International School of Estonia Academic Honesty Policy

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1 International School of Estonia Academic Honesty Policy updated April 2015

2 ISE Mission who we are and what we do Develop inquirers, communicators, risk-takers and leaders Provide an environment of creativity, innovation and care Foster intercultural understanding and respect Empower students to implement positive change in the face of future challenges Our Core Values the qualities that must be in place and actively followed in order for ISE to accomplish its Mission In all that we do, we value care and compassion We believe that we have an obligation to listen thoughtfully to others, to consider their points of view and to treat them with kindness and empathy. the pursuit of high quality We set high but realistic standards for everything at ISE. We regularly assess how we are progressing towards those standards and constantly seek to improve. We encourage asking, How can we do that better the next time? inquiry-based learning Why? is our favorite question. We see ourselves as life-long learners, and developing a joy of learning is essential to what we do. taking action We are committed to making a difference. Therefore we work hard to connect learning to service. We look beyond ourselves and seek to make genuine, positive changes in the world around us. Our Vision ISE is internationally recognized as a school that develops and empowers future innovators and leaders

3 The core of International Baccalaureate programs is the IB Learner Profile and the International School of Estonia celebrates the promotion of these student attributes: Inquirer Acquires skills for purposeful, constructive research Thinker Applies thinking skills critically and creatively to solve complex problems Communicator Receives and expresses ideas in more than one language including the language of mathematical symbols Risk-taker Approaches unfamiliar situations with confidence Principled Displays integrity, honesty and a sense of fairness and justice Caring Develops a sense of personal commitment to action and service open-minded Respects the views, values and traditions of other individuals and cultures and is accustomed to seeking and considering a range of points of view Balanced Understands physical, mental and personal well-being Reflective Analyzes own strength and weaknesses ISE in support of the Learning Profile and our IB curriculum, also champions the aims and goals of the International Baccalaureate Mission: The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

4 Statement of Philosophy Academic honesty in the IB is a principle informed by the attributes of the IB learner profile. In teaching, learning and assessment, academic honesty serves to promote personal integrity and engender respect for others and the integrity of their work. Upholding academic honesty also helps to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they acquire during their studies. As stated in the IB learner profile, all members of the IB community must strive to be principled, acting with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. MYP students must demonstrate academic honesty and avoid any form of academic misconduct. Academic honesty is the responsibility of all school, teachers and students in IB programmes and must be developed across the curriculum as part of a school s approaches to learning. From an early age, students can be taught in the PYP to recognize ownership of work and attribute accordingly. As students gain experience they can be taught a range of academic honesty skills so that by the time they meet externally validated assessment in the MYP or the DP, they have well-developed skills and can avoid pitfalls. ISE s Academic Honesty Policy (henceforth referred to as the policy) focuses on prevention and promoting good practice. It is our goal for the entire school community to view the principles of the Academic Honesty Policy positively. 1. As stated in the IB learner profile, all members of the IB community must strive to be principled, acting with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. MYP students must demonstrate academic honesty and avoid any form of academic misconduct. 2. The IB defines academic misconduct as behaviour that results in, or may result in, the student or any other student gaining an unfair advantage in one or more assessment components. Academic misconduct includes: Plagiarism the representation, intentionally or unwittingly, of the ideas, words or work of another person without proper, clear and explicit acknowledgment Collusion supporting academic misconduct by another student, as in allowing one s work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another Duplication of work the presentation of the same work for different assessment components Any other behaviour that gives an unfair advantage to a student or that affects the results of another student (falsifying data, misconduct during an examination, creating spurious reflections). 3. Examples and guidance: Collaboration may be loosely defined as working together on a common aim with shared information, which is an open and cooperative behaviour that does not result in allowing one s work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another.

5 Collusion occurs when a student uses fellow learners as an unattributed source. Supporting academic misconduct by another student, as in allowing one s work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another. An authentic piece of work is one that is based on the student s individual and original ideas, with the ideas and work of others fully acknowledged. Therefore, all assignments for assessment, regardless of their format, must wholly and authentically use that student s own language, expression and ideas. Citing and acknowledging original authorship; where the ideas or work of another person are represented within a student s work, whether in the form of direct quotation or paraphrase, the source(s) of those ideas or the work must be fully and appropriately acknowledged. When using the words of another person, it must become habitual practice for a student to use quotation marks, indentation or some other accepted means of indicating that the wording is not their own. Furthermore, the source of the quotation (or paraphrased text) must be clearly identified, along with the quotation, and not reside in the bibliography alone. The IB does not prescribe which style(s) of referencing or citation method should be used by students. However, the minimum information required in the MYP for identifying sources includes the name of the author, date of publication, title of source, and page numbers, as applicable. Responsibilities Through approaches to learning (ATL) in IB programmes, students develop skills that have relevance across the curriculum and help them learn how to learn. Students will learn and practice academic honesty as part of their ATL skill development, receive an age-appropriate copy of the policy and be aware that the coordinator and teachers are available to offer further advice and guidance. A. The administration shall: 1. Make sure that staff, students and parents are aware of the academic honesty policy. 2. Promote and encourage staff to educate students regarding the policy. 3. Enforce the consequences when a student violates the policy. B. The staff shall: 1. Discuss and reinforce academic honesty with students through relevant ATL skills in all subject group classes so that students gain a clear idea of the purpose of correct citation and referencing in a variety of disciplines. 2. Promote a classroom environment that encourages academic honesty and original thinking. 3. Enforce the consequences when a student violates the policy. C. The student shall: 1. Students will learn and practice academic honesty as part of their ATL skill development, be aware that the coordinator and teachers are available to offer further advice and guidance.

6 2. Support the spirit of the academic honesty policy both in attitude and action in completing all school-related tests, quizzes, projects, reports, homework assignments or in class assignments. 3. Understand that no assignment is excluded from this policy. 4. Receive an age-appropriate copy of the policy in the beginning of the year, sign documentation to show comprehension and compliance with ISE s Academic Honesty Policy. D. The parent/guardian shall: 1. Teach and support the ethical values of honesty and integrity. 2. Share ISE 's enforcement of the academic honesty policy, especially with regard to work done outside of school. 3. Help and encourage students with schoolwork, but never do it for them. Offenses The International School of Estonia, as an institution of learning, holds as one of its highest ideals that of honesty in academic affairs. With this in mind, it is incumbent upon both faculty and students to protect and maintain a high degree of academic honesty in our school. Depending upon the circumstances of the academic dishonesty, the following actions will be taken at the discretion of the Upper School Dean of Students/Principal. A. For the first offense* in regards to academic dishonesty, the following actions will be taken: 1.Discussion with the teacher and a formal warning. 2. Parents may be notified of the incident. 3. The Principal may meet with the student, the parent/guardian, the teacher to discuss the incident. 4. A written record of the incident may be made. 5. The student will receive a ZERO for the assignment. 6. The student may be told to redo the assignment without credit. B. A second offense in regards to academic dishonesty will result in the following actions: 1. The teacher will inform the Upper School Dean of Students/Principal and Director. 2. The Principal will notify parents of the incident. 3. The Principal will meet with the student, the parent/guardian, the teacher to discuss the incident.

7 4. The Principal will make a written record of the incident and place in the student's file 5. The student will receive a ZERO for the assignment. 6. The student may be suspended and/or be given extra work assignments to be completed after school in detention. 7. The student may be excluded from participation in clubs, sports or school activities in that semester C. A third offense in regards to academic dishonesty will result in the following actions: As above (B) 7. The student will be suspended with possible expulsion. 8. The student will be ineligible for: a. participation in clubs, sports or school activities for the remainder of the school year *These guidelines for sanctions apply to any violations throughout the time spent in Upper School. The Upper School will be informed of any students who have committed more than one act of academic dishonesty. Adapted and compiled from MYP: From Principles into practice, Academic honesty in the IB educational context by the IBO; and the policy on academic honesty of the Prague International School. International School of Estonia March 2015