Enhancing academic integrity through quality assurance

McKenzie, Amanda

Enhancing academic integrity through quality assurance

dc.contributor.author	McKenzie, Amanda
dc.date.accessioned	2019-05-06T15:21:19Z
dc.date.available	2019-05-06T15:21:19Z
dc.date.issued	2019-04-18
dc.description.abstract	Quality assurance and academic integrity are intertwined, and you cannot have one without the other. Academic integrity (AI) issues are a constant threat to the quality of Canadian academic programs, degrees, and educational institutions, and it has been an on-going challenge to maintain and promote AI in higher education. However, it is rarely acknowledged that AI is embedded in our national degree standards. Therefore, Canadian universities can and should leverage this connection in their academic program reviews (i.e., quality assurance process). This will lead to better support for AI initiatives and it will hold programs accountable for efforts in this area. Moreover, embedding academic integrity in academic program reviews ensures that AI will be regularly examined approximately every 8 years. It also reinforces the importance of AI, and helps protect the credibility of academia. Breaches of integrity chip away at the foundation of academia and it puts the credibility of higher education at risk. In particular, here are two main concerns involving students: 1) the potential for students to graduate without having the required degree competencies, and 2) the possibility that students who engaged in academic misconduct in school might engage in this behaviour in their career. From a job readiness perspective, students who have not earned or demonstrated their degree qualifications will not be prepared to contribute to their field; moreover, they can also pose a danger to others (IIEP-UNESCO, 2016; ICAI, 2016). In addition, research indicates that students who engaged in academic misconduct may be more inclined to act with misconduct in their careers (Denisova-Schmidt, 2018; IIEP-UNESCO, 2016). Maintaining integrity in higher education is key to preparing students as social and civically-responsible members of society (International Center for Academic Integrity, 2014, pg. 15). According to an advisory statement released by the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2016, “corruption in higher education has a high cost to society” (p. 2), and “...quality assurance systems must take a leading role in this battle” (p. 1). Promoting and maintaining AI in higher education is a constant challenge that many institutions struggle with. However, there is a little-known fact that can assist educational institutions: academic integrity is embedded in our national degree standards under the section of Professional Capacity/Autonomy (Council of Ministers of Education, 2007). Canadian universities can and should leverage this connection in their academic program reviews (i.e., quality assurance process). Emphasis on academic integrity could be raised by ensuring that program reviews explicitly address AI. This reinforces the importance of AI and encourages programs to develop initiatives that promote academic integrity. Enhancing attention on academic integrity in all academic program reviews at universities across Canada would help solidify students, instructors, staff and administration’s understanding of AI, and its place as the foundation for academia and maintaining the quality of our degrees.	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	McKenzie, A. (2019). Enhancing academic integrity through quality assurance. 1-22.	en_US
dc.identifier.doi	http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/36472
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/1880/110296
dc.language.iso	eng	en_US
dc.publisher.faculty	Werklund School of Education	en_US
dc.publisher.institution	University of Calgary	en_US
dc.publisher.institution	University of Waterloo	en_US
dc.rights	Unless otherwise indicated, this material is protected by copyright and has been made available with authorization from the copyright owner. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.	en_US
dc.rights.uri	https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0	en_US
dc.subject	Canadian Symposium on Academic Integrity	en_US
dc.subject	academic integrity	en_US
dc.subject	Canada	en_US
dc.title	Enhancing academic integrity through quality assurance	en_US
dc.type	conference paper	en_US