Request and Proposal for Enhancing Academic Integrity
Amy Ferguson made this Official Information request to Ministry of Education
The request was refused by Ministry of Education.
From: Amy Ferguson
Dear Ministry of Education,
I am writing to submit a Freedom of Information request for detailed data and statistics on instances of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism and cheating, within New Zealand educational institutions over the past five years. Specifically, I am requesting:
- The annual number of reported cases of academic dishonesty broken down by type (e.g., plagiarism, cheating on exams, use of unauthorized materials).
- The annual number of reported cases of academic dishonesty categorized by educational level (e.g., primary, secondary, tertiary institutions).
- The outcomes of these cases (e.g., warnings, expulsions, academic penalties).
- The measures currently in place to detect and prevent academic dishonesty, including plagiarism detection software and examination protocols.
- Any assessments or reviews conducted on the effectiveness of these measures in reducing instances of academic dishonesty.
In conjunction with this request, I would like to propose an innovative solution designed to enhance academic integrity. This proposal centers around the creation of a voluntary AI-based system that allows students to record their essay composition process. This system aims to mitigate false positives in AI essay checking while preserving student autonomy.
Key Considerations:
Privacy and Data Security: Ensure robust data protection, with students retaining ownership and control over their data. The system will comply with New Zealand's privacy laws and best practices in data security.
Voluntariness: Emphasize the voluntary nature of the system to maintain trust between students and educators. Participation will be completely optional, ensuring that students feel empowered rather than monitored.
Technical Verification: Address technical issues to ensure recordings accurately represent the student's writing process. This could involve timestamping and tracking changes in a non-intrusive manner.
Ethical Concerns: To address concerns about invasive monitoring, this system is entirely voluntary, allowing students to decide whether to use it to verify their work's authenticity.
Enhancing AI Detection: Efforts should focus on improving AI detection methods, enhancing natural language processing capabilities, and considering contextual factors like a student's past work. The goal is to reduce false accusations through technological improvements and human oversight, not by monitoring students' every move.
Proposal Benefits:
-Reducing False Positives: By providing a clear record of the essay-writing process, the system can help distinguish between original work and potential plagiarism, reducing false positives.
-Building Trust: A voluntary system respects student autonomy and builds trust, which is crucial for any integrity initiative.
-Improving Detection: Enhanced AI tools, combined with human oversight, can provide more accurate assessments of academic work, fostering a fairer academic environment.
Conclusion:
This approach offers a promising solution when thoughtfully implemented and ethically guided. I am presenting this proposal in my individual capacity, aware of potential challenges if AI is not carefully implemented.
Your time and consideration are deeply appreciated.
Best regards,
Amy Ferguson
From: Enquiries National
Ministry of Education
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te Mātauranga. Ministry of Education.
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From: Enquiries National
Ministry of Education
Kia ora
Thank you for your request for information below. The Ministry will consider and respond to your request in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Under section 15(1) of the Act, we are required to make and inform you of our decision on your request as soon as reasonably practicable and in any case not later than 20 working days after the day on which your request is received. You can therefore expect to receive our decision on your request on or before the 15th of July 2024. If more than 20 working days are needed due to the potential workload and/or consultations involved in answering your request, we will notify you accordingly.
In the interim, if you have any questions about your request, please email [email address].
Ngā mihi
Enquiries National Team | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education | MC education.govt.nz
We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes He mea tārai e mātou te mātauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai ōna huanga
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From: Enquiries National
Ministry of Education
Tçnâ koe Amy
OIA: 1330813 – Data and statistics on instances of academic dishonesty
Thank you for your email of 14 June 2024 to the Ministry of Education (the
Ministry) requesting the following information:
I am writing to submit a Freedom of Information request for detailed data
and statistics on instances of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism
and cheating, within New Zealand educational institutions over the past
five years. Specifically, I am requesting:
· The annual number of reported cases of academic dishonesty
broken down by type (e.g., plagiarism, cheating on exams, use of
unauthorized materials).
· The annual number of reported cases of academic dishonesty
categorized by educational level (e.g., primary, secondary, tertiary
institutions).
· The outcomes of these cases (e.g., warnings, expulsions,
academic penalties).
· The measures currently in place to detect and prevent academic
dishonesty, including plagiarism detection software and examination
protocols.
· Any assessments or reviews conducted on the effectiveness of
these measures in reducing instances of academic dishonesty.
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982
(the Act).
The Ministry does not collect the information you have requested,
regarding academic honesty. All schools in New Zealand are governed by a
school board, which is responsible for the day-to-day operations of their
school, including managing cases of academic dishonesty. Individual
schools and other education providers may hold the information you have
requested relevant to their own setting, but they are not required to
report this to the Ministry.
Therefore, we are refusing your request under section 18(g) of the Act, as
the information is not held by the Ministry, and we have no grounds for
believing the information requested is either held by or more closely
related to the functions of another department or organisation subject to
the Act.
Thank you again for your email. You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to
review my decision on your request, in accordance with section 28 of the
Act. You can do this by writing to [1][email address] or to
Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Nâku noa, nâ
Official and Parliamentary Information | Te Tâhuhu o te Mâtauranga
| Ministry of Education | KJ
8 Gilmer Terrace, Wellington
[2]education.govt.nz
He mea târai e mâtou te mâtauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai
ôna huanga
We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent
outcomes
[3][IMG]
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