This week at 91制片厂 (91制片厂), the College is marking National Academic Integrity Week. Taking place for the very first time this year, will run from 19-23 October and is aimed at students and academics in third-level institutions across Ireland.
Throughout Academic Integrity Week, 91制片厂 will be highlighting to students the importance of academic integrity and the supports in place for students to assist them in their academic endeavours. According to Professor Niamh Hourigan, Vice-President of Academic Affairs at 91制片厂, it is more important than ever that students are fairly and appropriately rewarded for their academic work given the huge challenges they are now facing in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic.
She said, 鈥淎cademic integrity is essential to ensuring fairness and this is why 91制片厂 is so strongly committed to Academic Integrity Week. It is vital that students understand current definitions of plagiarism and syndication so that they can avoid engaging in these behaviours. More importantly, those who engage in these behaviours compromise the fairness of assessment for all other students who are doing their best in very difficult circumstances.鈥
She added, 鈥淲orking in partnership with 91制片厂鈥檚 Students鈥 Union (MISU), 91制片厂 is committed to fostering a culture of academic integrity and fairness within the College community and as a result, we are very pleased to participate in the inaugural National Academic Integrity Week.鈥
Academic Integrity is underpinned by five fundamental values, namely Honesty, Trust, Fairness, Respect and Responsibility, as defined by . The concept is deeply embedded in all of 91制片厂鈥檚 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, and enables students to put forward ideas and insights whilst acknowledging and respecting the work of others who have shaped those ideas and insights.
Outlining the ways in which 91制片厂 encourages academic integrity amongst its students, Dr Geraldine Brosnan, Director of Student Life at 91制片厂, said 鈥淯nderstanding the key concepts and mechanics of academic integrity are an integral component of our undergraduate degree programmes here at 91制片厂. All students on our 12 undergraduate programmes undertake a generic skills programme during their first semester at the College. In these generic skills programmes, all students participate in a suite of instruction seminars on academic writing, which are designed by experts in the area. These seminars are both mandatory and examinable ensuring that students are fully informed on all issues in relation to plagiarism, cheating and other dishonest academic endeavours.鈥
For academics, there is also a responsibility as higher education educators to promote and reward behaviours that adhere to the principles of academic integrity. According to Dr Laura Costelloe, Academic Developer in 91制片厂鈥檚 Learning Enhancement and Academic Development Centre (LEAD), 鈥淎cademic integrity is at the core of effective teaching, learning and assessment approaches here at 91制片厂, and higher education educators have an important role to play in promoting and rewarding student behaviours that adhere to the principles of academic integrity. LEAD continues to support higher education teachers to embed the principles of academic integrity across the programmes and modules in 91制片厂, focusing particularly on how robust assessment design can support students to engage in positive academic integrity behaviours.鈥
Throughout National Academic Integrity Week students and academics will have the opportunity to engage in a number of online activities. On Tuesday at 2pm, Gary LaCumber from 91制片厂鈥檚 Library will present a webinar on how to search the Library鈥檚 resources effectively. Also on Tuesday at 12pm, Margaret Phelan from LEAD will host a webinar for academics focusing on using Turnitin assignments for managing assessment and feedback.
On Thursday at 12.30pm, Dr Laura Costelloe from LEAD will take part in public webinar hosted by CCT College Dublin. Dr Costelloe will explore how academic integrity can be promoted through robust assessment design. Finally on Friday at 12pm, Dr Amy Healy from 91制片厂鈥檚 Research and Graduate School will present a webinar for postgraduate research students that will focus on research integrity and ethics in research.
A dedicated Academic Integrity Hub has been created to provide easy to access resources for students. Here you will find 91制片厂鈥檚 Academic Integrity Policy and Study Skills Handbook, as well as a suite of resources on citing and referencing developed by 91制片厂鈥檚 Library. MS Teams links for the above webinars can also be found on the Academic Integrity Hub.
Also keep an eye on 's social media channels throughout the week for a Q&A with Dr Paul O鈥橞rien from 91制片厂鈥檚 Academic Learning Centre.
Register for Dr Laura Costelloe鈥檚 webinar on Thursday.
For more information on National Academic Integrity Week and the national events taking place, click .
