Dealing with Academic Integrity Violations - TA Training Please - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

• Dr. Emad Jassim

Assistant Dean - College of Engineering - 206 Engineering Hall – jassim@Illinois.edu TA Training 9-13-2019 Thank you Dr. Marie-Christine Brunet for use/modify slides

Dealing with Academic Integrity Violations - TA Training

Please form a group of 4 people

The Scenario. (from Dr. Johnson)

It is late December and you are grading lab reports for a class of seniors who are about to

• graduate. You find two nearly-identical lab

reports, but students are supposed to write their own reports. One of the students has been accused of a similar infraction earlier in the semester. What will you do? Will you report it? Why or why not? Discuss with your colleagues sitting near you.

Dealing with Academic Integrity violations can be complex

Who handles what? Violations Information and Guidelines Prevention

What is Academic Integrity?

It is the ethical policy of academia Having integrity in academia means abiding by principles set by the institution

What behaviors are considered violations of academic integrity?

A student submits work for a grade with their name on it, but it contains other’s work. … that is not all though..

TRUE OR FALSE? Please vote There are no common written rules about Academic Integrity (we follow “common sense”)

FALSE!

But not at every institution

What should I do when I find a student cheating?

https://studentcode.illinois.edu/article1/part4/1-401/

It contains Rules But also your Rights as a student!

The Student Code is the governing document in terms of Academic Integrity

http://studentcode.Illinois.edu

✓ Cheating ✓ Plagiarism ✓ Fabrication ✓ Facilitating ✓ Bribes, Favors, and Threats ✓ Academic Interference

The Student Code defines what constitutes a Violation of Academic Integrity

• Any sanction discussed and agreed to
• Written warning
• Educational sanctions
• Reduced grade - on assignment
• Failing/zero grade - on assignment
• Reduced grade - in course
• Denial of credit – in proficiency exam
• Failing grade - in course

Sanctions are decided in proportion to the severity of the violation

Sanctions are decided in proportion to the severity of the violation

CASE STUDY 1 A student in your class did a rather minor violation: Define “minor” violation (give an example) CASE STUDY 2 A student in your class did a rather major violation: Define “major” violation (give an example)

TRUE OR FALSE? Please vote TAs are responsible for maintaining Academic Integrity on Campus

The Student Code defines who is in charge

• f Academic Integrity

TRUE and FALSE!?

Everybody is responsible! TAs, Instructors and Students

There are many things you can leave up to the instructor of the class

• How to make an accurate judgement of cheating?
• What is the best way to catch/prove cheating

when all homework is done online through automated programs?

• How to detect when people copied each other's

code (for a computer science class)?

• What is the line between citation and plagiarism?

There is no “Instructor Code”….

https://provost.illinois.edu/policies/policies/academic-integrity/students-quick-reference-guide-to-academic-integrity/ https://provost.illinois.edu/policies/policies/academic-integrity/instructors-quick-reference-guide-to-academic-integrity/

Two Quick Reference Guides

stage2planning.com

Every Case is Unique Consult Instructor or Associate Head if questions

Everyone is responsible for maintaining Academic Integrity on Campus

Past TA’s have had questions on how to prevent academic integrity violations

• How to scare/discourage the students from

cheating in the first place?

• Students can see my computer screen containing

homework solution during office hours. Is that a problem?

• Is there any way that we can discourage

students from copying other students' Lab reports/HW?

Expectations should be spelled out and clearly communicated

INSTRUCTOR: clear expectations on the syllabus TA: Reinforce syllabus and let them know that you are checking and must report suspicious activity. Communicate with instructor if unsure

• How to scare/discourage the students from

cheating in the first place? It is a best practice to give different homework/exam problems to prevent violations

TRUE OR FALSE? Vote If someone cheats, a TA may assign a Sanction “on the spot” TAs and Instructors must follow the process described in the Student Code

FALSE!

What to do when I find a student cheating?

The Student Code clearly defines the process

• If suspicious activity is
• bserved your role as

a TA is to forward information to the instructor

The FAIR WebApp implements the process in compliance with the Student Code

Student responds Instructor enters Allegation Instructor enters Finding/Sanction Facts Finding

my.engr.illinois.edu/FAIR

Faculty Academic Integrity Report

FAIR allows TAs to document incidents for the instructor of the class

Your role as a TA is to forward information to the instructor

Student responds Instructor enters Allegation Instructor enters Finding/Sanction Facts Finding

my.engr.illinois.edu/FAIR

This is a recent feature of FAIR

It sends an email with a link to the instructor (NOT to the student)

There are many things you can leave up to the instructor of the class as discussed

✓ You inform the instructor of what was observed ✓ The instructor makes the call ✓ You do NOT make judgement….

How does our institution deal with multiple

• ffenders?
• What to do about repeated cases of plagiarism?
• How should a first case of assignment plagiarism

be treated ? Let off with a warning or strict action ? All infractions are reported to the Senate Committee on Student Discipline (SCSD)

TRUE OR FALSE? You witnessed a student cheating: is it ok to email the student “you cheated”?

bubblews.com

NOT OK!

How to handle students and situations?

• What is a good way to approach the student in

case he/she is involved in plagiarism?

A student may have “committed an infraction” please do not use “guilty” A “sanction” will be decided please do not use “punishment”

There is a specific verbiage defined by the Student Code

The instructor will alert the student of an “alleged violation”

CASE STUDY 1 A cheating student begs you not to report a violation: what do you do? CASE STUDY 2 A cheating student gets very upset at you: what do you do?

How to handle students and situations? …continued

CASE STUDY 1 You witness a student cheating on an exam: what should do you do? CASE STUDY 2 You see two students copying each other's homework during office hour: what should you do? It is best practice to collect evidence to document a case

How to handle students and situations? …continued

The Scenario. (from Dr. Johnson)

It is late December and you are grading lab reports for a class of seniors who are about to

• graduate. You find two nearly-identical lab

reports, but students are supposed to write their own reports. One of the students has been accused of a similar infraction earlier in the semester. What will you do? Will you report it? Why or why not?

In summary

It is best practice to address/handle/check academic integrity early in the semester

• Communicate expectations from syllabus and

let them know that you are checking and must report suspicious activity to instructor!

• Grade early and check possible academic

integrity violations along the way

• Address violations in a timely manner

In summary

Let us all work to protect the integrity/value of engineering degrees….

• Report Academic Integrity violations to

the instructor

• Follow the Student Code in all situations
• Use the FAIR system!

fair@engr.Illinois.edu

I am sure we will NOT have to go through the next slides, but I want to make sure to provide some important information to help you face situations you may encounter…

What should you do? The student appeals to you: what do you do?

Responsibilities and consequences

The Student Code precisely defines the handling of Appeals: The instructor’s decision is not final: the student has the right to appeal and a hearing must be held if they do so and follow instructions)

Student must appeal to dept/coll (depending on Sanction) within 5 business days- not to the TA or instructor

TRUE OR FALSE? An “accused” student decides to appeal:

• 1. TAs may be asked to take side in the case
• 2. TAs can get wrapped in legal proceedings

Responsibilities and consequences

BOTH FALSE!

Hearings are held at the department or the college level and TAs are typically not involved

Student appeals Student responds Instructor enters Allegation Instructor enters Finding/Sanction Facts Finding

The Hearing Committee consists of two faculty and one student NOT the instructor NOT the TA

TRUE OR FALSE? Students who cheats may be dismissed from the university

The Student Code addresses the handling

• f multiple violations

TRUE!

For very serious violations an instructor may recommend dismissal, but she/he does not decide (SCSD does)

Year Dismissal (campus) All cases LAS All cases ENG 2009-10 2 ? 171 2010-11 1 ? 232 2011-12 2 45 (paper) 217 2012-13 5 53 (paper) 234 2013-14 1 294 (FAIR) 305 2014-15 2 205 299 2015-16 3 183 283 http://conflictresolution.illinois.edu/resources/annual-reports/

Cases are reported to the Senate Committee

• n Student Discipline

SCSD may apply additional sanctions in case of multiple violations