Teacher Awareness of Academic Integrity in Regional Higher Education Institutions in Latvia

Abstract

Recently, the topic of academic integrity (AI) has regained its importance among scholars around the world. In Latvia, from 2019, these issues have been reconceptualized in initiatives of the Ministry of Education and Science and Higher Education Institutions (HEI). Considering the increasing scope of perplexities related to AI in the post-pandemic world, HEIs are in demand of research and academic environment based on a sustainable culture of AI. The given study is tailored to explore awareness of AI issues and views on the implementation of AI in their HEIs of teachers from Latvian regional HEIs. The sample of this study consisted of 11 teachers from four small regional universities in Latvia, working at three study levels (bachelor, master, and doctoral studies). Data were collected using semi-structured interviews consisting of nine open questions. Inductive thematic analysis was applied to qualitative data from the interviews. Teachers showed the good awareness and understanding on Ai, admitting that today AI is considered much more than before. Normative documents of HEI and study courses with integrated topics of AI are used in regional HEIs to communicate AI politics to students and teachers. Advising research work and integrating principles of AI in all study courses were reported as the most frequent forms of teachers' personal activities to prevent students from academic dishonesty. Teachers' suggestions for the promotion of AI were mainly related to the continuation of already implemented activities and adoption of activities administred in other HEIs. The findings of this research have essential implications for regional HEIs in Latvia to improve the communication and procedures of AI policy considering teachers' perspectives. One of the routes for further research would be the triangulation of the views of teachers with the perspectives of students and experts in the field of AI.