Academic Integrity Policy

I. Rationale

As explained in the IB Academic Integrity policy, academic integrity is

“a guiding principle in education and a choice to act in a responsible way whereby others can have trust in us as individuals. It is the foundation for ethical decision-making and behaviour in the production of legitimate, authentic and honest scholarly work” (Academic Integrity Policy, 2019, p.3).

Ensuring academic integrity is essential to the learning process, and students are expected to uphold the highest standards of personal integrity. Academic integrity is more than just a concept; it should be deeply woven into the ethical foundation of every educational institution, from primary schools to universities. It requires collective commitment from the entire school community to prepare students for upholding integrity in their future academic and professional pursuits. Establishing a culture of academic integrity involves implementing school-wide strategies that integrate policies and promote good academic practices. Recognising its essential role in genuine knowledge acquisition across all IB programs is vital.

II. Philosophy

We believe that in various aspects of life, it’s common to use others’ ideas and creations, adapting them to create genuine work. However, younger learners may struggle with understanding intellectual property in today’s information-rich world. Therefore, the key is to teach them that using others’ work is okay, but integrity requires giving credit to the original author. In a supportive learning environment, students develop conscientiousness and become lifelong learners who act with integrity in all areas of life. At Romerike International School, we promote academic integrity aligned with the IB learner profile, which represents the IB’s mission translated into a set of learning outcomes for contemporary students. It also ties in with students’ advancement in self-management, research skills, and communication abilities.

We expect all our stakeholders to be:
• inquirers
❖ We nurture our curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research.
❖ We know how to learn independently and with others.
❖ We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning throughout life.

• principled
❖ We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and take responsible action on complex problems.
❖ We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.

• thinkers
❖ We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere.
❖ We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.

III. Purpose of this policy

The purpose of this policy is to support the IB’s educational goal to award reliable, fair and recognized outcomes to our students through valid assessments ensuring a common understanding of the IB’s academic integrity principle (IB Academic integrity policy, 2023). This document outlines the understanding of academic integrity and the related responsibilities and expectations of different stakeholders across the RIS. This policy also explains how incidents of student academic disintegrity and misconduct are managed.

IV. Understanding Academic Integrity and Honesty

In the Primary Years Programme, the attitudes advocated to support the development of integrity in an academic community are set out in The Learner and Learning and Teaching sections of PYP: From Principles to Practice (Primary Years Programme Learning and Teaching, 2018; Primary Years Programme the Learner, 2018).

Of these attitudes, confidence, independence, integrity, and respect are the qualities most important for developing values of personal academic integrity and need to be actively encouraged by teachers in the primary school.

Academic integrity in the PYP is developed through the Approaches to Learning, particularly the research skills and the sub-skill of ethical use of media/information, where students are expected to understand and apply social and ethical technology. In addition, the learner profile emphasizes being principled in our actions, which is also of primary importance to developing the practice of academic integrity.

While it is recognized that not all PYP learners engage in standardized assessment and/or examinations, the principle of academic integrity and its five fundamentals—honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility—apply to all elements of learning, teaching and assessment. These concepts are relevant to all members of the learning community. From an early age, learners can begin to construct an understanding of what these five fundamentals mean as they explore them through the programme elements, the units of inquiry, school events, the learning environment and their interactions with peers and the broader school community.

In the MYP, academic integrity is a guiding principle in education and a choice to act in a responsible way whereby others can have trust in us as individuals. It is the foundation for ethical decision-making and behaviour in the production of legitimate, authentic and honest scholarly work.

Academic honesty, on the other hand, is a principle informed by the attributes of the IB Learner Profile. As stated, all members of the IB community must strive to be “principled”, acting with “integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere” (MYP: From Principles into Practice, 2014, p.38).

Academic honesty must be seen as a set of values and skills that promote personal integrity and good practice in teaching, learning and assessment. It is influenced and shaped by a variety of factors including peer pressure, culture, parental expectations, role modelling and taught skills (Academic Honesty in the Middle Years Programme, n.d.).

Key Terms

Authenticity – “An authentic piece of work is based on the student’s individual and original ideas, with the ideas and work of others fully acknowledged. Therefore, all assignments for assessment, regardless of their format, must wholly and authentically use that student’s own language, expression and ideas. Where the ideas or work of another person are represented within a student’s work, whether in the form of direct quotation or paraphrase, the source(s) of those ideas or the work must be fully and appropriately acknowledged” (MYP: From principles into practice, 2014, p.77).

Collaboration – “Collaboration may be loosely defined as working together on a common aim with shared information, which is an open and cooperative behaviour that does not result in allowing one’s work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another” (MYP: From principles into practice, 2014, p.77).

Intellectual property – “The concept of intellectual property is potentially a difficult one for students to understand because there are many different forms of intellectual property rights, such as patents, registered designs, trademarks, moral rights and copyright. Students must at least be aware that forms of intellectual and creative expression (for example, works of literature, art or music) must be respected and are normally protected by law. By implementing measures to prevent plagiarism, schools are helping to combat illegal out-of-school activities (for example, illegal music downloads, peer-to-peer/P2P file sharing) for which students could face legal proceedings” (MYP: From principles into practice, 2014, p.77)

V. Understanding Academic Misconduct

The IB defines academic misconduct as behaviour that results in, or may result in, the student or any other student gaining an unfair advantage in one or more assessment components (MYP: From principles into practice, 2014, p.95).

At RIS, academic misconduct includes:

Cheating: When a student avails her/himself/themself of an unfair or disallowed advantage. This includes but is not limited to
● Theft of or unauthorized access to an exam, answer key or other graded work.
● Copying from the examination or work of another person or source.
● Using false statements to obtain additional time or other accommodation.
● Using any visual, oral, or electronic aid or assistance on an assessment without the teacher’s permission; aids include calculators, cell phones, notes, computer files, the internet, etc.
● Allowing another person to do your work. This includes parents, tutors, siblings or other students.
● Working with other students on any assignments without the teacher’s permission.
● Copying from another student or allowing someone else to copy from your work

Collusion: supporting misconduct by another student, as in allowing one’s work to be copied or submitted for assessment by someone else. Collusion occurs when a student uses fellow learners as an unattributed source. This includes but is not limited to
● Helping others to do any of the things mentioned in section V of this policy.
● Allowing other students to copy from their papers during any type of assessment.
● Providing information about test questions before an examination.
● Intentionally or knowingly helping, or attempting to help, another to commit any act of academic dishonesty.

Fabrication / Falsification of Data:
● Making up information and presenting it as facts.
● Listing/citing sources in a bibliography not used in an academic assignment.
● Inventing data or source information

Plagiarism: The use of work or concepts contributed by other individuals/sources, without proper attribution or citation. This includes but is not limited to
● Text, either written or spoken, quoted directly or paraphrased without proper citation.
● Submitting an assignment claiming to be the student’s original work, which has wholly or partly been created by another person.
● Presenting work, ideas, representations, or words of another person without customary and proper citation of sources.
● Submitting a paper, examination, or assignment that contains data or conclusions which, upon questioning, the student cannot explain, support, or demonstrate direct knowledge.
● Using photographs or other digital media without practising fair use.
● Paraphrasing of others’ work which contains specific information or ideas and which is not properly cited.

Unauthorized Assistance: The use of sources of support that have not been specifically authorized. This includes but is not limited to
● Collaboration on any assignment beyond the standards authorized by this policy statement and the teacher(s).
● Submission of work completed or edited in whole or in part by another person and/or the usage of artificial intelligence (AI). Tampering:
● Changing any school documents concerning grades, date of submission of an assignment, etc.
● Forging anyone’s signature or giving any false information of any kind including permission. This includes both teacher and parent signatures.
● Changing a graded assignment after it has been returned to the student, and then submitting the work for re-grading, in an attempt to claim instructor error

VI. Teaching Academic Integrity

As described in the IB Academic integrity policy (2019), “academic integrity is a
responsibility of the whole IB community” (p.1).

A. Responsibilities

At Romerike International School, maintaining academic integrity is a shared responsibility. Students, staff, the leadership team (ELT) and families all play vital roles in upholding the standards of integrity and ethical conduct.

To fulfil the responsibilities, the following guidelines are to be adhered to:

1. Students
Students must all share the responsibility for creating and maintaining an atmosphere of honesty and integrity at RIS. Students must adhere to the rules prohibiting academic dishonesty and disintegrity.

In the Primary Years Program:
● Students are encouraged to explore the concepts of integrity and fairness in their academic and personal life.
● Students will learn about the importance of playing by the rules and treating others with respect.
● Students are expected to create their own work and respect the creations of others. Upper primary students are expected to avoid copying or using work that is not their own, and appreciate the value of original thinking.
● Understand that making mistakes is a part of the learning process. If a student makes an error, we encourage them to be open-minded to learning from it and correcting it with integrity.

In the Middle Years Program, MYP students should learn key ATL skills such as citing and referencing, and be given opportunities to make mistakes and learn from them so that they are well prepared for further studies after the MYP (MYP: From principles into practice, 2014, p.77).

All MYP students must demonstrate academic honesty and avoid any form of academic misconduct.

● Students are expected to complete all assignments and assessments with integrity. This includes avoiding plagiarism, cheating, and any form of unauthorized assistance.
● When using external sources in academic work, whether in the form of quotations, paraphrasing, or ideas, students are expected to give proper credit using either MLA or APA 7, as specified by teachers.
● Students are expected to submit original work. They are expected to not submit the work of others as their own, whether it’s written material, artwork, or any other form of creative expression.
● Collaborative work is encouraged when explicitly allowed by teachers. However, when collaboration is not permitted, work should be entirely their own.
● If students become aware of any instances of academic disintegrity from themselves or peers, they have a responsibility to report it to the appropriate teacher.
● In the event that a student violates the academic integrity policy, they must accept to partake in the review process as defined in the policy.
● Submission of work should have at most 30% cited content and 70% original work. Submissions are expected to be handed in on time.

2. Teachers

● Teachers should teach the appropriate ATL Skills to their students to assist them in avoiding academic disintegrity.
● Teachers should establish clear and transparent expectations for academic integrity within their classrooms, including guidelines on proper citation, collaboration, and original work. Please refer to section VI.B of this policy for further details on conventions for citing/referencing.
● Teachers are responsible for educating students about the importance of academic integrity.
● In cases of suspected academic disintegrity, teachers should follow the established school procedures for reporting and addressing such incidents.
● Teachers are expected to support and guide students through ethical challenges.

3. Education Leadership Team

● Administer and oversee the implementation of the academic integrity policy.
● Ensure that procedures for addressing academic integrity violations are applied consistently and fairly.
● Support and promote educational initiatives related to academic integrity across the institution.
● Facilitate conflict resolution in cases where academic disintegrity allegations arise.
● Periodically review and, if necessary, revise the academic integrity policy to address emerging challenges and maintain relevance.
● Refer to the IB Academic Integrity policy where necessary

4. Families

● Support the school in the enforcement of the academic integrity policy.
● Support their children with their school work, but never do it for them.

B. Conventions for Citing/Referencing

“The effective citing and referencing of sources and influences used in academic writing is at the heart of good scholarship and fundamental to academic integrity” (Effective Citing and Referencing, 2022, p.1).

At RIS, students are not limited to a single method. Specifically, all MYP teachers are expected to teach and guide the students how to cite using MLA and APA 7.

Both students and educators consult the IB publication “Effective citing and referencing” as well as the Purdue Online Writing Lab website (https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/index.html) for guidance on citing and acknowledging original authorship using MLA and APA 7 styles.

VII. Process for Academic Misconduct and Disintegrity Cases

A. In the PYP

1. When an academic integrity issue arises in the PYP, the first step is to acknowledge the mistake with the student involved. This is done through a respectful and empathetic conversation.

2. After acknowledging the mistake, the teacher takes the opportunity to provide guidance to the student on how to correct it. This may involve explaining the principles of academic integrity and the specific issues in the student’s work.

3. In addition to correcting the immediate issue, the teacher also takes time to teach the necessary skills and practices related to academic integrity. This helps the student understand the importance of integrity and how to avoid similar mistakes in the future.

B. In the MYP

1. Teacher-student conversation: In the MYP, when an academic integrity issue arises, it begins with a one-on-one conversation between the teacher and the student. This conversation aims to better understand the situation, the nature of the violation, and the student’s perspective.

2. Discussion with MYP Head of School: Following the teacher-student conversation, the matter is brought to the attention of the MYP Head of School. This discussion involves a careful review of the case, taking into account the circumstances and evidence presented.

3. Decision-making process: During the discussion with the MYP Head of School, an appropriate decision on how to address the academic integrity issue is made. This decision may vary based on the severity of the violation and can include actions such as requiring the student to re-do the work or assigning a lower grade.

4. Parent notification: In all cases, it is a standard practice to notify the parent or guardian of the student involved. Transparency is essential, and parents should be informed of the situation and the measures being taken to address it.

5. Professional discretion: It’s important to note that each academic integrity case in the MYP is considered under professional discretion, meaning that decisions take into account the unique circumstances of the situation. This allows for fair and equitable treatment while maintaining the integrity of the academic integrity policy.

VIII. Implementation

A. Informing teachers

1. Teachers are to be involved and review the policy through whole school meetings.
2. Teachers new to the school will be informed of the policies during the school’s induction days.

B. Informing parents

1. The academic integrity policy is accessible to all via the school website.
2. Information about the policy will also be shared during the annual parents’ evening.

C. Informing students

1. In MYP, the academic integrity policy and best practices will be discussed with students during MYP assemblies.
2. Academic integrity practices and relevant ATL skills are taught by subject teachers across the programme.
3. Academic integrity expectations and guidelines are communicated for all summative assessment tasks.

IX. References

Academic Honesty in the Middle Years Programme. (n.d.). Sso.ibo.org. Retrieved March 6, 2024, from https://resources.ibo.org/data/m_0_mypxx_sup_1609_1_e.pdf

Academic integrity policy. (2019, October). Sso.ibo.org; International Baccalaureate Organization (UK) Ltd. https://resources.ibo.org/data/academic-integrity-policy_9798d3b2-b75b-4940 -9bb1-e33c6d541add/academic-integrity-policy-en_237ee4dd-b989-426d-b031-d 032f5bc8a08.pdf. Updated March 2023.

Effective citing and referencing. (2022, April). Sso.ibo.org; International Baccalaureate Organization (UK) Ltd. https://resources.ibo.org/data/effective-citing-and-referencing_37834da8-43f2-477d-8946-9e225ca65613/effective-citing-and-referencing-en_4c61b5c2-da4c -4e1d-bf5a-0790be5a7304.pdf

MYP: From principles into practice. (2014, May). Sso.ibo.org; International Baccalaureate Organization (UK) Ltd. https://resources.ibo.org/data/m_0_mypxx_guu_2209_1_e.pdf Primary Years Programme Learning and teaching. (2018, October). Sso.ibo.org; International Baccalaureate Organization (UK) Ltd. https://resources.ibo.org/data/learning-and-teaching_899fc563-3f16-4ad6-89c 7-f60983c9d6d3/learning-and-teaching-en_bffd8f20-78b3-4d6e-83dc-7255d1bf1 c29.pdf. Updated December 2018, February 2019.

Primary Years Programme The learner. (2018, October). Sso.ibo.org; International Baccalaureate Organization (UK) Ltd. https://resources.ibo.org/data/the-learner_fc17a71a-2344-4b26-84cb-caca3a0 2750d/the-learner-en_d32875a1-8611-4de3-9f7d-14a22127adc2.pdf. Updated December 2018.