Reading these two articles was both an enlightening and confirming experience. I learned about some very important factors that play into cheating on college campuses as well as realizing a few things about WashU. I would like to note here that though the articles made no mention of any particular schools, I still learned quite a bit about the dynamics of our WashU community in terms of cheating.
“Ten Years of Cheating” deems a culture that encourages academic integrity as the most appropriate prevention of cheating. Yes, we have an honor code, but how often is it explicitly pointed out by faculty and students? How often do we have in-class lessons or applications of this policy? In my experience here, very little. In most of my classes, teachers have taken care to include the academic integrity policy within their syllabi, but they cast aside that paragraph under the heading “University Policies,” presumably thinking that their students are familiar with it already. However, as “Degrees of Cheating” argues, students have differing opinions about cheating and its consequences. Some base their cheating on the fact that their peers do it, others feel that the faculty has little to no control over their actions, students want to “level the playing field” (McCabe, Treviño, Butterfield 220), etc. I agree with the evaluation made by “Ten Years of Cheating:” universities should strive toward creating ethical communities, handing over more responsibility to students in relation to academic integrity, and making a consistent effort to enforce communication among students and faculty. We must work to make this “largely unaddressed problem” (Weldy 1) one of great importance, for the continuation of this practice greatly hurts the university but more importantly hurts the moral standing of its students.
I definitely agree that WashU could do more to emphasize the importance of academic integrity besides simply including the policy in many course syllabi. I especially think that teachers could do a better job of enforcing and continually mentioning the academic integrity policy. Moreover, I likewise believed that we had an honor code until last class I was informed otherwise. Do you think that we should get an honor code?
ReplyDeleteWhile the research is mixed on whether honor codes reduce cheating, I like the idea of an honor code. Because if implemented effectively, an honor code clearly communicates the expectations of all members of the community. In class and on the blog, many of you expressed ah lack of understanding and communication about Washington U's academic integrity policy. Perhaps an honor code would create a framework for clear expectations communicated on a consistent basis.
ReplyDeleteWhat do the rest of you think? Do you want an honor code and do you think it would foster a more ethical environment?
I think an honor code might be helpful, even if just to establish an ethical environment and to foster a community based on honor and individual responsibility. We already have a tight-knit community, and adding an honor code would just increase the ability for students to depend on each other and to trust each other. We have a relatively cooperative environment, and an honor code would only emphasize that.
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