The Saskatchewan Distance Learning Centre is committed to ensuring the integrity and validity of student achievement within its courses. Academic honesty is an expectation of all students in their academic work – class participation, examinations, assignments, and research. The following outlines the academic honesty expectations at the DLC.


Students are responsible for:

• Submitting their own, original work when completing assignments and exams.
• Citing sources when using content from outside resources.
• Not sharing their own work with other students for use.
• Not sharing their usernames/passwords.
• Knowing and following all course expectations regarding academic honesty.


Guardians/ Learning Mentors/ Supervisors are responsible for assisting students taking an online course by: 

• Ensuring students have read and understood the academic honesty expectations statement during registration.
• Ensuring student’s work is their own, original and authentic.
• Assisting in arranging proctored exams when required or supervising exams when permitted.
• Ensuring students do not share their work with other students for use.
• Supporting students in following all course expectations regarding academic honesty.


DLC teachers are responsible for:


• Having clear and concise instructions and expectations for students to follow on any submitted course work.
• Ensuring that the work submitted for assessment reflects the student’s own learning.
• Educating and helping students understand the academic honesty expectations.


Academic Dishonesty 


Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, student plagiarism and cheating within their course. Students must submit their own work and must complete all exams and coursework independently when required.


What is Academic Dishonesty?


There are many different forms of academic dishonesty, but the two most common types are cheating and plagiarism: 



Cheating 

 is having an unfair advantage that leads, to an assessment being invalid. Examples may include:


• Using notes or resources during an assignment, quiz, or exam without the permission of the DLC teacher.
• Receiving or copying information during any assignment, quiz, or exam when a student is required to work independently.
• Sharing details of an exam or assignment with other students.
• Using any device or study aid during an exam without permission.
• Having another person complete an assignment or write an exam for you.

 Plagiarism 

is the theft of another's work or ideas that are claiming as your own. Examples may include: 


• Submitting another's work, either word-for-word or paraphrased, as your own without citing the source of the information.
• Copying content from another document and replacing key words and phrases but keeping the essential content of the source information.
• Submitting your own previously submitted work. This means that you cannot submit the same assignment for more than one assessment.
• Submitting work that was purchased.
• Using translation services, without DLC teacher permission.


Other examples of academic dishonesty may include:


• Providing false or misleading information with the intent to avoid or delay writing an examination or fulfilling any other academic requirement.
• Failing to respect the time allotted for examinations or other timed assessments.
• Altering answers on a returned examination.


Work that does not represent the student's understanding of course content cannot be accepted. If you have any questions or concerns about any of the above information, please contact your DLC teacher.


Consequences for Academic Dishonesty


When a DLC teacher believes a student is guilty of academic dishonesty the following consequences may be used depending upon the severity and nature of each case. Consequences may include, but not be limited to:


• The student and their families/learning mentors/supervisors being contacted.
• Adding the student’s name to the DLC Academic Dishonesty Database. This database tracks school-wide acts of dishonesty and may be used to determine the severity of the offense.
• Requiring the student redo the assessment or complete an alternate assignment.
• Require that a proctor be put in place as determined by the DLC for the remaining assessments/exams.
• Have students complete a verbal assessment over the phone or web conferencing software.
• Students completing an Academic Honesty Learning Module.
• The student may be removed from the online course.


At any time, DLC teachers may also review any course work previously submitted by the student to determine its authenticity. If further offenses are found consequences will be discussed with DLC administration.
Sometimes dishonesty is the result of carelessness, misunderstanding of the expectations, or miscommunication. In such cases, the DLC teacher may discuss the matter with the student informally.


Works Cited:


  • University of Saskatchewan - Integrity Defined 

http://www.usask.ca/secretariat/student-conduct-appeals/forms/IntegrityDefined.pdf