Proactive not Punitive: Strategies to Prevent Plagiarism and Promote International Student Success

Breakout Room H

Post-secondary faculty are experiencing a rise in instances of plagiarism in student assignments and are looking for resources to help with both the reduction and the detection of plagiarism. International students are particularly vulnerable due to confusing policies and lack of awareness of educational practices in North American institutions, with many institutions focusing on punitive measures to deter academic misconduct. Alternatively, we explored a method that considers international students’ role in maintaining their academic integrity and places emphasis on student learning, curricular modifications, and good citizenship. We conducted a collaborative year-long pilot project with international business students in the implementation of Turnitin similarity software. We share lessons learned from the shift to online learning that allowed our institution to move toward strategies that help international students prevent plagiarism instead of punishing them after it happens.