Academic Integrity now consists of six fundamental pillars: Honesty, Trust, Fairness, Respect, Responsibility, and Courage. We have discussed the first four in previous blog posts and will now discuss how they culminate in responsibility and courage. Just like the previous values, these are not just what we should expect from our students, but what we should display as faculty as well. We have a responsibility to our students to provide them with the knowledge and skills to be successful in their education and future career. We need to have courage to think outside the box and go the extra mile to make this happen. When we demonstrate this dedication to our students, they will reward us with the same.
When the Medical Assistant program at Jackson College in Jackson, MI had to go online, the faculty were at a loss as to what to do with the numerous lab skills the students needed to learn to meet program accreditation requirements. Fortunately, the MA Program had implemented Crossbraining a few months prior, so put it fully into action.
Whether you are teaching fully online in Winter semester or you are able to hold limited face to face labs, it is time to start getting prepared. Planning is key to ensuring your students not only learn the material presented, but are engaged in a remote environment. Here are some tips to get you started.
Previously, we discussed Honesty and Trust, which must be reciprocal in an effective learning environment. But Academic Integrity doesn’t just encompass the actions and behaviors of the student. Faculty must also adhere to the fundamental values of Academic Integrity in their classroom to assist in the success of their students. This is done by setting clear expectations, incorporating impartial grading procedures, and providing students with the ability to demonstrate their knowledge in multiple modalities. “Fair, accurate and impartial evaluation plays an important role in educational processes, and fairness with respect to grading and assessment is essential to the establishment of trust between faculty and students,” states the International Center for Academic Integrity.1 Additionally, not all students learn the same way, so it is important that we as educators provide them with the opportunities to learn and demonstrate their knowledge with various methods. This differentiation allows the instructor to provide ways to learn that align with students’ readiness, interests, and learning preferences.2
Last week we discussed the pillar of Honesty in Academic Integrity. The ICAI states, “When honesty if established as a value it allows for and encourages the development of trust.”1 This week we will be discovering how trust can provide a platform for your students to flourish in their learning. Initially, when we think about trust, the first thing that comes to mind somewhat relates to our last discussion on honesty. Do I trust my students? Are they honest in their academic pursuits? But that isn’t the true basis for trust in the classroom. Instead, it is about the student trusting us as educators. Only by creating an environment of trust can we build a foundation in which students are able to learn and grow.
This blog series will be discussing academic integrity and what we as educators can do to ensure academic integrity in our classroom, both in face-to-face and remote learning environments. The International Center for Academic Integrity (ICAI) refers to five pillars or fundamental values in relation to academic integrity. They are: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility1. The Center recently added a sixth value, which is the quality of courage. Each post will provide an in-depth look at each fundamental value and how this applies to our courses and programs.
You’ve got your semester planned out and labs ready to go. Students are registered and looking forward to getting into labs and getting that hands-on experience, when overnight, you are told that all classes have to be put online... and your heart stops. Students need to be able to perform skills and as an instructor, you need to be able to effectively assess their progress. Labs cannot be taught online.
As institutions have shifted to online learning – whether by choice or not – Inside Higher Ed has collected some data on the pitfalls of online education during the pivot. The top three concerns? Engagement, feedback, and access.
There’s something about seeing yourself on camera. And according to research it can help you improve your performance. As educators look for better ways to assess skills, research like this offers actionable insight.