Hello Everyone,
I wanted to share the upcoming Speaker Sessions for our Academic Integrity Community of Practice that promise to be interesting and informative.
Academic Integrity and Competency-Based Education: Opportunities, Challenges, and Best Practices.
Thursday, October 9, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Ajay Rampersad and Jennie Miron
This session will be held on Teams [to register, contact Jennie at jennie.miron@humber.ca]
As higher education looks to reimagine learning, competency-based education (CBE) emerges as a promising option that presents both opportunities and challenges for academic integrity. In contrast to the traditional education model, CBE prioritizes learners demonstrating clearly defined knowledge and skills rather than by “seat-time” or grades. Students flexibly progress through multiple assessment attempts, peer collaboration, and authentic problem-solving. This approach can reduce traditional misconduct drivers such as performance anxiety and high-stakes assessments. However, CBE also creates tension with existing integrity policies designed for one-shot, time-bound evaluations. When does collaboration (with peers or AI) become cheating? How do we handle multiple submission attempts? Drawing from recent CBE pilots in the Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, this session will explore these challenges while also highlighting opportunities for ways CBE can strengthen academic integrity culture. Participants will discuss best practices for adapting policies and creating frameworks where ethical behaviour aligns naturally with competency-based, career-focused learning goals.
Speakers:
Ajay Rampersad is the Program Coordinator for Competency-Based Education (CBE) in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. In this collaborative role, he works alongside faculty and students across various programs to implement CBE approaches that are both learner-centred and workforce-aligned. As a practitioner and advocate of promoting academic integrity, he is pursuing his doctorate in educational technology, exploring how artificial intelligence can support competency-based assessment and curriculum design. His research is driven by a commitment to creating more equitable pathways for learners who have historically been underserved by the traditional education model.
Jennie Miron is the Academic Integrity Faculty Lead in the Faculty of Health & Life Sciences and Professor in Nursing. She serves as an active member in the Academic Integrity Council of Ontario (AICO), is Chair of the International Center of Academic Integrity (ICAI) Canada, and a board member for ICAI. Jennie remains committed to the fostering of cultures of academic integrity within higher education, recognizing that academic integrity is more critical than ever amid the rapid changes presented by artificial intelligence to learning.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR [More info to come]:
- How to differentiate between the AI and human responses during ethics/integrity training?
Dr. Anu Tammeleht, University of Helsinki
October 21, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
- Exploring the Relationship Between Sustainability & Technology
Sandra Leutri, Humber Polytechnic
November 4, 2025 from 10:30 a.m. to12 p.m.
REMINDER TO JOIN US:
From Cringe to Confidence: Handling Academic Misconduct Conversations
October 8 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
You can join at https://utoronto.zoom.us/j/81335836548?from=addon
Conversations about academic misconduct can feel awkward, stressful, or even confrontational for faculty and staff, but they don't have to. This interactive 90-minute webinar will help participants build comfort, clarity, and confidence when navigating these challenging moments.
Questions? Please contact Jennie Miron at jennie.miron@humber.ca