Academic Honesty Policy

Concordia International School Ningbo Academic Honesty Policy

Purpose

The purpose of this Academic Honesty Policy is to promote integrity, honesty, and fairness within the academic community of Concordia International School Ningbo, in alignment with the values of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP). This policy outlines our expectations for academic honesty, defines academic misconduct, and details the procedures and consequences related to breaches of this policy.

Scope

This policy applies to all students, staff, and community members involved in the learning process at Concordia International School Ningbo, covering all academic work and behavior within the school environment and related activities.

Principles

Our commitment to academic honesty is grounded in the following principles:

- Integrity: We act with integrity and honesty in all academic endeavors, understanding that these values are foundational to personal and academic growth.

- Responsibility: We take responsibility for our own work, recognizing that academic honesty is essential to authentic learning and assessment.

- Respect: We respect the intellectual property of others, acknowledging and crediting sources appropriately.

- Fairness: We foster an environment where fairness prevails, and all students have an equal opportunity to demonstrate their learning.

Definitions of Academic Misconduct

- Plagiarism: Presenting the ideas, words, or work of others as one's own without proper acknowledgment.

- Collusion: Unauthorized collaboration on assessable work with other students or individuals.

- Duplication of work: Submitting the same work or parts of the same work for different assessments without authorization.

- Fabrication: Making up data, sources, or information for an assignment or project.

Expectations for Academic Honesty

- Students are expected to understand and adhere to the principles of academic honesty, submit their own work, and acknowledge the ideas and work of others appropriately.

- Teachers are responsible for educating students about academic honesty, modeling integrity in their own work, and creating assessments that promote honest efforts.

- Parents are encouraged to support their children in understanding the importance of academic honesty and ensuring that work submitted is their own.

Procedures and Consequences

1. Education and Prevention: Concordia International School Ningbo prioritizes educating students about academic honesty through lessons, discussions, and resources.

2. Identification of Misconduct: Suspected cases of academic misconduct are reported to the PYP Coordinator and investigated promptly.

3. Review Process: A review process involving the PYP Coordinator, relevant teachers, and the student will determine if a breach of policy has occurred.

4. Consequences: Consequences of academic misconduct may include a warning, a requirement to redo the assignment, loss of marks, or more severe disciplinary actions for repeated offenses.

Roles and Responsibilities

- PYP Coordinator: Oversees the implementation of the Academic Honesty Policy, coordinates education efforts, and manages the review process for suspected misconduct.

- Teachers: Educate students about academic honesty, design assessments that encourage integrity, and monitor for signs of misconduct.

- Students: Understand and adhere to academic honesty expectations, complete assignments independently (unless collaboration is authorized), and acknowledge sources.

- Parents: Support the school's efforts to promote academic honesty by discussing its importance at home and encouraging integrity in their children's work.

Review and Development

This policy is reviewed annually to ensure it remains effective and relevant to the needs of our school community. The review process includes feedback from students, teachers, parents, and the school leadership team.

All policies need to be collaboratively developed, well-documented, communicated to all stakeholders, and regularly reviewed and updated to reflect changes in the school community or IB standards. It's also important to keep these policies aligned with local educational regulations and cultural expectations in Ningbo.