Ensuring quality education and promoting academic integrity in home-based learning are two major challenges teachers repeatedly face and address during this pandemic. The challenge among students is to ensure that the quality of academic requirements and the manner on how they complete them are excellent and reflective of their own competencies.
Integrity is an important part of who we are that is why the DASNHS Campus Integrity Crusaders for Honesty, Integrity, Responsibility, and Efficiency came up with this activity to promote honesty and integrity among students.
The webinar on Education Beyond the Pandemic: Promoting Academic Integrity was held on May 22, 2021. It was attended by the participants which were accommodated in three virtual rooms via Google Meet. The event was attended by the Resource Speaker, Ms. Angelita De Lara Cusi, Focal Person of Campus Integrity Crusaders of Paranaque City, Ms. Cristina Cabrera, Public Schools District Supervisor of District 10, Engr. Leonora J. Nofuente, Department Head in Araling Panlipunan and the School’s Officer-in-Charge, Mrs. Alma M. Zamoranos, the school’s Guidance Counselor, Mrs. Loida R. Nacional, Head Teachers, Araling Panlipunan Teachers, selected Teachers, CIC Officers, and selected students from different grade levels. This initiative aimed to understand integrity more comprehensively and to name ways that could promote academic integrity.
Mrs. Loida R. Nacional, the school’s Guidance Counselor mentioned in her message that the topic was very timely. She stressed that students should exercise integrity to be good leaders in the future. She added that doing things with honesty and integrity will lead them to the right path and guide them towards a better future.
In her message, Mrs. Alma M. Zamoranos, Head Teacher III and the School’s Officer-in-Charge, emphasized that one of the challenges frequently encountered by the teachers was the honesty of the learners in doing their schoolwork and other assessments. She mentioned that this webinar was a good opportunity for teachers and students to be mindful of their actions and to always exercise honesty in doing their schoolwork. She cited Proverbs 2:7-8, He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity. She ended her message by encouraging the participants to make God’s words as their guiding path in their daily living.
Engineer Leonora J. Nofuente, the Public Schools District Supervisor of District 10 cited in her message that integrity is one of the values that Civil Service Commission promotes. She also defined and explained the meaning of the word integrity. She emphasized that people should always do the right thing even when nobody’s going to know whether they did it or not. She advised that adhering to the moral and ethical principles is a must.
The highlight of the Webinar was the terrific speech of the Resource Speaker. Ms. Angelita De Lara Cusi, she first defined the word integrity. She presented and explained the famous quotation of C.S. Lewis, “Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching.”
She expounded that academic dishonesty violates our academic integrity and she gave emphasis on some of the forms of academic dishonesty which were cheating, misinterpretation, fabrication, academic misconduct, and plagiarism. She encouraged students to do the right thing in doing their requirements in school and act as if the world is watching them because pandemic is not a reason to compromise their integrity.
She provided ways in upholding academic integrity in online learning and discussed fundamental values of academic integrity which were, honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage. She inspired everyone to strengthen the values of integrity because integrity is a battle within and it should begin within ourselves. She discussed the importance of integrity in our daily lives. She ended her presentation by asking the participants to make a pledge that will help kindle a renewed enthusiasm for upholding academic integrity.
The Resource Speaker was very spontaneous, knowledgeable, and stimulating. Her presentation drew the audience in and held their attention for 45 minutes. There was never a dull moment. She presented videos to reinforce the topic and the chat box was utilized by the participants for their queries and responses.
The objectives were achieved and questions were all addressed. The activity was successfully implemented. It was well prepared and organized. The school was very supportive in this endeavor and CIC officers were very vigorous, responsible, and reliable all throughout the implementation of the virtual activity. (Mrs. Meden Brecio-Briones)