Exams are a wonderful way for students to assess their learning and instructors to note progress.
Person using three computers to work on a project
CELT Teaching Tip • February 11, 2021
Finding one more way to encourage academic integrity
Exams are a wonderful way for students to assess their learning and instructors to note progress. But how do we help encourage academic integrity within the testing environment? In addition to including an academic integrity statement on your syllabus, consider one of the following:
  • Before exam time, discuss with students how integrity, honesty, and responsible behavior are directly related to your field of study and the professional world beyond academia.
  • Attend the Panel, Exploring the benefits and shortcomings of TurnItIn, Feb. 12 (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.); information about this special ISU Online Learning Community event is below.
  • Provide a sample exam question in the way of a no- or low-stakes formative assessment. This step provides students with experience in the format of the exam, as well as the content. The results can provide invaluable information on student preparedness.
  • Consider the benefits of open-book exams. Rather than, or in addition to, asking fact-based questions, open-book exams often work towards higher-order thinking.
  • Place an academic integrity statement prominently at the beginning of the assessment to emphasize responsible behavior.
  • Remind students of the Academic Success Center (ASC) programs, including academic coaching, Supplemental Instruction, Tutoring Services, and a wealth of resources related to studying skills, time management, and note-taking. Share a story of a past students' success after engaging with the ASC.

With a joy for teaching,

Sara Marcketti, Director
Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
Person looking down over a laptop seemingly frustrated with their hands clasped
How can promoting academic integrity improve learning outcomes for students? (20-Minute Mentor)
In this 20-minute session, you’ll come away with expert strategies from Maryellen Weimer, Ph.D. Professor Emerita, Penn State University, world-renowned teaching and learning specialist, helps students become effective learners with integrity, allowing them to pursue understanding, learn from failures, and continue learning for life. To watch the video, follow the steps on how promoting academic integrity improves learning outcomes for students? post.
Instructional Tools News and Updates
Register to attend the ISU Online Learning Community
Panel: Exploring the benefits and shortcomings of TurnItIn
Friday, Feb. 12 (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.)
In fall 2020, CELT collaborated with Online Testing Centers (OTC) to collect ISU’s instructors' opinions about TurnItIn, a tool that checks student submissions for plagiarism in Canvas. We received 89 responses that described TurnItIn usage across different disciplines, delivery modes, and course sizes. Panelists will share the benefits and shortcomings of TurnItIn to uphold academic integrity in small/large enrollment courses delivered in an online and hybrid format. We will also touch on new features in TurnItIn (e.g., Draft Coach), Canvas news, and updates.

Panelists

To attend, register via this Feb. 12 Zoom form.

Questions about the ISU Online Learning Community? Please contact Lesya Hassall by emailing at [email protected].
Using Turnitin in Canvas
Quick start for using Turnitin in Canvas
Turnitin is an academic integrity tool that does the following: 
  • It helps students identify their inauthentic written work and educates them about citations and referencing techniques with similarity report. 
  • It identifies plagiarism in student submissions with a similarity report highlighting areas of text similar to previously shared or published work with links to sources for review. 
When using Turnitin, a best practice is to consider allowing students to upload early drafts of written assignments to identify originality issues and make corrections before submitting final drafts. To get started, watch the Quick start for using Turnitin in Canvas? video (6m 32s).
Technology tools on a desk
Choose your instructional tool adventure webinars
Information is found on each event ISU calendar entry below. Held from 2-2:30 p.m. on the following days:
Recent news about Webex, Canvas and more!
CELT Teaching Spotlight: Nicole L. Hayes
Nicole L. Hayes, Ph.D. Candidate, Social Psychology, will graduate in the spring of 2021 from Iowa State University. Recently, Hayes received the Graduate Student Teaching Impact COVID-19 Exceptional Effort Award. This honor "recognizes a graduate student who has made exceptional efforts to support student learning through innovative and high-quality approaches to teaching, whether through online, hybrid or face-to-face modalities."

Hayes's advice for teaching:

As an online and in-person class instructor, a key challenge in the teaching-learning process is developing and maintaining student engagement. This strategy can be particularly challenging during times of social and financial instability. It is critical to build rapport and build an inclusive and supportive environment to meet students' needs and foster student engagement. Instructors can do so by regularly engaging with students both collectively via group discussions and individually before and after class. Instructors are often the first point of contact for students who may be experiencing challenges.

I would encourage instructors to be more aware of students struggling with coursework and deadlines and reach out to them with campus resources. Adopting these principles in your classroom will help promote students' success by increasing student motivation and learning.


Upcoming Programs written in white on an image of the Iowa State University campus with Morrill Hall in the middle
CELT Programming (Feb. 12-Mar. 8)
Find our program listing with descriptions and registration information on each corresponding page on CELT’s programming schedule via ISU’s Events Calendar website.


Also, check out the Upcoming professional development opportunities with the ISU Writing and Media Center.
Equity and Inclusion Programs
What are we noticing? with Christa Jackson, Feb. 17 (1-2 p.m.)
Christa Jackson, Associate Professor (School of Education), shares how she prepares preservice mathematics education teachers in becoming mindful of their biases by recognizing what they attend to and how they relate classroom events to the broader principles of teaching and learning. To participate, use this Feb. 17th Zoom registration form.
Thomas L Hill ISCORE Iowa State Conference on Race and Ethnicity logo
21st Annual Thomas L. Hill ISCORE: Iowa State Conference on Race and Ethnicity (Mar. 3-5)
The NCORE-ISCORE will offer a dynamic online conference experience through the WHOVA platform, allowing you to register, set up your conference agenda, and participate in the conference presentations.
ISCORE Program Overview and Registration
Questions? Please email [email protected] or call 515-294-6500.
Award-Winning Seminar Series
Inspiring disciplinary curiosity using writing assignments with Mandy Fales-Williams
Feb. 19 (1:10-2:30 p.m.)
In this interactive webinar, Amanda Fales-Williams, Tyrone D. Artz, M.D. Chair for Teaching Excellence in Veterinary Medicine, Professor and Chair (Veterinary Pathology), and University Award for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching winner shares how to use disciplinary writing in your course. Register to attend via this Feb. 19 Zoom form.
Scientific teaching tidbits to enhance student learning with Sayali Kukday & Renu Srivastava
Mar. 8 (1:10-2:30 p.m.)
In this webinar, Scientific Teaching Fellows Dr. Sayali Kukday (Associate Teaching Professor in Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology) and Dr. Renu Srivastava (Assistant Teaching Professor in Genetics, Development, and Cell Biology) will introduce participants to Scientific Teaching. The co-facilitators will share their experiences applying the collaborative principles to develop activities to enhance student learning at the National Institute on Scientific Teaching.

Register to attend via this Mar. 8 Zoom web form.
Where to go for support
For help with Canvas, contact Canvas Support via the ? Help menu in Canvas:
  • Chat with Canvas Support use the live chat tool
  • Ticket support. Open the ? Help menu in Canvas and click Report a Problem.
  • 24/7 phone support. Call 515-294-4000 (listen to prompts to connect to Canvas support).
  • Find answers to common questions in the Canvas Instructor Guides.
  • Use the resources in the Canvas @ ISU site.

For technical support, contact the ISU Solution Center:
  • Email [email protected]
  • Call 515-294-4000 and follow the prompts to receive support from Solution Center staff.

Receive one-to-one assistance for teaching with technology with the CELT Response Team,
  • The CELT Response Team is available for consultations Tuesday-Friday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. each day. To request assistance, call the Team at 515-294-5357.
  • You may connect with our CELT instructional designers for support or pedagogical consultations by emailing your course title, describing the question or issues you have, and the steps to replicate it to [email protected]. This step will also create a ServiceNow ticket for easy tracking.
  • Additionally, you may wish to contact one of the support units directly. Please note which program, department, or college each unit serves and contact the unit for your area.
Prefer a Print version?
To view the Teaching Tip as a printable document with the web addresses, download the CELT Teaching Tip for February 11, 2021 (PDF) (https://bit.ly/3aJZvoa)