Students are expected to demonstrate integrity in the classroom, but how often are they given the chance to practice modeling it? Teachers have an enormous obligation to do what’s right, and as role models they’re given that opportunity each day. But in order to achieve a student-centered environment, kids need to be encouraged to showcase who they are and what they value. Practicing these skills is necessary so that students' actions will be consistent with their beliefs and they'll then be able to listen to the feelings and concerns of others without judgment.
With digital technology amplifying social interaction and expression, it's more important than ever to not only inspire integrity, but also prepare students for the tough choices that lie ahead. Luckily, there are ways to harness the collaboration and communication features of digital tools to keep students honest about the originality of their work, make them more accountable for their decisions, give them a place to stand up for what’s right, and let them work together to uncover the truth.
Check out these tools for ways to give students a platform to demonstrate their honesty, courage, and integrity in the classroom.
Turnitin
Encourage original work and give feedback with Turnitin, where students submit writing assignments and the site detects plagiarism and improper citation. Discuss the importance of originality, giving credit to others, and the consequences of plagiarism in education and pop culture. Students can also give helpful but honest feedback on each other's work with Turnitin’s PeerMark feature.
