Academic Integrity Assurance Methods and Tools for Laboratory Settings

Abstract

Academic Integrity Assurance (AIA) is a continuing concern for every aspect and at all levels of education. An iterative approach is required to maintain effective countermeasures to ensure an institution’s reputation. Students will continue to invent new ways to challenge the assurance process. This paper explores the uses of various technologies and tools to maintain AIA in engineering classes and labs.The course Introduction to Logic Design at Florida Atlantic University offers three to five classes with two hundred to three fifty hundred students per semester. Teaching assistants enter online the lab grades and on the student’s grading sheet as a backup, presenting several challenges with AIA.Examples of using technology to maintain AIA: The grading sheet security features include: security paper, holographic barcode security label, and watermarks. Students are required to upload lab images within one hour of lab grade entry. The professor reviews these images to confirm each student lab is unique. Any grade entry conflicts are verified by accessing the data logs. Verifying lab reports metadata tracking information. Using a spectrum analyzer while proctoring exams to observe the radio spectrum bands of cell phones, WiFi and Bluetooth devices.These methods and tools help ensure AIA.