Academic Integrity in Higher Education: Importance, Implications, and Skills Learned

This report covers the significance of academic integrity in higher education, its implications of academic misconduct, and the skills learned in producing a game for Project 2. It includes an introduction to academic integrity, its importance in higher education, and the implications of academic misconduct. The report also reflects on the steps taken and difficulties encountered in producing the game for Project 2, and the skills learned in the process. The subject is BSc (Hons) Business Management with Foundation, course code BMP3003.

BSc (Hons) Business Management with
Foundation
BMP3003
Further Academic Skills
Academic Integrity
Submitted by:
Name:
ID:

Contents
Introduction p
Section 1 p-p
An Introduction including a description of Academic Integrity
p
A discussion of the importance of academic integrity in higher
education p
Discuss the implications of academic misconduct p
Section 2 p-p
Reflect on the steps you have taken, and difficulties encountered in
producing the game for Project 2 p
Reflect on the skills you have learned this academic year and those
emphasized in producing your game p
Conclusion p
References p

Introduction
Academic integrity is defined as the expectations that students, teachers and
other members of the academic community act with fairness, trust, respect and honesty.
In addition to this, it is the moral code as well as ethical policy of academia. It allows
students and teachers to develop knowledge, ideas and creative work along with
acknowledging and respecting the work done by others (Amigud and Pell, 2021). The
report will cover significance of academic integrity along with its implications of academic
misconduct. Along with this, skills learned and the difficulties faced in developing the
game is elaborated in the report.
Section 1
An Introduction including a description of Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is defined as fundamental to learning, research and
teaching within the university. In addition to this, it is basically putting values into
practice through being honest within the academic work at university. In other terms,
it is referred as the dedication of students to showcase their ethical and honest
behavior at the time of completing academic writing. Academic writing consist under
the concept of academic integrity such as reports, dissertations, case study and
many more. For maintaining the academic integrity, it is important for students to
acknowledge and consider the ideas developed from other works as it ensure that
academic integrity has completed with honesty. Moreover, it is also significant for
students to use appropriate and reliable information as it help them to showcase
their work with academic integrity.
A discussion of the importance of academic integrity in higher
education
The academic integrity plays a very important role in the universities and
higher education and also further includes the assessments and tasks with more
hard work and honesty. The academic integrity plays a major role in avoiding any
type of bad consequences that might result in the situation of leaving the
organization or failing in an assignment. The methods through which the staffs and
students work at the university might result in affecting the viewpoint of other people
in the university (Daukšaitė-Kolpakovienė, 2021). In order to enhance the confidence

among the students it is important that the organization develop various standards
for the courses and assessments with the trustworthy standards and also being
consistent. In addition to that for the universities it is very important to identify the
various source when it comes to academic assessments and also giving credit to the
people who are using the ideas or data in order to show them correct way for the
objective to gain better understanding and knowledge. It includes putting of various
types of values into practice with being a honest and reliable person in the academic
work which is basically done in the universities. The academic integrity basically
includes the various fundamentals to the research, learning and teaching at the
university.
Discuss the implications of academic misconduct
In context to universities, in order to earn a degree in a better way it is
important to maintain the academic integrity that involves various academic
activities. In context to students, those who have the skills to integrity will work more
hard in order to gain a fair and honest procedure by putting hard work and
completion of assignments. The value of degree or morals is compromised when a
student intentionally cheats in their exams or assignments. The lack in credibility
might result in impacting the future goals. All these proceedings can turn into serious
situation and cost as it results in ruining the reputation of the university and also
results in loss of opportunity for the students in the near future. It also creates a
difficulty for teachers as cheating can result in underproduction of knowledge as the
student believes that corrupt is an escape detection, it can result in discourse the
morale of students in the university ( Tindall and Curtis, 2020).There are various
implications that always happens in the academic penalty options and also includes
reduction for the grades in the assignment, reduction in grades which further also
includes failure of the course. In context to universities, students who are founded
guilty or doing malpractices while doing their assignments might need to do the
assignment again which might also lead to terminating the student’s participation in
the research project. Moreover, it includes the loss in future assignments and might
have to pay the fines. The academic integrity embody the core values that involves
the respect, trust, honesty, fairness and liability. The integrity of academic is
basically the cornerstone of high ethics, truth and academic quality in order to
promote the credible intellectual inquiry and knowledge sharing.

Section 2
Reflect on the steps you have taken, and difficulties encountered in
producing the game for Project 2
In order to reflect on the steps taken and difficulties encountered, Gibbs
reflective cycle will be used as it help in elaborating the learning and experience in
an effective and appropriate manner. The steps of Gibbs reflective cycle is given
below:
Description
The group project has been given by the university on developing a game
based in plagiarism. The main objective of the game is to ensure participation of
students so that they can understand the importance and value of academic
integrity. The design of game consist of basic elements, characteristics and
instructions regarding how to play the game. I along with my team members have
enough time to develop the game and complete it properly (Eaton, 2020). Here, I
emphasized on developing unique game that is easily understandable and attractive
for others. The game which was developed by me is a card game that include
questions regarding academic integrity. The idea was creative and unique which was
agreed by the team members.
Feelings
Before the event: I was excited to conduct this assignment as it allowed me to use
my creativity and knowledge in order to develop new idea. Along with this, the
project aid me to gain insight regarding academic integrity and to enhance my skills
as well. One of the main concern is regarding coordination among the various team
members as the overall result is depend on it.
During the event: One of the main aspect for which I was concerned during
the project is time management and effective communication with each team
members as it ensures completion of project on the time which was assigned by my
teachers.
After the event: According to me, I believed that every activity associated with
the assignment was completed on time. On the other side, I felt that coordination
among team members can be improved so that future results can be improved.

Evaluation
Positive parts of the experience: As per my view point, the most positive and
rewarding part is the knowledge and creativity of team members. It is analyzed by
me that every team member have information about academic integrity along with
misconduct that ensure attainment of objectives timely. Apart from this, the unique
and creative idea of card game assisted us to gain higher grades.
Negative part of the experience: One of the challenge that is facing during the
development of game is coordinating and communication with the team members
(Gottardello and Karabag, 2020). With the help of this assignment, I am able to gain
insight regarding how to manage work within the group that will be further help in
future.
End of the experience: After finishing the assignment, it is analyzed by me
that team coordination is the aspect that needs immediate action and is the reason
of project success. In addition to this, the strength as well as knowledge level of
team members that assist to achieve good grades.
Analysis
The overall experience of designing and developing the game for me is
beneficial despite of some aspects due to which issues were raised. The efforts of
individual and creativity skills of every team member assisted in completion of each
and every activity related to game on time period. Along with this, I am able to
improve skills that is communication, time management, coordination, conflict
management and many more. The factors that affect on the performance is lack of
coordination, less knowledge about technology and so on. I will be capable to attain
effective outcome in coming future group works by gaining such experience and
learning about it. Moreover, the project is also assist me to learn skills that IT skills,
creativity skills that will be beneficial for future.
Conclusion
It is analyzed from the above discussion that game development is a creative
task that helped in improvement as well as development of new skills and knowledge
regarding academic misconduct. Furthermore, this experience is advantageous as it
gives learning regarding the ways to manage work within group setting.
Action Plan

The main objective to develop the action plan is to make improvements in the
area I lack while developing the game. The steps taken for improvement are as
follows:
 To ensure communication with each team members in an effective manner.
 To coordinate and collaborate with team members as it help in improving the
skills and knowledge of each group member which provide effective results.
 To continuously conduct group discussions as it help in clarifying the working
because of which all the activities are imp0lemented in a proper manner.
Reflect on the skills you have learned this academic year and those
emphasized in producing your game
In this assignment of game development, I am able to learn and improve skills
that is both sift as well as hard skills. Along with this, the hard skills which was
developed at the time of assignment is designing skills, IT skills and so on. On the
other hand, the soft skills that was learned within this game is communication, writing
skills and many more.
Skills developed
Writing & communication skills: I was able to learn writing skills through
understanding the manner about how to write instruction material of developing
game. Along with this, I am also able to enhance my communication skills that assist
me to communicate the ideas in an effective and proper manner.
IT skills: This skill was enhanced by me while competing the assignment of
game development as it consists the use of software and other techniques as well.
Designing skills: One of the main skill that is learned by me is designing skills
as it consist of development of game (Seaton, 2019). Along with this, the objective,
instructions as well as elements of designing games were developed. By the
assistance of this assignment, I am able to learn and gained knowledge regarding
designing aspect of game creation.
Creativity: Another skills that is learnt by me during the assignment is
creativity skills. I was able to improve my creativity as the assignment includes
development of new game in context to academic misconduct as well as academic
integrity. Moreover, I used may creativity skills in order to bring new idea in an
appropriate manner.

Conclusion
From the above discussion, it has been concluded that academic integrity is
significant for both students and teachers as it help them to work with honesty, trust
and respect as well. Along with this, it also help students to maintain its image and
respect at university which further leads attainment of opportunities. It is determined
that there are various skills learnt and improved by students while developing the
game such as creativity, time management, communication and many more. It is
analyzed that academic misconduct is of different forms that is cheating, falsification,
plagiarism and so on. This has negative impact on the overall performance and
quality of education of students.

References
Books & Journal
Amigud, A. and Pell, D.J., 2021. Virtue, Utility and Improvisation: A Multinational
Survey of Academic Staff Solving Integrity Dilemmas. Journal of Academic
Ethics, pp.1-23.
Burgason, K.A., Sefiha, O. and Briggs, L., 2019. Cheating is in the eye of the
beholder: An evolving understanding of academic misconduct. Innovative
Higher Education, 44(3), pp.203-218.
Daukšaitė-Kolpakovienė, A., 2021. Academic integrity in distance learning of English.
In Sustainable multilingualism 2021: 6th international conference, June 4–5,
2021: book of abstracts/edited by Aurelija Daukšaitė-Kolpakovienė, Žieda
Tamašauskaitė. Kaunas: Vytautas Magnus University, 2021.
Eaton, S.E., 2020. Academic Integrity Policy Development and Revision: A Canadian
Perspective. Parnther, C., 2020. Academic misconduct in higher education: A
comprehensive review. Journal of Higher Education Policy And Leadership
Studies, 1(1), pp.25-45.
Gottardello, D. and Karabag, S.F., 2020. Ideal and actual roles of university
professors in academic integrity management: a comparative study. Studies
in Higher Education, pp.1-19.
Seaton, K.A., 2019. Laying groundwork for an understanding of academic integrity in
mathematics tasks. International Journal of Mathematical Education in
Science and Technology, 50(7), pp.1063-1072.
Spencer, M., 2021. Integrating Academic Integrity into Future Professions. Canadian
Perspectives on Academic Integrity, 4(2), pp.78-78.
University Grants Commission, 2021. Academic Integrity and Research Quality.
Vogt, L., 2020. My journey to becoming an academic integrity specialist. Canadian
Perspectives on Academic Integrity, 3(2), pp.49-50.