What is academic integrity? Why is it important to understand? As we continue to learn and adapt to new changes, students are balancing new elements in their academic lives which can be immensely overwhelming. It’s important to think of how we can do this in the best way possible. In our #LearnWithIntegrity Campaign, we explored these themes for students by developing a visual campaign accessible for all, to help students learn and understand the meaning behind academic integrity.
Our Design Thinking Process for #LearnWithIntegrity
The Academic Integrity & Communications Teams at the iHub have been working closely together to better understand what students may or may not know about academic integrity. After conducting secondary research and hearing student perspectives on this topic, our teams decided to emphasize two main messages:
1) Providing Help & Resources
Encouraging students to ask for help and use available resources rather than committing an academic offence.
2) What is Academic Integrity?
Giving examples of academic honesty vs dishonesty in our everyday work to clarify common misconceptions students may have.
By using powerful messaging, we hope students can use this as a teaching moment to help support them in their educational journeys.
Providing Help & Resources
In our first overarching theme we explore how it’s okay to reach out for support to ensure we are all learning with integrity. This piece of our campaign aims to be empowering so that students take advantage of the academic resources that exist at UofT, and to avoid exam-related stress especially within an online environment. Whether it be emailing your instructor, connecting with the writing centre or utilizing UofT libraries, these resources are strictly available to students for the sole reason of supporting students in their academic journey. If students are paying for these resources, why not use them?
What is Academic Integrity?
Academic Integrity might be a term mentioned in a student’s syllabus or in the first day of classes, but how does it look in action? In this portion of the campaign, our team explored how some students aren’t entirely sure of what academic integrity truly means. To clarify this concept better, we’ve provided examples of what academic integrity does and doesn’t look like. For instance, students should be aware that collaborative work is an integral part of learning for most students. However, collaborating by sharing answers, copying a student’s work, messaging during an exam, are all forms of academic dishonesty
A whirlwind of challenges emerged once shifting to an online classroom environment, but no matter how courses are being delivered, academic integrity still applies. The validity of our education is contingent on students engaging in honest work. We hope students feel encouraged to make well-informed decisions this academic year through the #LearnWithIntegrity campaign.
To learn more about academic integrity and strategies to avoid committing misconduct, we encourage you to visit Academic Integrity at UofT. Be sure to keep an eye out for our #LearnWithIntegrity campaign, which is coming soon to a social media platform near you.
Very well written! I look forward to reading more of your blogs.