Below are some ways faculty can help promote academic integrity in online courses:
1. UD’s Academic Honesty Policy – Link UD’s Academic Honesty Policy prominently in the course, such as in the syllabus or on the Canvas homepage, to ensure students are aware of the consequences of academic dishonesty.
2. Two-Factor Authentication – Graduate students and all new students, both graduate and undergraduate, have been protecting their accounts with two-factor authentication (2FA) since November 2016. This requires students to have access to a code sent to a personal device in addition to the username and password for the LMS.
3. Require Students to Publish Introduction Videos – At the start of an online course, have a small assignment in which students film a short selfie video introducing themselves. This will help the instructors get to know the students and create a “baseline” for future assignments.
4. Meet Virtually with Students – Encourage use of online office hours, ideally using video conferencing. There are several video conferencing applications available to UD faculty, including Zoom. Brief instructor-student meetings at the start of a course are another great way to get to know online students and could be made a requirement.
5. Diversify Graded Assignments – Require identity verification for at least 20 percent of the course’s final grade. Such assignments include the following:
- Proctored exams – Depending on a student’s residency, exams can be given onsite at one of the UD Online Testing Centers or remotely through ProctorU. In both cases, a valid government-issued ID is required to take an exam.
- Video-based assignment submission – Recorded presentations or assignments allow instructors to cross-check student faces with photos on record in the student database.
- Live video presentations – Live presentations given in an online class using a video conferencing application allow instructors to cross-check student faces with photos on record in the student database.
- Oral exams – Using videoconferencing for oral exams with remote students is another way to verify student identity. Moreover, it is a way for instructors to connect with students while they demonstrate their learning. Visit CTAL’s website to learn more about oral exams and other alternative assessments.
Questions? Contact us for more information.
