UHaveIntegrity: A Strengths-Based Approach to Academic Integrity at the University of Calgary

May 9, 2025
AltText: The image shows a closed laptop with a honeycomb-patterned cover on a wooden surface. On top of the laptop, there is a rectangular sticker that reads "#UHaveIntegrity" with the "integrity" part in red text. The sticker also includes a small logo for the University of Calgary.

I have been doing a lot of travelling lately, giving talks on postplagiarsm and academic integrity in the age of generative artificial intelligence. Recently I was at the Calgary airport and ask I was going through the security screening process, I took out my laptop and placed it in the bin to be screened. A staff member pointed to my laptop and asked, “Are you a professor at the University of Calgary?!”

She recognized the laptop sticker. It says #UHaveIntegrity, which is the slogan for our academic integrity campaign at the University of Calgary.

I replied, “Yes! Yes, I am! Are you a student?” She replied yes, that she was a majoring in political science.

It was most inspiring moment I have ever had going through airport security!

Shifting the Conversation

Traditional academic integrity messaging often starts from a deficit model, emphasizing what students should not do and the consequences of misconduct. This approach inadvertently positions students as potential cheaters rather than developing adults.

The #UHaveIntegrity campaign reframes this conversation. We acknowledge and celebrate  students as whole human beings with existing ethical foundations. Our role as educators shifts from policing to supporting their continued development.

From Classroom to Career

Academic integrity transcends assignment submissions and exam protocols. It forms the foundation for ethical decision-making that extends beyond graduation. The research literature demonstrates that students who develop strong ethical frameworks during their education carry these principles into their professional lives (e.g., Guerrero-Dib et al., 2020; Tammeleht et al., 2022).

When we recognize that students already have integrity, we create space for authentic dialogue about ethical challenges rather than simply enforcing rules. Students become active participants in their ethical development rather than passive recipients of policy statements.

Supporting Student Success

The #UHaveIntegrity campaign represents our commitment to supporting student learning and academic success. By starting from a position of trust, we establish educational environments where:

  • Students feel empowered to ask questions about citation and collaboration
  • Errors become learning opportunities rather than character judgments
  • Discussions about integrity focus on growth rather than compliance

Moving Toward Postplagiarism

The #UHaveIntegrity campaign exemplifies what we call postplagiarism pedagogy—an educational approach that moves beyond rule-based instruction to consider how learning, writing, and collaboration can happen ethically in the age of generative AI.

Postplagiarism does not mean ignoring source citation or academic honesty. Instead, it acknowledges that students develop as writers in a world where information flows differently than in previous generations. ChatGPT was released almost two and half years ago, in November 2022. Here we are in 2025 and our historical norms around citing and referencing are inadequate in the age of remix, mashup, and co-creation with GenAI.

By starting from the premise that students have integrity, educators can engage in richer conversations about:

  • How knowledge creation occurs in digital environments
  • Why proper attribution matters in different contexts
  • How collaboration and individual work intersect in contemporary scholarship

In a small-scale study led by my colleague, Dr. Soroush Sabbaghan, we interviewed ten graduate students about their use of GenAI. They told us that they want and need guidance and support to use GenAI ethically. They also wanted agency to use GenAI tools to help them do their research. They wanted GenAI tools to help them amplify their own voices and discover new perspectives. Although our study was small, the findings are worthy of consideration. You can check out the article here if you are interested.

Moving Forward Together

The sticker on my laptop serves as a daily reminder of our responsibility as educators. It’s up to us educators to create learning environments that nurture the integrity students already possess, providing them with the knowledge and skills to navigate increasingly complex ethical landscapes.

The next time you encounter academic integrity challenges in your classroom, remember: your students have integrity. The question is not about instilling values they lack, but supporting their application of existing values to new academic contexts.

#UHaveIntegrity is more than a hashtag. It is our University of Calgary commitment to educational partnerships built on integrity and mutual respect.

University of Calgary Academic Integrity Week 2025

This year at the University of Calgary, we’ll mark Academic Integrity Week from October 14-17. Our themes are artificial intelligence and engaging students as partners in academic integrity. We are excited to engage with students on these important topics!

References

Guerrero-Dib, J. G., Portales, L., & Heredia-Escorza, Y. (2020). Impact of academic integrity on workplace ethical behaviour. International Journal for Educational Integrity, 16(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40979-020-0051-3 

Sabbaghan, S., & Eaton, S. E. (2025). Navigating the ethical frontier: Graduate students’ experiences with generative AI-mediated scholarship. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40593-024-00454-6 

Tammeleht, A., Löfström, E., & Rodríguez-Triana, j. M. J. (2022). Facilitating development of research ethics and integrity leadership competencies. International Journal for Educational Integrity, 18(1), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40979-022-00102-3

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Sarah Elaine Eaton, PhD, is a Professor and Research Chair in the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary, Canada. Opinions are my own and do not represent those of my employer.

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Embracing AI as a Teaching Tool: Practical Approaches for the Post-plagiarism Classroom

March 23, 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) has moved from a futuristic concept to an everyday reality. Rather than viewing AI tools like ChatGPT as threats to academic integrity, forward-thinking educators are discovering their potential as powerful teaching instruments. Here’s how you can meaningfully incorporate AI into your classroom while promoting critical thinking and ethical technology use.

Making AI Visible in the Learning Process

One of the most effective approaches to teaching with AI is to bring it into the open. When we demystify these tools, students develop a more nuanced understanding of the tools’ capabilities and limitations.

Start by dedicating class time to explore AI tools together. You might begin with a demonstration of how ChatGPT or similar tools respond to different types of prompts. Ask students to compare the quality of responses when the tool is asked to:

  • Summarize factual information
  • Analyze a complex concept
  • Solve a problem in your discipline
A teaching tip infographic titled "Postplagiarism Teaching Tip by Sarah Elaine Eaton: Make AI Visible in the Learning Process." The infographic features a central image of a thinking face emoji, with three connected bubbles highlighting different aspects of AI integration in learning: Summarize Factual Information (blue): Encourages understanding of basic facts and data handling, represented by an icon of a document with a magnifying glass. Analyze Complex Concepts (green): Develops critical thinking and deep analysis skills, represented by an icon of a puzzle piece. Solve Discipline-Specific Problems (orange): Enhances problem-solving skills in specific subjects, represented by an icon of tools (wrench and screwdriver). In the bottom right corner, there’s a Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC) icon.

Have students identify where the AI excels and where it falls short. Hands-on experience that is supervised by an educator helps students understand that while AI can be impressive and  capable, it has clear boundaries and weaknesses.

From AI Drafts to Critical Analysis

AI tools can quickly generate content that serves as a starting point for deeper learning. Here is a step-by-step approach for using AI-generated drafts as teaching material:

  1. Assignment Preparation: Choose a topic relevant to your course and generate a draft response using an AI tool such as ChatGPT.
  2. Collaborative Analysis: Share the AI-generated draft with students and facilitate a discussion about its strengths and weaknesses. Prompt students with questions such as:
    • What perspectives are missing from this response?
    • How could the structure be improved?
    • What claims require additional evidence?
    • How might we make this content more engaging or relevant?

The idea is to bring students into conversations about AI, to build their critical thinking and also have them puzzle through the strengths and weaknesses of current AI tools.

  • Revision Workshop: Have students work individually or in groups to revised an AI draft into a more nuanced, complete response. This process teaches students that the value lies not in generating initial content (which AI can do) but in refining, expanding, and critically evaluating information (which requires human judgment).
  • Reflection: Ask students to document what they learned through the revision process. What gaps did they identify in the AI’s understanding? How did their human perspective enhance the work? Building in meta-cognitive awareness is one of the skills that assessment experts such as Bearman and Luckin (2020) emphasize in their work.

This approach shifts the educational focus from content creation to content evaluation and refinement—skills that will remain valuable regardless of technological advancement.

Teaching Fact-Checking Through Deliberate Errors

AI systems often present information confidently, even when that information is incorrect or fabricated. This characteristic makes AI-generated content perfect for teaching fact-checking skills.

Try this classroom activity:

  1. Generate Content with Errors: Use an AI tool to create content in your subject area, either by requesting information you know contains errors or by asking about obscure topics where the AI might fabricate details.
  2. Fact-Finding Mission: Provide this content to students with the explicit instruction to identify potential errors and verify information. You might structure this as:
    • Individual verification of specific claims
    • Small group investigation with different sections assigned to each group
    • A whole-class collaborative fact-checking document
  3. Source Evaluation: Have students document not just whether information is correct, but how they determined its accuracy. This reinforces the importance of consulting authoritative sources and cross-referencing information.
  4. Meta-Discussion: Use this opportunity to discuss why AI systems make these kinds of errors. Topics might include:
  • How large language models are trained
  • The concept of ‘hallucination’ in AI
  • The difference between pattern recognition and understanding
  • Why AI might present incorrect information with high confidence

These activities teach students not just to be skeptical of AI outputs but to develop systematic approaches to information verification—an essential skill in our information-saturated world.

Case Studies in AI Ethics

Ethical considerations around AI use should be explicit rather than implicit in education. Develop case studies that prompt students to engage with real ethical dilemmas:

  1. Attribution Discussions: Present scenarios where students must decide how to properly attribute AI contributions to their work. For example, if an AI helps to brainstorm ideas or provides an outline that a student substantially revises, how could this be acknowledged?
  2. Equity Considerations: Explore cases highlighting AI’s accessibility implications. Who benefits from these tools? Who might be disadvantaged? How might different cultural perspectives be underrepresented in AI outputs?
  3. Professional Standards: Discuss how different fields are developing guidelines for AI use. Medical students might examine how AI diagnostic tools should be used alongside human expertise, while creative writing students could debate the role of AI in authorship.
  4. Decision-Making Frameworks: Help students develop personal guidelines for when and how to use AI tools. What types of tasks might benefit from AI assistance? Where is independent human work essential?

These discussions help students develop thoughtful approaches to technology use that will serve them well beyond the classroom.

Implementation Tips for Educators

As you incorporate these approaches into your teaching, consider these practical suggestions:

  • Start small with one AI-focused activity before expanding to broader integration
  • Be transparent with students about your own learning curve with these technologies
  • Update your syllabus to clearly outline expectations for appropriate AI use
  • Document successes and challenges to refine your approach over time
  • Share experiences with colleagues to build institutional knowledge

Moving Beyond the AI Panic

The concept of postplagiarism does not mean abandoning academic integrity—rather, it calls for reimagining how we teach integrity in a technologically integrated world. By bringing AI tools directly into our teaching practices, we help students develop the critical thinking, evaluation skills, and ethical awareness needed to use these technologies responsibly.

When we shift our focus from preventing AI use to teaching with and about AI, we prepare students not just for academic success, but for thoughtful engagement with technology throughout their lives and careers.

References

Bearman, M., & Luckin, R. (2020). Preparing university assessment for a world with AI: Tasks for human intelligence. In M. Bearman, P. Dawson, R. Ajjawi, J. Tai, & D. Boud (Eds.), Re-imagining University Assessment in a Digital World (pp. 49-63). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41956-1_5 

Eaton, S. E. (2023). Postplagiarism: Transdisciplinary ethics and integrity in the age of artificial intelligence and neurotechnology. International Journal for Educational Integrity, 19(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40979-023-00144-1

Edwards, B. (2023, April 6). Why ChatGPT and Bing Chat are so good at making things up. Arts Technica. https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2023/04/why-ai-chatbots-are-the-ultimate-bs-machines-and-how-people-hope-to-fix-them/ 

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Sarah Elaine Eaton, PhD, is a Professor and Research Chair in the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary, Canada. Opinions are my own and do not represent those of my employer.

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Upcoming Talk: From Plagiarism to Postplagiarism: Navigating the GenAI Revolution in Higher Education

January 3, 2025
An promo announcement on a white background. There is a red stripe down the left-hand site. The University of Calgary logo appears on the top right. The following text is written in black, orange and red: From Plagiarism to Postplagiarism: Navigating the GenAI Revolution in Higher Education The first 2025 public presentation about #Postplagiarism is now open for registration! Free and open to the public. Join us in person or via webinar. January 29, 2025| 12:00 – 13:00 Mountain time https://workrooms.ucalgary.ca/event/3854045

Join us for our first presentation of 2025:

From Plagiarism to Postplagiarism: Navigating the GenAI Revolution in Higher Education

Format: Hybrid (in person or live stream)

I am delighted to kick off a speaker series on GenAI hosted by my colleague, Dr. Soroush Sabbaghan, through the Centre for Artificial Intelligence Ethics, Literacy, and Integrity (CAIELI) at the University of Calgary.

Description

Generative AI (GenAI) is transforming teaching, learning, and assessment in higher education.

Learn to integrate GenAI effectively while maintaining academic integrity and enhancing student agency.

Dr. Sarah Eaton shares innovative strategies that promote critical thinking and original scholarship. Explore how GenAI reshapes academic practices and discover proactive approaches to leverage its potential.

This session equips educators, administrators, and policymakers to lead purposefully in a dynamic academic landscape.

Speaker bio

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a Professor and research chair at the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary (Canada). She is an award-winning educator, researcher, and leader. She leads transdisciplinary research teams focused on the ethical implications of advanced technology use in educational contexts. Dr. Eaton also holds a concurrent appointment as an Honorary Associate Professor, Deakin University, Australia.

More Details

Date: January 29, 2025

Time: 12:00 – 13:00 Mountain time

This talk is free and open to the public, but there are only 20 seats available to join us in person! We can also accommodate folks online.

Get more details and register here.

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Sarah Elaine Eaton, PhD, is a Professor and Research Chair in the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary, Canada. Opinions are my own and do not represent those of my employer. 

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Future-proofing integrity in the age of artificial intelligence and neurotechnology: Prioritizing human rights, dignity, and equity

November 13, 2024

Once a year I write an editorial for the International Journal for Educational Integrity. I take a big idea, ground it in literature written by some of the best in the world and then call for ways to improve our field even more. In 2023 I wrote about Postplagiarism and in 2022, I focused on equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility and decolonization as new priorities for academic integrity. Here is this year’s editorial:

Future-proofing integrity in the age of artificial intelligence and neurotechnology: prioritizing human rights, dignity, and equity

A screenshot of an article title page. There is black text on a white background with a green banner at the top. Here is a link to the original: https://edintegrity.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1007/s40979-024-00175-2

Abstract

In this article I argue for the prioritisation of human rights when developing and implementing misconduct policies. Existing approaches may be perpetuate inequities, particularly for individuals from marginalised groups. A human-rights-by-design approach, which centres human rights in policy development, revision, and implementation, ensuring that every individual is treated with dignity and respect.

Recommendations for implementing a human-rights approach to misconduct investigations and case management are offered, covering areas such as procedural fairness, privacy, equity, and the right to education. Additional topics covered are the need to limit surveillance technologies, and the need to recognize that not all use of artificial intelligence tools automatically constitutes misconduct. I disentangle

the differences between equity and equality and explain how both are important when considering ethics and integrity. A central argument of this paper is that a human-rights-by-design approach to integrity does not diminish standards but rather strengthens educational systems by cultivating ethical awareness and respect for personhood. I conclude with a call to action with a seven-point plan for institutions to adopt a human-rights-based approach to ethics and integrity. In the age of artificial intelligence and neurotechnology, insisting on human rights and dignity when we investigate and address misconduct allegations is an ethical imperative that has never been more important.

Keywords Academic misconduct, Academic dishonesty, Plagiarism, Policy, Human rights, Restorative justice, Artificial intelligence, Neurotechnology, Higher education, Education

Commentary

As I reflect on the current state of academic and research integrity, I am struck by a glaring omission in our discussions: the connection between misconduct and human rights. We often treat these as separate entities, failing to recognize the profound impact that misconduct investigations and policies can have on the fundamental rights of individuals. This oversight is particularly concerning in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) and neurotechnology, where the potential for harm is magnified.

Take, for example, the case of a professor in Canada who physically assaulted international students accused of plagiarism. This horrifying example demonstrates how the pursuit of academic integrity can be twisted into a justification for degrading and inhumane treatment, violating the very principles of dignity and respect that should guide our actions. While this is an extreme case, it highlights the need for a fundamental shift in our approach.

In this editorial, I offer a call to action to move beyond simply adhering to legal requirements and embrace a ‘human-rights-by-design’ approach that embeds human rights principles into our policies and practices. This means ensuring procedural fairness throughout investigations, safeguarding the privacy of individuals, and recognizing the right to be presumed innocent until there is proof to the contrary. It also requires us to acknowledge the diverse backgrounds and circumstances of our students and staff, striving for equitable treatment that addresses systemic inequalities and provides the support needed for everyone to succeed.

In the face of rapidly evolving technologies like AI, we must be especially vigilant in upholding human rights. The temptation to rely on unproven AI detection tools or to rush to judgement based on suspicion rather than evidence is strong, but it is a path that leads us away from justice and fairness. We cannot allow fear or expediency to erode our commitment to human dignity.

By centring human rights in our approach to integrity, we can create educational and research environments that are not only ethically sound but also truly just and equitable. This is not about lowering standards; it is about building a culture of integrity that upholds the inherent worth of every individual.

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This blog has had over 3 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton, PhD, is a Professor and Research Chair in the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary, Canada. Opinions are my own and do not represent those of my employer.

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Event: The Intersection of Academic Integrity and Inclusion: A Fireside Chat

October 10, 2024

Next week is Academic Integrity Week at the Univeristy of Calgary. This year, I have the honour of moderating a fireside chat with one of my very own Werklund School of Education Doctor of Education (EdD) students, Colleen Fleming. 

Join us for a thought-provoking discussion during Academic Integrity Week 2024!

A poster with text in black, red, and orange. The University of Calgary logo appears at the top. On the right-hand side there is art featuring a woman wearing a headset.

Discover the crucial link between academic integrity and inclusion in higher education with our distinguished speaker, Colleen Fleming, EdD student, Werklund School of Education.

Moderated by Dr. Sarah Elaine Eaton, this conversation will explore:

  • Defining academic integrity in an inclusive context
  • Challenges in maintaining integrity across diverse student populations
  • Practical strategies for educators to promote both integrity and inclusion

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insights from Colleen’s extensive experience as a K-12 practitioner and her cutting-edge doctoral research. Engage in a live Q&A session and contribute to this important conversation.

A bit about Colleen…

A photograph of a woman with chin-length blonde hair. She is wearing a white top. The background is blue.

Colleen Fleming (she/her/hers) is a K-12 practitioner at a designated special education school in Calgary. She has a keen interest in developing a culture of integrity among learners through the promotion of equity, diversity, and inclusion. As a Doctor of Education student at Werklund, her research involves proactively educating students about academic integrity in preparation for higher education.

Event details

Date: October 16, 2024

Time: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Location: University of Calgary, Taylor Family Digital Library, Gallery Hall

https://events.ucalgary.ca/library/event/481166-academic-integrity-and-inclusion-with-colleen-fleming

This event is free and open to the public. Everyone is welcome!

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This blog has had over 3 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton, PhD, is a Professor and Research Chair in the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary, Canada. Opinions are my own and do not represent those of my employer.

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