Academic Integrity: a pilot for a compulsory module for all new starters at York St John University - Clare McCluskey & Victoria Watt

1. Academic Integrity: A pilot for a compulsory module for all new starters Clare McCluskey, Victoria Watt LILAC, Newcastle University 10 April 2015
2. Background • Request from Academic Integrity Working Group • Aim: to ensure all students were prepared about basics • Influenced by work at Bradford University • Pilot with BHSc(Hons) Physiotherapy
3. The module Lego Classroom of the Future by James F. Clay. https://flic.kr/p/bioYTD Used under CC BY-NC 2.0 Stormtroopers Training: Theory by Pedro Vezini. https://flic.kr/p/9iCMCB Used under CC-BY-NC-SA 2.0 Lego on Facebook by amarols. https://flic.kr/p/bfPoXX Used under CC-BY-NC-SA 2.0
4. The pilot Test Well by Doran. https://flic.kr/p/bVHUm Used under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
5. What next? upstairs by josef.stuefer. https://flic.kr/p/buzsBb Used under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
6. Any questions? • Clare McCluskey, Academic Liaison Librarian – c.mccluskey@yorksj.ac.uk – @librarygirl79 • Victoria Watt, Academic Services Manager – v.watt@yorksj.ac.uk

Editor's Notes

Based on existing content from SMILE, hosted in Moodle
Made up of various content types – videos, formative quizzes, examples, case studies…
Focus on wider issues of academic integrity, not just referencing
3 main areas – avoiding plagiarism, collusion, self-plagiarism
Module designed to be taken in accordance with wishes of HoP, adaptable for workshop or SOL
Once module has been completed, assessment to be taken
15 questions, 2 parts
Need 100% in part one
Need 70% in part two
If assessment not passed, referred to workshop with ALL
Academic contact requested module be taken in a workshop setting
1.5 hours set aside for module and assessment completion
Short presentation to introduce
Pass rate of just 68% on first attempt, so second attempt allowed in own time, raised to 92%
Seemed to be case that many rushed through the module, leaving after just 10 minutes – thought they knew it all? Competitive?

Analysis of answers – where were they ok?
Ensuring due credit was given when quotations were used from other sources.
Ensuring that collusion did not take place.
Understanding that plagiarism is not just an issue in HE and not only for the duration of their course.
Referencing written sources, including lecture notes and data tables.
That paraphrasing is more than changing a couple of words.
Common knowledge versus citable sources.
That not knowing how to reference something/forgetting to reference is not an acceptable excuse for plagiarism.

Where were they struggling?
The need to reference after paraphrasing.
The need to reference images and also ensure they are cleared for re-use in terms of copyright.
The problems associated with trying to submit the same content for multiple assignments (self-plagiarism).
The difference between quotation and citation.
The difference between failing to follow specific referencing rules to the letter, but including all required information to give due credit, and plagiarism.
Recommendations
Academic Services Team to review content of taught module in response to issues identified in this report.
Remove video content.
Ensure the content linking to the areas identified as gaps in knowledge is signposted better.
Continue to ensure any new questions included in the assessment are mapped to content in the module.
Two attempts at the assessment should be allowed.
Heads of Programme should be allowed to decide how the module is to be delivered and the assessment taken.
Revise the presentation to be used if the assessment is to take place in a workshop environment, to further labour point that this is not an assessment to fear, rather it is to ensure students are prepared for their assessments.
Questions to consider
If this is scaled up, whose responsibility will it be to check on the results and communicate with the students?
What time-scale should be recommended to programmes for their students to complete?
Recommendations
Academic Services Team to review content of taught module in response to issues identified in this report.
Remove video content.
Ensure the content linking to the areas identified as gaps in knowledge is signposted better.
Continue to ensure any new questions included in the assessment are mapped to content in the module.
Two attempts at the assessment should be allowed.
Heads of Programme should be allowed to decide how the module is to be delivered and the assessment taken.
Revise the presentation to be used if the assessment is to take place in a workshop environment, to further labour point that this is not an assessment to fear, rather it is to ensure students are prepared for their assessments.
Questions to consider
If this is scaled up, whose responsibility will it be to check on the results and communicate with the students?
What time-scale should be recommended to programmes for their students to complete?

Academic Integrity: a pilot for a compulsory module for all new starters at York St John University - Clare McCluskey & Victoria Watt

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Academic Integrity: a pilot for a compulsory module for all new starters at York St John University - Clare McCluskey & Victoria Watt

Editor's Notes