John Todorovich, Facilitator
Tammy McGuckin, Scribe
Taylor Boes, Student

 

General Discussion:

The workshop began with a general discussion regarding what is perceived as a generational/cultural divide when it comes to the concept of integrity. Several of the faculty members indicated that they had never thought of cheating as an option; while it seems that today’s students view it as a “path of least resistance” to achieve the level of success they are pursuing.

It was stressed that a number of generations are present in our classrooms; therefore, focusing solely on the Millennials does not address the entire issue of integrity across generations. Additionally, there was discussion regarding the cultural differences related to the concept of academic integrity and plagiarism.

Issues of the Millennial Generation:

• They have been raised with technology – many view the process of attaining an education in the same way they view a video game; what needs to be done to move to the next level. Cheating is a way of “gaming” the system.
• There is a strong expectation that they will succeed in everything that they attempt (i.e., all team players play and all receive a trophy).
• Integrity issues in society are prevalent in many areas – not just in academics.
• There is a belief that cheating is common and they do it to succeed.
• In a Global Society there is a concept that information should be shared – if information is meant to be shared, how can it be stolen?
• “Teaching to the Test” – the issue of standardized testing – K-12 education is geared toward passing the standardized tests; not education for education’s sake.
• Collaboration/Group Work is being encouraged in the classroom – Active Learning & Student Engagement.

How Might Higher Education Adjust:

• Rethinking our assessment tools – online multiple choice tests may be feeding into the problem; why are the tests considered assessments and not learning instruments?
• How do we address the “incentives” the students are seeking?  How do we alter the mindset that everyone can/should succeed in everything? How do we encourage students to seek knowledge instead of grades?
• We need to clearly articulate our expectations regarding academic integrity early in every semester, include it in our syllabi, and refer to it regularly.
• The style guides for referencing materials needs to be updated in a more timely manner to accommodate the rapidly expanding sources of information so that students know how to properly cite material.
• We should address cultural differences regarding issues of academic integrity.

Additional discussions are definitely warranted.

Keeping Track of Generational Expectations

Every August, Ron Nief and Tom McBride compile and publish the Beloit College Mindset List, in which they identify key cultural experiences and current events that characterize the life experiences and “mindset” of students we will meet in our classes as entering students this fall. As Nief and McBride note on their web site, this list is a helpful reminder of the sometimes dramatic differences between the life experience and cultural expectations of entering students and faculty. Advances in technology and popular culture can create divisions between generations that can impair effective communication. Knowing about these generational differences can help faculty better understand why some examples and cultural references that worked perfectly well a few years ago now draw puzzled looks or glazed expressions.

 

Updated 02/15/12 cdw