The Authority File Round-Up – January 2022

A quick overview of last month's episodes, in case you missed them

Authority File graphic. Reads: "Conversations with thinkers shaping the future of academia"

In the past few years, high-profile admissions scandals have rocked our media outlets. But celebrity cases of expensive payouts are only one part of ethics and integrity issues in higher education. In the current age of emergency remote teaching, teachers and students have had to make radical adjustments, raising ethical questions in the process. What are the risks of online exam proctoring software? Why are more students falling prey to contract cheating scams or extortion practices? Will artificial intelligence become what the calculator was for past generations? What role do faculty and librarians play in educating students on ethics issues?

Last month, our guest broke down the intricacies of the educational ethics and academic integrity discipline. She dug into its global reach and current challenges, especially as education grows increasingly online and digital. She explains that the subject is about much more than retribution—it holds the opportunity to adjust educational practices to better fit student needs and curricula. In fact, the field of study asks why students cheat in the first place, and how educators can work to resolve these issues. How can academics treat new technology not as an obstruction or a silver bullet, but as a tool in the journey to update and modernize instruction?

Here’s a quick round-up of the episodes, in case you missed them. We hope you find the conversation compelling, transformative, and helpful. Thanks for listening!


Ethics and Integrity in Educational Contexts

Dr. Sarah Elaine Eaton, Series Editor of Ethics and Integrity in Educational Contexts and Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal for Educational Integrity, discusses the history and current issues of educational ethics and integrity. Sarah touches on important topics like emergency remote teaching, artificial intelligence, and integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion principles into the discipline. Brought to you by Springer Nature.

Episode one: Introduction, History, and Audience

  • What are the significant values, scholars, and developments in educational ethics? How does the interdisciplinary nature of the field garner a widespread audience? Listen to episode one here.

Episode two: Changes and Disruptions in the Field

  • How has the subject embraced non-student areas of research? How can experts incorporate equity, diversity, and inclusion principles into reporting and policy recommendations? In what ways has new technology disrupted standard ethical practices? Listen to episode two here.

Episode three: The Challenges Educators Face Today

  • What are the current challenges in the world of educational ethics? How has COVID-19 impacted integrity issues? What potential is there for new, more flexible means of assessment in an online learning environment? Listen to episode three here.

Episode four: The Global Perspective

  • What are the drawbacks of handling issues locally or regionally, rather than employing uniform policies? How can libraries act as a hub for academic integrity? What are the lasting consequences of not educating young scholars on ethics during their academic careers? Listen to episode four here.

Missed December’s episodes? We’ve got you covered.

We had two fantastic series in December. First, Simon Dalby, author of Anthropocene Geopolitics: Globalization, Security, Sustainability, dove into the characteristics of the Anthropocene period and its impact on border security, public policy, and the sustainability of the planet. Looking ahead, he tackles what needs to change in order to protect our planet—and ourselves. You can find the first episode here.

Our second series featured three guests: Lee Willingham, editor of Community Music at the Boundaries, and Mary Cohen and Stuart Duncan, co-authors of the forthcoming Music-Making in U. S. Prisons: Listening to Incarcerated Voices. They defined community music and expanded on its activist intentions, surfacing the impact music-making can have on the maker and the world around them. Plus, how has this discipline’s introduction to the academy affected the traditional field of music education? Click here to listen to the series.


You can find more episodes of the Authority File here on our websiteApple PodcastsSpotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Thanks for listening! See you next month.


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