The Opposite of Cheating

“I started out as an academic integrity prescriptivist. I was the hard-nosed.”“There’s really only three main ways that we can ask students to demonstrate academic integrity: Trust, Verification, Observation.”In this 41st episode of The Opposite of Cheating Podcast, David talks with Thomas J. Tobin, an educational developer and consultant with decades of experience, to challenge the punitive paradigms that dominate academic integrity conversations. Sharing his personal transformation from “academic integrity prescriptivist” to UDL champion, Tom walks listeners through a powerful framework for promoting honesty in learning environments: Trust, Verification, and Observation.He emphasizes how lowering barriers—around time, grades, due dates, and communication—can dramatically reduce student pressure and cheating behavior. Rather than defaulting to surveillance and restriction, Tom calls on instructors to make design choices that respect learner variability and build integrity by default.Listeners will learn how Universal Design for Learning intersects with academic integrity, and how reframing our goals around student agency and flexibility not only preserves rigor, but reduces workload for faculty and increases authentic learning for students.You can follow Tom's work at https://thomasjtobin.com/ and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/drtomtobin/, and find his writings about UDL at https://www.ahead.ie/udlforfet-guidance and http://wvupressonline.com/node/757(Disclaimer: episode quotes and summary were created using Youtube's Transcript and ChatGPT and edited by a human. Any errors are the responsibility of the human).

“It’s not: do you have integrity or do you not. It’s: are there conditions in place that allow people to act with integrity?”“One of the things that alternative grading can do is to help shift students’ focus from getting grades and generating products to learning and engaging in a learning process.”In this episode, educational developer and writing instructor Emily Pitts Donahoe of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) of the University of Mississippi, shares how collaborative grading and inclusive pedagogy can transform how we think about academic integrity in the age of AI. Drawing from her work with graduate instructors and first-year writing students, Emily discusses how alternative grading shifts the focus from polished products to meaningful engagement and growth. She reflects on formative moments in her own educational journey, including a high school ethical dilemma, and examines how systemic inequities shape integrity choices. This episode invites listeners to rethink what learning looks like—and how we might redesign our courses to better support integrity, equity, and motivation in a rapidly changing world.You can follow Emily's work on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-pitts-donahoe-54093a242/, on her Unmaking the Grade Substack at https://emilypittsdonahoe.substack.com/, and on the CETL website at https://olemiss.edu/profiles/ejdonaho.php. For specific links to the Progress Tracker Emily gives to students, a sample rubric, and her current AI Policy document, see this blog post - https://emilypittsdonahoe.substack.com/p/sharing-my-course-documents. Episode Resources Leonard Cassuto's The New PhD (https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/12093/new-phd?srsltid=AfmBOorgiP2uw_IKt47yzNA5sX1-dIHQyZ8YKS4aWg0-hbTKFT_7g5R5) and his appearance on Dead Ideas in Teaching and Learning (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-is-there-no-training-on-how-to-teach-graduate-students/id1535499508?i=1000646374045&l=es-MX)(Disclaimer: episode quotes and summary were created using Youtube's Transcript and ChatGPT and edited by a human. Any errors are the responsibility of the human).

"We've been loathed to change and evaluate ourselves, make sure that we're addressing these fundamental issues and we need to own it.""These are wicked problems and we have the knowledge and the ability, but we are headbutting not willing to come together and come up with a path forward."In this 39th episode of The Opposite of Cheating Podcast, Tricia speaks with Sonny Ramaswamy, former President of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), about the intersections of accreditation, academic integrity, and systemic reform in higher education. Drawing from his expansive career in science, public service, and accreditation, Sonny reflects on the evolution—and shortcomings—of U.S. quality assurance models, especially in light of new challenges posed by AI and persistent pressures around access, funding, and equity. Together, they tackle the validity of the credit hour, the need to move toward competency-based education, and how accreditors like NWCCU must move to centering learning outcomes, professional ethics, and durable human skills in their evaluation processes.You can learn more about Sonny on his Wikipedia page - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Ramaswamy - and by following him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonnyramaswamy/(Disclaimer: episode quotes and summary were created using Youtube's Transcript and ChatGPT and edited by a human. Any errors are the responsibility of the human).Episode ResourcesBeing There (Movie): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078841/?ref_=nm_flmg_job_1_accord_1_cdt_t_2Carnegie Credit Hour: https://nwccu.org/news/v6i4-letter-from-the-president/Math Education in Crisis: https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/wa-math-education-is-in-crisis-heres-what-could-help/WASC's KIDS (Key Indicator Dashboard) - https://www.wscuc.org/resources/kid/

"The issue I have is honestly that AI itself is a thief of ideas and doesn't really attribute where it got it from." "When you disclose, you're unpacking your thinking and you're making your thinking visible." In this 38th episode, Dr. Tricia Bertram Gallant is joined by Hoda Mostafa and Maha Bali from the Center for Learning and Teaching at the American University in Cairo (AUC). They explore how academic integrity is shaped by culture, language, and historical context, like how ideas of "helping" can blur lines in collectivist cultures and why Western-centric frameworks for integrity can create pitfalls. Hoda and Maha explain how AUC co-created guidelines for generative AI use with faculty and students to reframe originality, attribution, and collaboration in empowering ways. They also critique AI tools' biases, the dangers of outsourcing feedback to machines, and the need to preserve students' voices and relationships in learning. You can follow Hoda and Maha on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/hodamostafa/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/maha-bali-3b51615/ respectfully. And for more on the Center for Learning and Teaching at The American University in Cairo go to https://www.aucegypt.edu/academics/center-learning-and-teaching (Disclaimer: episode quotes and summary were created using Youtube's Transcript and ChatGPT and edited by a human. Any errors are the responsibility of the human).Episode Resources"AI shaming":https://blog.mahabali.me/educational-technology-2/against-ai-shaming/https://blog.mahabali.me/uncategorized/an-invitation-to-extend-grace-and-openness-instead-of-no-ai-shaming/Peter Feltern's work: Connections Are Everything https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/12845/connections-are-everything?srsltid=AfmBOooLKOLIxxe13qUi1ZXM88EQYMBltzX6SRbQ54sk1MzTd6T6HfTICompassionate Learning DesignGachago, D., Bali, M., & Pallitt, N. (2022). Compassionate learning design as a critical approach to instructional design. In J. Quinn, M Burtis, & S. Jhangiani (eds). Critical Instructional Design. Hybrid Pedagogy publishing. https://criticalinstructionaldesign.pressbooks.com/chapter/compassionate-learning-design-as-a-critical-approach-to-instructional-design/Bali, M. & Tamer Atef, Y. (2024). https://blog.mahabali.me/pedagogy/cultivating-compassionate-community-to-foster-academic-integrity-with-yasser_tammer/

“Nobody’s brain wants to work overtime on something that seems pointless.”“Transparency full stop… you really you you cannot be too clear and transparent.”In this 37th episode of The Opposite of Cheating Podcast, David speaks with Syracuse University's Jessamyn Neuhaus (Director of the Center for Teaching & Learning Excellence) and Kate Marzen (Director of Academic Integrity) about using joy, trust, and proactive communication to reshape how academic integrity is approached.Jessamine shares her journey from content-focused historian to pedagogy-centered faculty leader, reframing academic integrity as a teachable skill embedded within good teaching. Kate, drawing on her background in K–12 and student conduct, emphasizes developmental approaches to misconduct and shares Syracuse’s standout initiative: a low-tech academic integrity escape room designed for first-year students.The episode dives into the power of transparency, the importance of giving students voice and agency, and how faculty can create learning environments that reduce misconduct by design—not policing.Listeners will come away with actionable strategies for humanizing integrity conversations, making teaching joyful again, and building campus cultures where students are seen as partners—not problems.You can follow Jessamyn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessamyn-neuhaus-975b00168/ and Kate at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-bussell/. You can learn more about Syracuse University's Center for Teaching & Learning Excellence (CTLE) at https://teachingexcellence.syr.edu/ (Disclaimer: episode quotes and summary were created using Youtube's Transcript and ChatGPT and edited by a human. Any errors are the responsibility of the human).

"Assessment and feedback inspires and assures student learning""Formative, instant feedback, repeatable, and evaluative judgement - that's FIRE"In this 36th episode of The Opposite of Cheating Podcast, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Quality & Integrity at Western Sydney University Cath Ellis discusses the evolution of educational integrity in Australia, the role of regulatory frameworks like TEQSA, and how scandal and data paved the way for institutional change. She introduces Western Sydney's Inspire and Assure (IA) Approach to assessment, which is their refinement of the “two-lane” model talked about by Danny Liu in Episode 28, to center faculty on the importance of inspiring learning and assuring assessment validity. Cath shares practical strategies for identifying “enrolled persons” who may not be doing their own work, like oral assessments, and the need to build student capacity while holding institutions accountable for fairness and transparency. She also unpacks the matrix model for assessment reform and makes a compelling argument for replacing “sour” assessments with “FIRE” ones.You can follow Cath on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/cath-ellis-8162581b/(Disclaimer: episode quotes and summary were created using Youtube's Transcript and ChatGPT and edited by a human. Any errors are the responsibility of the human).

Aviva Legatt, a higher education expert and AI consultant, dives into the evolving role of AI in college admissions and institutional strategy. She shares insights on how AI facilitates applicant engagement while stressing the importance of maintaining student voice. Aviva highlights the ethical challenges of AI, the necessity for clear usage policies, and the irreplaceable value of critical thinking and communication skills. She also offers advice to families on navigating AI fluency for future careers and discusses the duality of AI as an enabler and a potential threat to academic integrity.

In this engaging discussion, Torrey Trust, a professor of learning technology at UMass Amherst, sheds light on the transformative impact of AI in education. She emphasizes the need to rethink academic integrity and advocates for innovative assignment designs to foster real-world relevance. With insights from her 'AI for College Success' course, Torrey highlights the importance of the TRUST model, which prioritizes transparency and social knowledge. They also address AI's emotional manipulation risks and the value of allowing students to learn through failure.

“Students are human and humans cheat.”"If you make it easy for people to do, then it's more likely to happen."In this thought-provoking 33rd episode of The Opposite of Cheating, David speaks with Phil Newton, neuroscientist and academic integrity researcher at Swansea University in Wales. Phil brings a rare blend of scientific rigor and pedagogical insight to the conversation, reflecting on how memory, motivation, and fairness intersect with cheating, assessment, and the rise of AI in education.Together, they explore:* the neuroscience behind why facts matter—and why offloading them to AI could erode critical thinking* the ethics of unsupervised exams and why “please don’t cheat” is not enough* what it means to “certify” learning in a world where students—and machines—can do so much unseen* why foundational knowledge is still essential in medicine, democracy, and education* how universities might be failing students by making cheating the easiest optionYou can follow Phil on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/prof-phil-newton-21966b8a/ (Disclaimer: episode quotes and summary were created using Youtube's Transcript and ChatGPT and edited by a human. Any errors are the responsibility of the human).

“At some point, you have to decide which parts of your course are essential, and which you can let go of.”“Agents aren’t coming—they’re here. And they’re going to make academic dishonesty invisible.”In the 32nd Episode of The Opposite of Cheating, Tricia talks with Dr. Joseph Brown, Director of the Academic Integrity Program at Colorado State University. A long-time member of the International Center for Academic Integrity, Joseph brings a faculty perspective—rooted in his background as an English professor—and bridges it with deep administrative experience in both student conduct and faculty development.Listen to Joseph's thoughts on how institutional structure impacts academic integrity, what faculty exhaustion reveals about the limits of 20th-century assessment models, and why “authentic assessment” must become more than a buzzword in the age of agents, smart wearables, and constant disruption.Through personal stories, cultural reflections, and institutional insights, this episode captures the complexity—and possibility—of teaching for integrity in today’s higher education landscape.You can follow Joseph Brown on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephfbrown/(Disclaimer: episode quotes and summary were created using Youtube's Transcript and ChatGPT and edited by a human. Any errors are the responsibility of the human).