The Digital Shift in Higher Education: Academic Integrity, Plagiarism, and Artificial Intelligence in Online Learning Environments
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31980/56zgjb57Keywords:
Academic integrity, generative artificial intelligence, plagiarism, AI literacy, academic writing, assessmentAbstract
The rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has transformed academic writing practices and challenged conventional understandings of plagiarism, authorship, originality, and academic integrity in higher education. This study presents a structured integrative review of recent literature on academic integrity in digitally mediated and AI-supported learning environments. The review focuses on four interconnected issues: the changing conceptualization of plagiarism, the influence of GenAI on academic writing and authorship, factors contributing to academically inappropriate technology use, and institutional and pedagogical responses to emerging integrity challenges. The synthesis indicates that GenAI should not be understood exclusively as a mechanism for academic misconduct. Although unrestricted or undisclosed use may undermine assessment validity and intellectual ownership, responsible use can support idea development, language improvement, formative feedback, and learning. The findings further suggest that students' decisions regarding AI use are shaped by the interaction of academic literacy, AI literacy, assessment design, institutional policy, workload, and perceptions of acceptable assistance. Consequently, academic integrity in the GenAI era requires a shift from predominantly detection- and punishment-oriented approaches toward transparent governance, AI literacy, assessment redesign, process-based learning, and explicit expectations regarding attribution and disclosure. This review contributes to contemporary discussions by framing academic integrity as a systemic educational issue located at the intersection of ethics, pedagogy, technology, and assessment.
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