The Academic Integrity Movement

Fuad Fachrudin

OCTOBER 18 was the International Day of Action for Academic Integrity (ICAI). ICAI is an international organization that continuously conducts studies and movements to promote academic integrity as a culture in society.

In this year's commemoration, ICAI took the theme Championing academic integrity in the age of AI. This theme aims to encourage educators and students to actively play a leading role in maintaining academic integrity in their educational institutions and in society in general, especially in the digital era which is significantly influenced by the presence of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education (ICAI, 2023).

Maintaining the integrity of scholarly work and addressing the consequences of academic behavior that is not in line with the basic principles of academic integrity, should be our focus in the global era (Gallant, Rettinger, 2022:7; Luck, Chugh, Turnbull, Pember, 2022:152).

Urgency of integrity movement

Academic integrity plays an important role in education, reflects individual character, and is highly regarded by society as a parameter for evaluating educational institutions (Bjelobaba, Glendinning, Krásnican, Dlabolová, 2022: 4). Integrity violations in higher education receive a strong response from society (Twomey, White, Sagendorf, 2008: 1).

Academic dishonesty, including at the global higher education level, poses a serious threat to the efficiency, public trust, and integrity of educational institutions, as well as a global challenge for universities (Eckstein, 2003: 17).

Dishonest practices are increasingly widespread, both on an individual and systematic scale, with increasing efforts to limit them by society and education (Eckstein, 2003: 18).

The Internet facilitates acts of dishonesty, such as sabotage, unauthorized publication, fabrication of information, and unauthorized claims (Mata, Lazar, Ghiatau, 2020: 92).

Dishonesty during schooling can impact behavior in the workplace, with a strong relationship between academic dishonesty and unethical behavior in the work environment detected (Ridwan, Diantimala, 2021: 3).

Academic integrity

Integrity, derived from the Latin integer meaning whole, reflects ideal human behavior, in line with personal qualities such as honesty and trustworthiness. Individuals with integrity are willing to tell the truth regardless of risk and admit mistakes when past policies prove to be erroneous (Macfarlane: 2009).

The development of the field of academic integrity stems from 20th century research on cheating, dishonesty, and moral growth. Early research by Kohlberg in 1981 and follow-up research by Rest et al. in 1999 became the basis for current academic integrity research and practice (Gallant, Rettinger, 2022:1).

Since 1992, ICAI has been actively developing this field, with recent publications reflecting the results of research over the past 30 years (Gallant, Rettinger, 2022:4).

Academic integrity involves values such as honesty, trustworthiness, fairness, respect and responsibility in the context of learning, teaching and research. It is important for students, teachers, researchers and professionals to act honestly, responsibly and demonstrate fairness. Academic integrity plays a key role in the reputation of individuals and educational institutions.

As a commitment to basic values such as honesty, trustworthiness, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage, academic integrity is the cornerstone of quality education. It includes adherence to principles, ethical standards and professional practices. These values guide ethical decision-making and action in a variety of educational, research and scholarship contexts (Bjelobaba, Glendinning, Krásnican, Dlabolová, 2022: 4).

Academic integrity is a commitment to six basic values; honesty, trustworthiness, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage, which are reflected in daily actions. By upholding these values, the entire academic community builds an effective environment with high standards of integrity. These fundamental values become the basis for learning, teaching, and assessment practices, shaping the ability to make ethical decisions and behave ethically (ICAI, 2013; Bjelobaba, Glendinning, Krásnican, Dlabolová, 2022: 4).

Building a culture of academic integrity

Building a culture of academic integrity and eliminating academic corruption is a complex task. Two key aspects need to be considered; first, all parties must be committed to the view that education is a journey of learning, seeking, acquiring and building knowledge. Achieving high academic grades should be seen as a positive outcome of the learning process. Education should be interpreted as a journey of 'becoming', where the goal is to become a knowledgeable and ethical individual (Lathrop, Foss, 2005: xvi).

Second, from a psychological perspective, research shows that individuals with high academic self-concept rarely engage in academic dishonesty (Rinn, Boazman, 2017: 89).

Academic self-concept, which is a person's perception of their academic ability, affects learning success, especially in high-ability learners. Learners with high ability and better self-control are less likely to engage in academic dishonesty (Rinn, Boazman, 2017: 92).

Third, religious understanding contributes to reducing the desire to commit academic dishonesty. Research findings show that someone who has religious beliefs and a good understanding of religion tends to have very little interest in committing academic dishonesty.

The content taught in religious education helps in the development of moral aspects and positive attitudes in learners. Moral values and positive attitudes instilled through religious guidance can reduce the desire for unethical and dishonest behavior. This is because learners gain a good understanding and responsibility for their actions, both good and bad (Ridwan, Diantimala, 2021: 26).

Fourth, the use of AI in education aims to improve learning efficiency and the overall quality of education. For example, with the help of AI, we can create customized learning methods and learning resources for each learner. By utilizing assessment data and analyzing the relationship between various knowledge using computers, we can provide a more accurate diagnosis of the difficulties faced by learners (Yu & Yu, 2021: 14).

The concept of friendly AI is in line with the purpose of using AI in this field. Friendly in this context means having motivations, drives, and values that are compatible with humanity. The software developed is not designed to harm humanity, but rather to reinforce an ever-present, continuous learning experience (Todorov, 2023: 6).

Fuad Fachruddin Sukma is Foundation Board of Trustees Lecturer of FITK Postgraduate Program UIN Jakarta. This article was published on Kompas.com on Monday, December 04, 2023, 05:15 WIB with the title "Generation of Academic Integrity", Click to read: Source: https://mediaindonesia.com/opini/634543/gerakan-integritas-akademik