4.2 Supporting and Managing Student Academic Integrity

According to the International Center for Academic Integrity (ICAI), academic integrity involves maintaining honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility in all academic activities within higher education. It ensures that students’ work is their own and assessed based on their abilities and understanding. In the context of AI, academic integrity means using AI tools ethically and transparently without misrepresenting one’s work (ICAI, 2021).

Academic Integrity and AI

Sarah Eaton emphasizes the critical role of academic integrity in the evolving landscape of higher education, particularly with the advent of AI technologies. She argues that academic integrity is foundational to the trust and credibility of educational institutions. As AI technologies, particularly generative AI like Copilot, become more integrated into education, it is crucial to address how they impact academic integrity. Eaton highlights the transformative impact of AI on our understanding of academic integrity. She notes that AI’s capabilities necessitate rethinking traditional notions of integrity to exclude and include AI (Eaton, 2023). Academic integrity is created by a classroom culture in which everyone acts with respect, fairness, and trust. This includes upholding our expectations of students and what provincial legislation and college policy expect of us.

While educators are thinking about how AI fits within an academic integrity culture, AI is also changing that culture. Eaton proposes that the concept of academic integrity is itself changed by AI, which she describes as post-plagiarism: “Postplagiarism refers to an era in human society in which advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence and neurotechnology, including brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), are a normal part of life, including how we teach, learn, and interact daily.” (Eaton, 2023).

Strategies to Support Academic Integrity in Your Classroom

Set Clear Expectations on AI Use

Clearly outline what is acceptable and unacceptable regarding AI use in assignments. Explain your reasoning behind the permissions and ensure students understand the rules and consequences of violations. Regularly discuss academic integrity and encourage students to ask questions about AI use to clear up any uncertainties. Use an AI Statement of Use document in your course to provide written expectations you can refer to.

Support and Guide AI Use

Create a supportive environment where students feel comfortable discussing their use of AI and seeking help. Provide clear instructions on how AI can be used in assignments, specify which parts should be done independently, and require students to document and reflect on their AI use for transparency.

Model appropriate academic integrity practices, including citing and referencing the creative works of others in all learning materials (including where AI is used).

Foster a Culture of Academic Integrity

Promote a classroom culture that values academic honesty through regular discussions about integrity and the consequences of violations. Encourage students to raise any uncertainties about AI use and emphasize transparency in their work.

Schedule Regular Student Check-Ins and Feedback Opportunities.

Schedule regular check-ins with students to discuss their progress and any challenges they face. This can help identify potential academic integrity issues early on and support students.

Managing Potential Academic Integrity Violations

Handling Potential Violations

When academic integrity violations are suspected, it is essential to follow policy, be thorough, and be education-focused.

• Follow academic offence policies and procedures promptly (see the 3-3-3 model) to ensure fairness, transparency, and consistency for all students.
• Conduct thorough investigations before and during a short conversation with the student to understand the context and extent of the violation. Use detection software only as one piece of evidence, among others, and recognize its limitations.
• Focus on educating students about the importance of academic integrity and how to avoid future violations. Consider restorative practices that help students learn from their mistakes.

Using Turnitin and Communicating with Students

Teaching and Learning provides guidelines on Using Turnitin’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Checker and the Process Guide for Navigating Potential Academic Offenses (Faculty Learning Hub). Refer to these documents and the Academic Integrity office for communicating with students about results from Turnitin software.

They also provide three scenarios in which you may need to contact students to express concerns about suspected non-permissible use of AI. See Email Templates Responding to Suspected Student Use of Generative AI. Adapt this message to your specific context, referring explicitly to your AI Statement of Use.

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