Academic Integrity in Education: Misconduct, Game Production & Skills

This report delves into academic integrity within higher education, emphasizing its importance and the implications of academic misconduct such as fabrication, cheating, and plagiarism. It explores the causes and consequences of such misconduct, offering strategies for avoidance. A reflective section details the experience of producing a game themed around plagiarism and academic integrity, utilizing Gibbs' reflective cycle to analyze challenges faced, skills learned—including team building, IT, research, communication, presentation, time management, and problem-solving—and outlining an action plan for future improvement. The report concludes by reinforcing the significance of academic integrity for students and universities, highlighting its role in maintaining performance levels and achieving positive outcomes.

Academic Integrity

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
SECTION 1......................................................................................................................................3
Academic integrity.................................................................................................................3
Importance of academic integrity within higher education....................................................3
Discuss the implications of academic misconduct.................................................................4
SECTION 2......................................................................................................................................5
Reflection...............................................................................................................................5
Skills learned while producing the game................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Academic integrity is referred as an academic honesty within the use of information,
developing arguments, activities related to pursuit of knowledge & understanding. Along with
this, it is the moral code trough which an academic study has administered (Amigud and
Lancaster, 2019). The report will divided into two parts. In the first part, the data about
importance of academic integrity and its impact on higher education is discussed. While in the
second part, the difficulties face and the skills learned while producing game is elaborated.
SECTION 1
Academic integrity
It is defined as the moral code that basically governs the academic institution. In addition to
this, it is the academic standards by which university operates. Moreover, it is referred as the
procedure of inculcating academic skills which is associated to students behavior, practice and
values. It is analysed that there are mainly three components are prevailed within the academic
practice that is service, research & teaching as well. The academic integrity is associated with
fairness, honesty, respect and responsibility. Furthermore, it also include data about avoiding
plagiarism and ensure that the right person has taken credit of information.
Importance of academic integrity within higher education.
Academic integrity is important for students prevailing within the higher education as
dishonest behavior undermines learning and credibility. Along with this, it safeguard reputation,
improve performance and also contribute to well being of society. It is analyzed that academic
integrity is significant for students, employers and university , which is given below:
For employers:
It is significant for employers to maintain integrity at workplace by ensuring that all the
principles & rules within an appropriate way. It is analysed that managers as well as employers
have to act with integrity as it ensure maintenance of performance level (Basu and Ramaprasad,
2022). Moreover, it is determined that academic integrity help in gaining employability in an
effective manner.
For students:

It is analyzed that students which maintain academic integrity gain positive results. It help
them to maintain reputation within the university on the basis of loyalty and trust. It is
determined that most of the students prefer to maintain the environment at highly integrated level
instead of personal involving and task oriented. The maintenance of academic integrity improves
their overall academic results and help to gain positive outcome.
For university
It is analyzed that many aspects that directly contributes towards integrity significance in the
higher education. One of the major aspect is implementing academic standards and professional
practice in assessment which improves students skills for gaining future opportunities. The other
aspect is pressure on university which has a distinct place and assist in developing ranking at
international level.
Discuss the implications of academic misconduct
Academic misconduct is referred as the gap and breach in academic integrity which gives
students many unearned advantages. It is analysed that students who conduct academic
misconduct and associated to dishonesty direct leads towards future failure and penalties as well.
Forms of academic misconduct
Fabrication: It is defined as giving wrong and falsified data, citations and information in
the academic piece of writing. Along with this, it includes misinterpreting data as well as
findings in order to achieve results.
Cheating: It is defined as taking assistance from others in order to complete the academic
piece of writing without their concerned and acknowledgement.
Plagiarism: It is referred as using other’s individual data as well as statement without
acknowledging them. It is important for students to not copy the data of other person as it impact
negatively on their brand image and performance within the university (Ellis and et. al., 2020).
Apart from the other forms of academic misconduct, there are other forms such as
duplication, false declaration, theft of work and so on.
Implications for academic misconduct
It is determined that students who are engaged and indulged within academic misconduct
has faced major complexities as well as wrongful actions. In addition to this, many of the
students also face issue that is negative results in future. Furthermore, it is stated that academic

misconduct arise many issues to students that is high penalty by higher authorities of university,
lacking qualification, negative image and so on.
Causes
It is stated that there are many reasons which arise the level of academic misconduct by
students. One of the key reason is easy accessibility and availability of copying the data from
online sources. Another reason is lack of information regarding regulations associated to
plagiarism that state students are copied the assignment without experiencing and knowing it.
Moreover, the other reason behind it is fear of low grades, lack of time and many more.
Consequences
Minor: It includes declining grades, failing on module, reduce marks that effect on the
performance and image of students in an adverse manner.
Serious: It is undertaken on school hearing and consist of ceiling of final rewards,
suspension and demission of students from the respective university.
How to avoid and decline
`There are different methods by the help of which academic misconduct can be easily avoid
and declined as well. One of the effective way is to find out academic instances and cite them in
an appropriate way. The another way is to research from the right places so that valid and
authentic data can be collected (Rettinger and Bertram Gallant, 2022). Moreover, Quoting
punctuations, outlining proper resources and meaning, include proper reference list, right notes
in own words are the methods through which academic misconduct is avoid. Furthermore, it is
recommended to students to focus on summarising own work and do not overuse quotations in
the work. It is determined that all such techniques and methods help in declining the level of
academic misconduct and also assist students to gain positive results.
SECTION 2
Reflection
For reflecting the overall experience and learning that is gained while producing the game,
Gibbs reflective cycle which is a reflection model is applied. The model consist of various stages
which are as follows:
Description

The project which is assigned by my university teacher is to produce a game which is
themed on the basis of plagiarism and academic misconduct. One of the prior motive to develop
game is to assist students to provide information regarding importance of academic integrity.
Along with this, it also consist of instructions regarding how to play game properly. The project
is implemented in the team and is important to develop creative and unique idea which give
information regarding academic misconduct.
Feelings
Prior to event: In the initial of project, I was interested and excited to develop the game
associated to plagiarism and academic misconduct. Along with this, I emphasised on creating an
idea which assist students to know regarding academic misconduct.
During the event: At the time of executing activities, there are various challenges and
issues has taken place. One of the main challenge arise is complexity among group members as
they agree to work in a collaborative manner. The issue is then discussed with tutor so that it can
be resolved in a proper manner.
After the event: At the time of project completion, the overall situation is emotional and
stressful as each group member needs to perform in a proper manner. It help in implementing
activity in an effective and proper way in the coming future.
Evaluation
What went well: The manner of developing and producing game is appropriate and is
consist of all the significant factors, The skills which is learned during the game is problem
solving, communication, time management and many more.
What did not work: It is analysed that the factors that does not perform well is issues
between the team members that impact negatively at the time of producing game. Technical
issues is also the problem that is develop while producing the game.
How did the experience end: In the end, all tasks and activities associated to game is
execute in a proper manner.
Analysis
It is analysed that the challenge and issue which has arise while developing game is
arguments between the team members. To deal with the problem, the support and assistance of
teacher and mentor is considered. It is analysed that to succeed the project, it is significant for
every team or group member to work collaboratively and respect each other ides. Furthermore,

with the assistance of time management and effective communication skills, all the team
members is able to produce and develop effective game associated to academic integrity.
Conclusion
My overall experience at the time of developing and producing game is good as it help s
me in gaining insight about academic misconduct and integrity as well. Along with this, it also
assists in attaining information about reason behind academic misconduct along with it
significance within higher education. Moreover, it help me to learn and improve skills that is
communication, conflict management, team working, problem solving and many more.
Action plan
 To build effective relationship with all the team members.
 To check and monitor performance on continuous basis as per the set standards.
 To acknowledge when the aspects are done properly and correctly.
 To emphasize on creating and improving skills such as team working as well as decision
making.
Skills learned while producing the game
At the time of developing game about academic misconduct and plagiarism, I experienced
and learned about many skills and facing many issues because of which I am able to improve my
both soft as well as hard skills. The skills learnt by me are as follows:
Team building: By the assistance of this project, I am able to gain knowledge about
importance of teamwork and how it help to maintain coordination and work collaboratively in
given time period.
 IT skills: With the help of this project, it is determined by me that my skills was
enhanced as the game includes the use of different software presentation and so on. It will
also assist me in future to complete such projects without any technical problems.
 Research skills: At the time of assignment, my overall research skills were improved as
it is one of the important part to find appropriate and valid information for the completion
of project.
 Communication skills: During the assignment, it is determined by me that I am able to
interact and communicate with the team members associated to the project. This will help
me to develop good relationships with people and maintain long term relationship with
them.

 Presentation skills: It is analyzed that these skill is improved by me at the time of
presenting the overall game to my mentors and tutors with the help of poster and
PowerPoint presentation. Along with this, presentation skills will help me within future to
share ideas to audience in an appropriate as well as understandable manner.
 Time management: With the help of this study, I gained and improved knowledge about
significance of time because of which all tasks is implemented in a timely manner.
 Problem solving: It is one of the important skills which is improve by me at the time of
resolving the issue between team members. Along with this, it assist me in working
collaboratively for developing the game and complete it on time.
Conclusion
By analyzing the above information, it is concluded that academic integrity is significant for
both the university and students as well. In addition to this, academic integrity plays vital role for
students for maintaining their performance level and achieve positive outcome. It is determined
that there are many types of misconduct that has taken place in academic that is plagiarism,
cheating, collusion, fabrication and so on. In addition to this, there are various aspects by which
academic misconduct can be decline and avoid such as use of proper citations, use of
punctuations, develop notes, find data from authentic sources and many more. Moreover, it is
determined that many of the universities has implement serious actions against those students
who are associated with academic misconduct so that better results can be gained.

REFERENCES
Books & Journal
Agha, K., Zhu, X. and Chikwa, G., 2022. Towards Academic Integrity: Using Bloom’s
Taxonomy and Technology to Deter Cheating in Online Courses. In Technologies,
Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Learning Post-COVID-19 (pp. 447-466).
Springer, Cham.
Amigud, A. and Lancaster, T., 2019. 246 reasons to cheat: An analysis of students’ reasons for
seeking to outsource academic work. Computers & Education, 134, pp.98-107.
Basu, D. and Ramaprasad, H., 2022, March. Design and Implementation of an Academic
Integrity Module for Undergraduate CS Students. In Proceedings of the 53rd ACM
Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 2 (pp. 1082-1082).
Ellis and et. al., 2020. Does authentic assessment assure academic integrity? Evidence from
contract cheating data. Higher Education Research & Development, 39(3), pp.454-469.
Glendinning, I., 2020. The role of quality assurance and regulatory organizations to promote
academic integrity. In A Research Agenda for Academic Integrity. Edward Elgar
Publishing.
Kaplin and et. al., 2019. The Law of Higher Education, A Comprehensive Guide to Legal
Implications of Administrative Decision Making. John Wiley & Sons.
MacLeod, P.D. and Eaton, S.E., 2020. The paradox of faculty attitudes toward student violations
of academic integrity. Journal of Academic Ethics, 18(4), pp.347-362.
Pell, D.J. and Amigud, A., 2022. The Higher Education Dilemma: The Views of Faculty on
Integrity, Organizational Culture, and Duty of Fidelity. Journal of Academic Ethics, pp.1-
21.
Rettinger, D. and Bertram Gallant, T., 2022. Thirty Years of Active Academic Integrity Research
and Engagement: What Have We Learned?. Journal of College and Character, 23(1),
pp.92-95.
Sotiriadou and et. al., 2020. The role of authentic assessment to preserve academic integrity and
promote skill development and employability. Studies in Higher Education, 45(11),
pp.2132-2148.