Lethbridge College will join educational institutions around the world for the fourth annual International Day of Action against Contract Cheating today.
The day is devoted to making students aware of the consequences of academic dishonesty and encouraging them to take a pledge to #DefeatTheCheat and #ExcelWithIntegrity. Students will take part in activities and games in Centre Core throughout the day, including prizes for students who take the pledge.
Contract cheating occurs when students contract a third party, paid or unpaid, to contribute to or complete an assignment or other academic work that the student takes credit for. This might include purchasing an assignment from an online platform; paying someone to write an exam; getting help that goes beyond editing to writing most of an assignment; or using friends, family members, peers or others to complete assignments.
Research from North American colleges and universities shows that as many as 93 per cent of students admit to committing some form of academic dishonesty in post-secondary settings, while between 3.5 and nearly 16 per cent of students say they have participated in contract cheating.
“Students may commit academic dishonesty violations such as cheating or plagiarism for any variety of reasons,” says Melanie Hamilton, Educational Development Specialist, who researches academic integrity and dishonesty. “But, often, it is as a result of panic or desperation, a lack of time, or fear of failing a course that may push them into buying a paper on-line, hiring someone to complete course assignments, or in extreme cases, taking their exam.”
The goal of International Day of Action is to unite educational institutions around the world to put an end to the contract cheating industry. It’s an initiative founded by the International Center for Academic Integrity, whose mission is to support higher education institutions in cultivating cultures of integrity.
Staff from Lethbridge College’s Centre for Teaching, Learning and Innovation, the Lethbridge College Students’ Association, the Lethbridge College Faculty Association and the Student Affairs team will draw attention to the importance of academic integrity and the risks of academic dishonesty while bringing awareness to the seriousness of contract cheating.
Throughout the day, both on-campus and online, students will pledge to #DefeatTheCheat and #ExcelWithIntegrity. Students will be able to partake in activities that show them there are costs and consequences for participating in contract cheating.