Academic integrity key to learning Published Sept. 3, 2010 By Lynis Cox Air University Public Affairs MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- The exponentially expanding Internet is one of the most powerful tools in educational delivery, yet the integral learning process can be sabotaged when students fail to exercise academic integrity. Lt. Gen. Allen Peck, Air University commander, recently noted that advances in technology and increased access to knowledge greatly enhance the Air Force's ability to accelerate military educational delivery. "At the same time, students are responsible for embracing the learning process, for understanding the information that supports their readiness for war, and for personal integrity in obtaining and sharing information," he said. In 2009, Air University graduated 123,000 students via distance learning. Air University Chief Academic Officer Dr. Bruce Murphy said the shifting paradigms to distance learning in the 21st century have provided tremendous opportunities and challenges. "Distance learning methods immensely enrich classroom resources for Air University," Dr. Murphy said. "Distance learning is a natural match to the way military students are professionally educated." He is referring to the team approach of learning that translates to how military students band together to solve problems, discuss strategy and share information. Online research, seminars and collaboration are effective methods for learning military subjects. Dr. Murphy explained that while the ease of access to information via internet has enhanced the ability to share information and to collaborate, it has also increased the challenge for maintaining academic integrity. Military service holds members to the highest standards of professional and personal integrity, yet the many pressures associated with a high operations tempo and a demanding deployment environment may be temptation to push the limits on information sharing with other enrollees in educational programs. These stress factors combined with the idea that "everyone does it because it's so easy" or "no one will know" can lead to a lax attitude about the importance of true learning and personal integrity, he said. "Accurate assessment is central to our professional military education process, so we must ensure students explicitly understand the rules and limits on collaboration and information sharing," said Dr. Murphy. "We employ methods to minimize the opportunities for inappropriate collaboration, and we monitor Internet activities surrounding our distance learning programs." Air University Instruction 36-2309 describes "academic integrity" as "uncompromising adherence to a code of ethics, morality, conduct, scholarship, and other values related to academic activity." The instruction defines breaches of academic integrity including plagiarism, cheating and misrepresentation. Those who violate the instruction are subject to adverse administrative actions including disenrollment and expulsion from school, and potential disciplinary action such as nonjudicial punishment, court-martial and discharge from the service. Air University Staff Judge Advocate Col. Del Grissom provides advice to the AU Commander on legal adjudication of academic integrity issues and policy development. "Students should be encouraged to share information as they are in the process of learning the material, but once it's time to study for each test, academic integrity ensures that the assessment accurately reflects their own personal effort as the score on the test -- without giving or seeking inputs from other students about the test material," Colonel Grissom said. He said Air University investigates all alleged violations of its academic policy. If an allegation is substantiated, in addition to adverse actions which may be taken by the offender's command, officers could be disenrolled from Air University courses with prejudice (meaning they will have all credits for completion of the course revoked and they will be unable to attend the course in the future), significantly affecting their potential for promotion and career advancement. "Technological advances will continue to be foundational in enhancing education delivery," General Peck said. "But we have to be on guard for those who exploit this technology for negative purposes. In my dealings with leadership of civilian educational institutions, I find they are dealing with technology-enabled challenges to academic integrity on a continual basis. As the intellectual and leadership center of the Air Force, which has integrity as a bedrock core value, I expect our Air University staff, faculty, and students to forge the future of distance learning professional military programs through excellence in academic integrity."