusall. 
External Dedicated Peer Review Tools: Tools such as Kritik or FeedbackFruits provide specialized features for peer assessments.

Using the transparent assignment design framework, you can integrate these tools effectively by providing clear instructions and rubrics. Additionally, many institutions provide support through teaching and learning centers, offering templates and guides to help you design peer review assignments.
Conclusion
Integrating peer review into your course can transform the learning experience, fostering critical skills and deeper engagement among students. By reflecting on your goals, aligning peer review with course objectives, following best practices, and leveraging transparency, you can create a meaningful and efficient process.
Transparent assignment design enhances every step of this process, making expectations clear and accessible to all students. This not only supports equity but also empowers students to fully engage with peer review as a valuable learning activity.
Have you used peer review in your course? Share your experiences and insights in the comments! If you’re new to peer review, consider trying a small activity in your next course and building from there. For additional support, reach out to the Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation!

Resources:

Transparent Assignment Design, Transparent Grading
Generic Peer Review Assignment Examples
46 Peer Review-Related Learning Objectives

 
 

 

 










 
Introduction
Academic integrity is critical in any teaching and learning environment, but with the move to more frequent online learning, this conversation becomes more important because of increased concern with student dishonesty on assessments, particularly exams. In this lesson, we will discuss how to promote a climate of academic integrity within your classroom. We will first examine factors that motivate students to cheat in courses. After that, we will examine strategies for minimizing academic dishonesty.
Why Students Cheat
Research shows that both students and faculty believe that cheating is more prevalent in online learning compared to face-to-face. However, many studies indicate this is not true and that cheating is no more common online than in person. Let’s examine some of the common reasons students turn to academic dishonest behaviors.
Many students enter courses with extrinsic motivation to succeed, meaning they are focused only on the end grade result and not the actual process of learning. When students tie their classroom goals to only a grade, they often view exams as not being valuable outside of a way to achieve a 4.0. Combine this view of assessments with the fact that grade competition is common, and the scenario for cheating becomes more attractive. For example, over half of medical school applicants will be denied admission, and admission prioritizes GPA, so grades are frequently a driving motivator for pre-med students.
Exam structure can also affect the likelihood of academic misconduct. When exams are high stakes, meaning they account for a significant percentage of the final grade, or cover a considerable amount of material, students are more likely to use dishonest behavior.
Student characteristics also play a role. Students may have test anxiety, preventing them from succeeding, so they rely on cheating. Students may also hold beliefs that the exams or the instructor are unfair, and so they see the effort they would put into studying as worthless. Finally, students may simply be unprepared for the exams.
There are also reasons related to academic integrity itself. An important issue discovered in integrity research is that there is a disconnect between faculty and student perceptions of what actions constitute cheating. Students will admit to dishonest behaviors, for example, asking a friend for their opinion on a question, but also claim they did not cheat, and that is because they do not view these actions as cheating. Research has also shown that students are more likely to cheat if they believe the consequences of being caught are minor.
Context Matters!
As we discuss these common reasons why students cheat, it is important to recognize that Spring 2020 was not a good example of online learning, student anxiety, or integrity. There was a significant increase in the number of faculty and student complaints regarding academic misconduct in the classroom, but the switch to emergency remote learning was challenging for everyone, and student actions in spring are not indicative of typical online learning experiences.
Strategies
Integrity Considerations
Managing discussions surrounding academic integrity can occur right at the beginning of the semester. When you inform students of the grading scale and exam dates, also mention the importance of academic integrity. Practicing integrity as a student is important for ethical practices in other courses and after graduation. Remind students about integrity expectations, particularly at the time of each exam or assessment.
Be transparent with your expectations. Define the behaviors you consider to be examples of academic dishonesty. If collaboration is allowed on some but not all assignments, make sure students understand those instructions. Likewise, explain to students the consequences of academic misconduct in your class, such as penalty grades and submission of an Academic Dishonesty Report.
Finally, have student sign an honor code or the Spartan Academic Pledge at the beginning of every assessment. Honor codes have been shown to decrease cheating particularly when they are used in a classroom or institution that promotes and values academic integrity.
Extrinsic Motivators
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an instructional framework that attempts to minimize barriers to allow for a diverse group of learners to all be successful in the classroom. One of the three main components of UDL is increasing student engagement in the course, which can result in an increase in intrinsic motivation and a decrease in extrinsic motivation.
Students are more likely to be engaged with content when they feel that the learning is valuable to their goals. By writing clear learning objectives for the course and having those objectives be relevant to student interests, it increases student participation and buy-in. This does not mean course content must only be limited to content students choose; it means by presenting the content chosen by the instructor as being valuable, students will become more motivated to participate. Explicitly explaining how the content of your course increases future success in another course or in a career path can motivate students that might not have seen those connections on their own. When students understand the broader purpose of a course or assessment, they are also less likely to complain about the work being unfair.
Integrating reflective or metacognitive assignments during the semester can also mitigate the effects of external motivators. These assignments allow students to think about their individual process of learning and can move focus away from getting a specific grade. Reflective work can help students self-assess their effort, determination, and persistence, and help them gain a growth mindset, which views errors and failures as learning opportunities.
Exam Structure & Student Considerations
There are multiple approaches that an instructor can take when managing exam structure, and some of these amendments can alleviate concerns related to the student characteristics as well.
Decreasing the amount of content that is covered on an exam and increasing the frequency of assessments can turn high stakes, high anxiety testing into something viewed as more manageable by the student. Additionally, deciding to make exams open book or collaborative will level the playing field for students since this removes some of the more traditional forms of academic dishonesty.
Allowing materials or collaboration, though, is more successful when exam questions are written to assess critical thinking or other higher-level skills. It is possible to write multiple choice questions that test problem solving. When this is accomplished, explaining how the assessment aligns with course learning goals and is relevant to student learning can help obtain student buy-in, which decreases the prevalence of cheating.
There are also ways to use D2L exam tools to reduce academic dishonesty during exams. Options such as selecting questions from a larger pool, randomizing questions and showing only one per page, and determining the appropriate amount of time for a student to complete the exam but not have extended time remain can take away opportunities for cheating.
Finally, scaffolding learning in the classroom with appropriate formative assessments provides students with opportunities for practicing skills and learning content. These activities will help students feel prepared when it is time for the assessment.
Conclusion
It should be noted that none of these strategies are guaranteed to stop cheating in the classroom. However, integrating these practices into your curriculum can decrease the likelihood of academic dishonesty. All decisions regarding assessment and integrity must weigh the risk of cheating with the overall effect on the course. The actions suggested here have been shown to decrease academic misconduct while also being equitable and creating a valuable educational environment.




 

 

 

 

Beyond Academe provides information for historians exploring career options outside of the academy.

Jon Harrison, Social Sciences Collections Coordinator for MSU Libraries, collects an extensive list of resources related to securing funds in academic settings across all disciplines.

Below is a list of resources that promote student success. All links provided are direct links (ONE CLICK) connecting you to contact information or an educator who can respond to your questions and/or help your students who need academic help. Thank you for helping our students achieve their goals.
Academic Advising
For students in a particular college or department:

Agriculture and Natural Resources
Arts and Letters
Broad College of Business
Hospitality Business
Communication Arts and Sciences
Education
Engineering
Music: Please click on Associate Deans’ Offices; contact Talitha Wimberly, Director of Undergraduate Student Affairs
Natural Science
Nursing
Social Science
Veterinary Medicine

For students in a residential college:

James Madison
Lyman Briggs
Residential College in the Arts and Humanities (RCAH)

For students selected to be in the Honors College:

Honors College

For students who have not yet selected a major [Exploratory Major preference]; usually first year students or sophomores):

University Advising 

For students in an ROTC Program

Air Force
Military Science

Help Rooms
Business Courses for Students in Multicultural Business Programs Please click on the link and contact Ed Tillet, Director Multicultural Business Programs/ Darrell King, Sr. Associate Director/ Anne Crain, Academic Advisor and Program Coordinator
Accounting 201 & 202
Economics 201 & 202
Math 103, MTH 103A, & MTH 103B
Statistics 200
CSE 102
 
Help Rooms Housed in the College of Natural Science
Help Rooms Housed in the College of Social Science
James Madison Writing Consultancy (MC 201)    
Music Theory Learning Center (MTLC)  
Packaging Help Room
Veterinary Medicine
Other Academic Support  
Collaborative Learning Center: For students wanting to develop their academic skills [study skills, note taking, time management, etc.] and for students interested in becoming peer educators
CoRe Experience [Cornerstone Engineering Residential Experience]: All first-year engineering students are considered part of CoRe where they engage in academic [i.e., tutoring, advising] and co-curricular activities; some students choose to join a living-learning community in Wilson or Wonders Halls
English Language Center: For international students needing to improve their English language skills before beginning their academic course work
ESL Writing Lab:  For international students seeking help with course assignments i.e., reading comprehension, writing, etc. 
Writing Center: For students seeking assistance with brainstorming, writing, making multimodal projects, and interpreting writing assignments