Suspicion of cheating and plagiarism

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The definition of cheating

Online studies in eRiveria are intended to be completed alone. If for example pair work is allowed, it is mentioned in instructions.

Cheating is happening if the student

  • violates the terms of online courses
  • copies answers from other students or gives his/her answers to other students
  • uses prohibited co-operation and/or gets outside assistance (including artificial intelligence applications)
  • copies answers from outside sources or neglects citation practices
  • tries to influence on the assessing person by bribery, pressure, threatening or blackmailing
  • acts fraudulently to gain advantages to complete his/her online studies

Control

All online teachers monitor the completion of online studies, not only during the assessment process, but also with technical aids. If necessary, the assistance of other experts, such as IT management, is used to examine suspected cheating. Online teachers have a responsibility to investigate any suspected cheating.

All members of Riveria’s teaching and mentoring staff are required to report to eRiveria any cases of cheating they detect or suspect in connection with online studies.

Operating model in case of suspicion of cheating

When a suspicion of cheating or plagiarism arises, we proceed as follows:

  • The online teacher initiates an investigation, the purpose of which is to confirm or invalidate the suspicion.
  • Technical and other methods are used and a discussion between the online teacher and the student is organized, if needed. This is for ensuring the student’s competence.
  • If the case is clear (for example identical answers) no other investigation is needed.
  • If there is no evidence of cheating or it cannot be confirmed, there is no need for further investigation.
  • The student is contacted only if it is necessary to organize a discussion in which the competence of the student is checked.
  • If there is clear evidence of cheating or plagiarism
    • the tasks of the study in question are deleted
    • the online teacher informs the student, the coach teacher and educational manager who initiate the necessary disciplinary actions in the student’s own unit
    • the student’s performance in other online studies is reviewed
  • If the online teacher considers the cheating to be mild, it is possible to direct the student to proceed in correct and accepted ways in his/her studies and delete only the tasks in question. Repeated, even mild cheating will lead to the deletion of the entire online study.